I’m looking at buying the maps and guidebooks “bundle pack” from the ATC Store now for my 2002 thru-hike. I am an ATC member, but the price is high enough that I want to make sure I’m making a good purchase.
How many of you had the ATC maps along? Is the scale good enough or are there better maps to get? Are the state-by-state guide books useful? (I already have the Thru-Hikers Companion.)
Thanks,
Jennifer
Jennifer
Jen, I use the maps. I like being able to see where I am and it also includes the side trail, cities, etc. I feel I am better oriented when using the maps. Each of the different guide books have pluses. I rip out the sections I am hiking. We plan to thru hike next year (02) and put each section we will need in the maildrop. Over the years I have met many thru-hikers on and off of the trail it appears everybody uses a combination of either two guides or one guide and maps. The map quality is fair to excellent. (It depends on the section.) I hope this helps. Are you thru hiking?
Charles
There are a lot of nice things about carrying maps, but they are not necessary. For one it is extra weight, the trail is marked well enough to keep you from getting lost and third the profile sections of the map will do nothing but piss you off. Another hiker informed me that these were profiles of mountains but rather a brain scan of a cat on acid. The latter makes more sense.
Ganj
I think they were more accurate when read upside down! I remember one particular morning in Vermont when it looked like our first 4 miles would be a gradual walk DOWN to a road crossing. Probably take us an hour and a half. The ACTUAL trail climbed and dropped fairly steeply 6-7 times. You’d of thought by then we wouldn’t have counted on the profile, but jeez, how could it be that wrong?!!
We did like having the maps for stealth camping, hunting for water not listed in the book, and for getting a better idea of what was ahead of us. And we took Wingnut’s book, The Thru-hiker’s Handbook. It was a nice combination of the data book and the companion because it had the mile marks and more detail than the data book. He has some extraneous stuff in there to try to make it interesting, (don’t believe the part about Jerry Cabin shelter having lights and a phone…we didn’t but we know one guy who hiked an extra 6 miles in the dark to get there because he thought it had electricity and would be warm!)bummer. Even if he sucks as a webmaster, his book is good
Bramble
Profiles (suck for sure) But loved looking at the all the same. Best to use the actual topo map. One maildrop came w/o and I hated not being able to mull over the map at night and on breaks. Bought the guidebooks but sent the first one home at Neels Gap and never caried another one.
~hamockhngr~
Thanks for the input! I think I’ll go ahead and buy them (the annual sale is right now, too.) I am going stir crazy waiting for March to come, so the books and maps will distract me for a while now if nothing else!
Jennnifer
Jen, watch out for scale changes between maps; some are 7.5minute, some are shown from the Space Shuttle. Contour lines can mislead you at the worst possible time as when you’re tired and hungry. Some are ten feet, some are 100’! You walk for an hours and never see a shelter. I takes some getting used to.
Bushwhack
Yes I purchased the maps for the entire route and the Companion and Wingfoots Guide Book. All total about $220.00
Non-member cost. I wouldnt leave home with out them and my compass. We hike all the time in National Forests where there are marked and well maintained trails and we still find it important to reference the maps, sometimes necessary
you cannot predict when and why you find yourself off the main trail.
Cross
Cross
I have always been an exponent of carrying maps when in the bush. However, the downside is that when hiking long distances on the AT they can add a lot of extra weight (unless you have a lot of maildrops arranged). I also found that seeing the upcoming profiles took enjoyment away from my hike. Next trip I will probably leave the maps at home to help reduce weight.
As the AT is so well marked I feel confident that I could hike the AT without much loss of convenience or safety. However, I will take the guidebook as in MHO it is esential (plus it provides a lot of the information contained in the maps).
Downunda