Navigational Aids

imported
#1

I see the Colorado Trail Official Guidebook maps as completely substandard. Reason being they seem to be more of a political map with no topographic features shown. Also the heavy weight of the book itself renders it useless. Besides the $45 topo map book availible from the CT Association are their any other resources available to hikers. Is the Data book sufficent? Is their any need for a map? Will the Colorado Atlas and Gazeteer offer enough info for my hike? I think I will do the CT startting near the end of July finishing near the end of Aug. to eary Sept. I used to live in Breckenridge for 6 years so I know the weather expectations for that time frame will be doable. Little existing snow, end of Mosquito and waning T-storm season, and only may be hit by minor dumps in early sept. Thanks for the map info.

Guino

#2

Do you have the data book Guino? 2 thru hikers just hit Salida today (Luna and Amistad) and they were quite happy with the data book and found the lat/long very helpful since they have a GPS. They were not even aware of the Guidebook! I see what you mean about the Guidebook. I also have the $45 topo book which is awesome but will slowly become obsolete as the trail continues to move around. BTW, Amistad and Luna are leaving from Hiway 50 tomorrow to head toward Marshall Pass. They have had a fairly uneventful but awesome trip so far . They have never heard of Trail Forums so I am appending this. I am Trail Angel APPLE and will be moving south toward Crede in 2 days. I am currently at the Shavano Angel. BTW, they reported heavy snow at Kokomo pass but manageable.

APPLE

#3

I do not like the USFS maps found in the guidebook either, though some people find them to be adequate.

The CT is pretty well marked, but I still like using maps (esp. if you take alt routes and/or do 14ers)

The map options include using the Trails Illustrated Maps. Kinda of heavy and expensive ($10 ea x 13) OR the CTF map set avail on CD. The CD maps are found at www.coloradotrail.org

The Colorado Trail ain’t the AT. You really should have maps.

Paul Mags

#4

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I looked into that $45 book again and though the price is a little bit steep for the unemployed, the website for it clarifies what it is. The maps do look good on the website selling the book, but what turns me on the most is the authors suggestion of tearing out sections that deal with GPS for the non-GPS users and mtn. bike alternates for us hikers. He further tells how much wieght those sections deletion will save the hiker. I will use this option, and will hopefully be able to find it in Denver at the REI when I show up there. My brother can pick me up at the airport and drive me to the trailhead. It turns out starting July 28 he is coincidentally going to be camping there anyway doing construction work in the area with his crew. Seems like providence to me.

Guino

#5

I just finished my CT thru hike and I carried the data book fully and pages from the guidebook. The guidebook pages were nice only because sometimes they would tell you something like “the upcoming intersection is a bit confusing, make sure to turn right at fork”. As far as maps…you don’t really need them, but if you want good maps I’ll make a suggestion.

When I was in Breckenridge the snow was really bad. I picked up a map at the outfitter made by a company called latitude40. It was a great map. it had all the topo stuff on it and all the trail stuff. Overall best map out there in my opinion. I don’t know if they have maps for the whole CT, but this one map covered me all the way to Twin Lakes.

lakewood

#6

Saying you don’t really need maps…and then saying you needed a map gives mixed signals. :wink: I prefer to navigate via a map as guidebooks can confuse me. YMMV.

Take the maps. Snow can happen, you may have to bail out or you just may feel like taking an alternate route and/or exploring 14ers.

The Latitude40 maps are a very large scale just as an FYI.

Paul Mags

#7

On this my second CT thru I am useing TI maps. Not so much for navigation because the trail is pretty easy to follow but because the data book and guide book pages don’t match up very well. The maps clear up some confusing info the books.

elnomad

#8

The DeLorme Colorado atlas & gazetteer does show the route of the Colorado Trail, fairly accurately if I recall. I carried photocopied pages of this on my '98 thru-hike, along with the guidebook available at the time, and found that to be sufficient. (My prior l-d hiking experience had been limited to the AT.) Doubtless the guidebook and CT trail corridor have each been broken in over the past decade, such that navigation is now easier (still).

blisterfree

#9

I believe the old guidebook (that I used) featured actual topo maps. Getting ahold of something (besides DeLorme, which is more for the big picture) with the CT route line superimposed over a topo base map would probably be a good idea. 1:24000 (7.5’) scale might not be necessary, but at least 1:100000 would be handy.

blisterfree