New Mexico Map Book Field Trial

imported
#1

I purchased the CDTA NM Mapbook a couple of weeks ago. First of all, I want to say that the maps are absolutely stunning - this book would look good on a coffee table. It’s going to be a shame to mess it up by using it. It has some really clear information about using the maps near the front of the book. I’ve never really understood UTM very well and never owned a GPS until this year. The information in the book finally got me going and I think I understand it all much better now. I downloaded the waypoints from the CDTA website and got my GPS set up with no issues. Last weekend I went to Lordsburg and hiked Segment 5 to the Burro Peak Trailhead. The first part of the route is not marked very well and the GPS took me across it perfectly. Really, it’s amazing how well it worked. When I would reach a waypoint I was always within a meter or two of where the GPS was guiding me. I’ve been very nervous about hiking the CDT through NM. A friend who hiked it several years back told be about numerous places where he got lost or off track. I think this book, combined with a GPS, will make that a thing of the past.

Hedry

#2

I am planning to carry Ley, Woolf guidebook and prob Delormes. How helpful would you estimate the map book to be for a hiker without GPS? Would you consider it a necessary addition, or a nice supplement?

hopeful tramp

#3

The maps are higher quality than the others. They have compass information on them but I haven’t used my compass much. I sent both guidebooks home. Reversing the Wolf one was totally confusing and the CDTA one is way out of date. I got totally lost at one place in Segment 15 and just followed the gps down to the trail. I am sold on using it.

I think if you don’t carry a gps you should download the tables from CDTA and use them. They have a lot of information about where to turn at intersections.

Hedry

#4

so I got the NM map book recently as well and see it pretty useful. However I don’t think I am going to carry it on the trail. I’m printing pretty good quality Ley maps as of now. The scale is about 1 double sided mapbook page to 1 front sided LEY. So if ya double side Ley’s it takes 2 mapbook sheet’s to cover 1 Ley sheet.This adds up over time. I found the map book to be great for cross referencing Ley’s maps against. One can really start to comprehend were the “major ALT’S” are on this trail. Ley show’s them anyway’s though. But you know what’s" “official”, not that it matter’s so much. It seems to be “good reason” where ALT’S are because there are some extra long DRY sections in NM the CDTA FOLLOWS.
That would be my concern if one was to STRICTLY follow the CDTA route, you would loose your choice of routes and the practicalities they provide, mostly concerning H2O, especially in these dry times.
A major one is the road walk, NB, to the El Malpais, ley leaves the road early to follow armijo, sand canyons, were the official sends you to the chain of craters for a long waterless section. Hell you got 4 CHOICES up through there! Another would be the Gila/Black range. This is one I’ve been considering doing instead of the river. AND this year because of the FIRE down there you might actually have to go that way, unless you skip the gila totally. But it seems to be a “major, major difference in planning,” if your not ready for it. There does seem to be water out there and can be done.
So here’s what I see as an advantage of using Ley’s is that it keep’s you connected to hiker’s of years gone by because of the notations/commentary it provides. The mapbook show’s water ICONS but no verbal commentary to go on. It leaves me disconnected, not knowing **** about the water that literally might be full of ****!
If you are following the CRAZY COOK route out of the bootheel the mapbook has the greatest info/advantage available because it show’s were the CDTA has put H20 cache box’s!!! I didn’t even know they existed. I have ley’s 2010 CD, so I don’t know if he has updated those maps. I see this highly important if going this route! It should be noted!
All in all I’m writing notes from the map book on to my ley map’s. Highly time consuming and not sure if it’s worth the effort. But this whole trail entails tremendous effort!

vulturedeath

#5

I really appreciate the positive comments.

The CDTA Mapbooks are designed to be used with either a compass or gps, or both. Current (2011) magnetic declinations have been calculated on a page by page basis and are far more accurate than the typical topographic maps which contain out of date calculations. Many of the USGS topos in NM are between 3 and 4 degrees in error because they are so old. Magnetic to UTM declinations are also listed so it’s easy to lay a compass along a UTM line and precisely orient the map. That is the reason for the plastic spiral binding - so it will lay flat and not affect compass readings.

BTW, Compasses do not work correctly in the lava fields of the Malpais and Zuni Acoma Trail area but gps works ok in there. That is an amazing place and people who choose to road walk around it are missing a totally unique hiking experience.

The NM trail has lots of confusing places. You definitely will enjoy it more if you have some form of orienteering system, be it gps or compass.

bearcreek

#6

Great comments vulturedeath, but you’ve been put on apostrophe probation for one month. Please remove the apostrophe key from your computer.

Thank’s.

marknotinkansas

#7

I section hiked the Chain of Craters and Zuni-Acoma Trail several weeks ago. I found enough water to get through without much difficulty but I carried 8 liters. In addition to the windmill - stock tank at mile 13.3 shown in the Mapbook there is a stock watering pond that had water close to where the trail hits the dirt road. It was pretty low so it may dry later up but was ok then. I also got water at the Ranger Station at mile 40 before heading in to the Zuni-Acoma part. Some people having a picnic at the trailhead fed me and loaded me up with water before the roadwalk into town and that was enough. There are a couple of windmills a bit east of the road but I didn’t check them out. They looked like they were ok, though.

I agree with bear creek that it is a super interesting hike and I am glad I did it.

I am using the Mapbook and a gps and it has been spot on so far. I like the size of the maps.

thruhiker

#8

I want to carry my gps, but I’m trying to decipher were to obtain my waypoints from. Originally I found "whiteblaze’s files, possibly out of date?? Then I found “Out of order’s” files from yogi’s. And now you have waypoints from the CDTA mapbook for NM and CO which will be narrow on one route as discussed prior.
Keep in mind I haven’t downloaded any of the above to actually see the routes blazed on my map software.
My route choice and literature/maps look like this: NB, crazy cook start, Ley map’s, delorme’s, GPS, yogi’s and (NO wolf guides, confusing backwards)
I guess what I’m asking is what files to use and or do these files have the ALT’S on them or are they limited to one corridor, assuming, like CDTA would be?
Thanks, anyone out there?

vulturedeath

#10

I agree that the Chain of Crater’s sound’s totally badass. That’s my favorite band, Chain of Crater. There sound is the best.

Cheer’s!

marknotinkansas

#11

Their really the best. I can’t wait to go to they’re concert’s.

marknotinkansas