GPS

[Hikin_Jim]

I have a particular approach to back country navigation. Really, it's not particularly technical (although I know how to do a section and a resection using compass bearings -- a very technical skill that I only rarely use).

In a nutshell, here's my basic approach:

1. Do your homework (pre-trip planning).
A. Where do you want to go? (select a route)
B. What do you expect to see?
C. What are the key route points?
D. How do you know when you've gone too far?
2. Keep your eyes open (continuous observation of surroundings)
A. What did I just pass?
B. What do I expect to see next?
C. Where am I in relation to any distinctive landmarks?
D. Should I be seeing that? ("Hey, wait a minute; there's no river on this trip")
3. Take time to check in (detailed navigation)
A. Check your map at key points along the route.
B. Check your map periodically even if there aren't frequent key points
C. Determine a fairly exact position (within the limits of your gear and the terrain)

HJ

[Hikin_Jim]

Is there a particular GPS brand that it's easier or cheaper to load topo maps to? I think I don't need a big fancy display (which drains batteries); I will always have a paper map on hand.

I was out with a Sierra Club group in July in Yosemite doing some peak bagging. One guy had a GPS that displayed a topo map with a little arrow marking one's position and direction. THAT would be worthwhile.

I see REI has a Garmin GPSMAP 62s marked down from $350 to $200. Looks maybe fancier than I need. Any opinions on that one?

HJ

[Ed]

You want to make sure that the GPS unit has (a) mapping capability, (b) a usb computer interface, and includes the cable and (c) has enough memory that you aren't constantly reloading maps. Most of the more expensive units have all three. The ones with the microSD cards have additional memory, and also seem to have longer battery lifetimes, though I'm not sure that is related to the card input. You can get a free Garmin-compatible topo for California from GPSFileDepot. It's not perfect, but from what I hear the Garmin maps you pay for aren't perfect either. I think 2GB of memory will probably cover all or most of California.

[Hikin_Jim]

Thanks, Ed. I'll look for those things.

I updated my post, above, with the specific GPS I see is on sale right now.

If anyone knows of a website with a good basic primer on GPS units, I'd be very appreciative. No, I haven't looked at REI's information; usually REI's write ups seem a little simplistic to me.

HJ

[climbant]

Jim,


Google GPS Nuts, good info on that site. I bought an outdated Garmin Venture, it has WAAS, and came with a 100K topo. Honestly its a worthless map to try and nav with, a blank screen would be better. If I was in the market I would buy a very basic unit, like the current eTrex10. Since you do map and compass I think you would be happy.

[OtherHand]

Jim, I'd recommend the Garmin Etrex 30. It's by far not the fanciest unit Garmin makes, but it has everything you need, including barometer and mag compass. This unit is the updated version of the older Garmin Etrex Vista, a unit I love so much I bought a spare. (They still are available on eBay for cheap!)

Here's what I like about it over larger units like the 62 and up series....It's small and damn light. Also built like a tank. Dropped it a great many times with no ill effects. The screen is a little small, but the benefit to that is it has phenomenal battery life. Those units with the nice big screens suck battery power in comparison. And if you see something with a touch screen, run from it.

As far as using maps, with Garmin you are sorta screwed. Yes, you can load stuff from GPSDepot but I don't find them as good as Garmin base maps. I say just bite the bullet and buy the Garmin topo maps. It's painful but you only do it once. Some deals are to be found on eBay.

I have found the negative posts about GPS use amusing. I've used map and compass for many years so I know how it's done. But I routinely use my GPS to put me in very precise places and maintaining specific routes it would be essentially impossible to do via maps alone. Many of my, um...adventures would not be feasible using only map and compass.

[Hikin_Jim]

Google GPS Nuts, good info on that site. I bought an outdated Garmin Venture, it has WAAS, and came with a 100K topo. Honestly its a worthless map to try and nav with, a blank screen would be better.

Thanks for the GPS Nuts tip. I looked at it a bit last night.

100K maps are worthless? Figures. I used 'em in Alaska once, years ago. Practically flying blind. Yipes.

If I was in the market I would buy a very basic unit, like the current eTrex10. Since you do map and compass I think you would be happy.

Is the eTrex 10 compatible with Russian Glosnass? That's a big advantage to my mind of the 30 over the 10.

HJ

[Hikin_Jim]

Here's what I like about it over larger units like the 62 and up series....It's small and damn light. Also built like a tank. Dropped it a great many times with no ill effects. The screen is a little small, but the benefit to that is it has phenomenal battery life. Those units with the nice big screens suck battery power in comparison. And if you see something with a touch screen, run from it.

Yeah, the 62s weighs almost double what a 30 ways. Pretty much a non-starter right there.

The 30's battery life is 5 hours longer than the 62s's. Doggone it, the 30 is $70 more than the 62s right now. (I like bargains)

As far as using maps, with Garmin you are sorta screwed. Yes, you can load stuff from GPSDepot but I don't find them as good as Garmin base maps. I say just bite the bullet and buy the Garmin topo maps. It's painful but you only do it once. Some deals are to be found on eBay.

I take it that they must have 1:24k maps? 1:100k maps aren't worth the "paper" (bytes?) they're "printed" on. I'll look into it, but I assume they must have things available by state or region, yes? I mean I don't have to buy the whole freaking USA just to get San Jacinto Peak, yes?

I have found the negative posts about GPS use amusing. I've used map and compass for many years so I know how it's done. But I routinely use my GPS to put me in very precise places and maintaining specific routes it would be essentially impossible to do via maps alone. Many of my, um...adventures would not be feasible using only map and compass.

I've been able to do a lot with map and compass. I like that map and compass heightens my awareness of my surroundings. I mean, I really have to pay attention when doing things like my Joshua Tree Quail Mtn to Smith Water hike. The navigation wasn't horrible, but neither was it trivial.

On the other hand (no pun intended), it is frustrating not to know exact locations. In the San Gorgonio Wilderness, there were a number of camps in use prior to the imposition of the 1973 restrictions, many of those in off-trail areas. (Why off trail camps were stricken, I have no idea; it's not like they were getting so much use that they were getting trampled) For example, there's an old camp in Lost Creek in the NE portion of the SGW. When I set out to explore it and to see if I could find the old trail (it was marked as a trace trail in the 1970's, a fool's errand no doubt), I found a number of things including springs and a significant section of the old trail -- still pretty intact. Could I find those things again? Probably, with a bit of searching, but I can't tell you where they are except in a general way. I'd have to take you there and go by visual reference and memory -- techniques prone to lapses. A GPS could really help out here.

I went back recently to find some off trail springs I had filmed in the Angeles National Forest. At the time I found them, they were prominent and obvious. A few dry years have transpired subsequently, and I couldn't find them the last time I went out. I was disappointed. Again, a GPS could really help out here.

Of course for coordinated SAR operations, I don't think there's any reasonable way to do it except with GPS. The Ewasko incident has certainly driven that home.

HJ

[climbant]

I believe all the new etrexs are able to use the Russian system and REI site says it does.

The big reason I do not care about the mapping feature on a GPS is because all I really want is that UTM reading. Documentation of the hike is nice also but that UTM is a nav savior sometimes. For my map I go paper, always.

If you do want to use a map on the GPS then the basic models are not gonna make you happy.

[OtherHand]

I take it that they must have 1:24k maps? 1:100k maps aren't worth the "paper" (bytes?) they're "printed" on. I'll look into it, but I assume they must have things available by state or region, yes? I mean I don't have to buy the whole freaking USA just to get San Jacinto Peak, yes?

I find the 1:100K maps useless. You can get subareas of the USA in the 24k series if you don't want to buy the entire country on DVD. Amazon sells a microSD card with all of California and Nevada already loaded on it for about $66. You can find the same thing on eBay for a little less.

Garmin's 24k maps aren't anywhere near the quality of 24k USGS topos, although they try and make them sound that way. But they are adequate for backcountry travel. And when you do end up pulling out a USGS topo, you appreciate it all the more.

One thing that hasn't really been mentioned is the ability to export tracks and points from visual mapping products such as Google Earth. Many times I have come across interesting spots while perusing places in the middle of nowhere and can export them as KML files. There's a freeware/shareware program called GPS Babel that allows you to convert all sorts of waypoints and tracks between different mapping programs. This allows me to convert the GE kml files to Garmin's gdb file format. Once loaded into a GPS unit, finding it in the field is easy. This includes old mining roads that are visible on the air, but standing in the middle of it, on the ground, it's almost invisible.

When planning my last trip into Smith Water, I had noted what looked like a trail down a ridgeline in Google Earth, obviously an animal path. But I traced it out and loaded it as part of my overall plan. When I got to that area I thought it would be interesting to check out and followed my path to it. Sure enough, there it was, almost invisible to the eye. I would not have been able to trace it using just map and compass techniques. Sometimes having an overall aerial view gives you a "big picture" which allows you to find cool stuff you wouldn't see on the ground.