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  1. #1

    Default How to make pdf trail maps starting with a kml or gpx file?

    The North Country Trail in MI has some available pdf maps, but they are not continuous and in some cases the scale is not good. I would like to create pdf maps with topo and as much other info as possible.

    Which website, app or program would you recommend to load the kml file and place it on a base map, then export it as a pdf?

    What scale would you recommend?

  2. #2

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    I use caltopo.com for that. I use 1:12000 when I can, 1:24000 is good sometimes. It will import KML or GPX files. Make sure when you print the pdf files, select actual size rather than fit to paper.

    I like to take them down to Office Depot and get them laser printed on 28lb bond, sometimes on 11x17 (you have to make them that size first), sometimes on both sides.

  3. #3
    Registered User handlebar's Avatar
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    The NCTA website has a link to a GIS application which allows printing of maps. It has a tutorial. You could probably also phone the GIS coordinator at the NCTA for more info.
    Handlebar
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  4. #4

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    Wow, Caltopo is an excellent site, made these today:

    https://drive.google.com/folderview?...G8&usp=sharing

  5. #5

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    This is really a great site, thanks for the referral!

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    Registered User CoolBobby's Avatar
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    I agree... Great site!

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    Quote Originally Posted by upstream View Post
    I use caltopo.com for that. I use 1:12000 when I can, 1:24000 is good sometimes. It will import KML or GPX files. Make sure when you print the pdf files, select actual size rather than fit to paper.

    I like to take them down to Office Depot and get them laser printed on 28lb bond, sometimes on 11x17 (you have to make them that size first), sometimes on both sides.
    Upstream was it exactly right. Caltopo is the best website for free online mapping, and it imports your GPX files with one click.
    Here is a printing suggestion - choose your preferred map scale, and don't use the set of randomly generated scale the Cal topo tries to give you, which is usually some oddball number like 1:37,789. Standard map scales of 1 to 24,000 or 1 to 30,000 I going to work pretty well for most backpacking areas. And yes, 11 x 17 paper is a very handy size to print on.

    Be sure to print on a laser printer and not on a dot matrix to get the best map quality and one that's going to stand up under a little bit of moisture.

  8. #8
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    CalTopo is not 100% free. There is an annual subscription fee for advanced features like paper sizes larger than letter size and map pages beyond 5.
    The cost is nominal and worth it if you need high quality custom maps.
    All of the customary scales are available on a menu. Fire history is there as well.
    Wayne


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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by upstream View Post
    I use caltopo.com for that. I use 1:12000 when I can, 1:24000 is good sometimes. It will import KML or GPX files. Make sure when you print the pdf files, select actual size rather than fit to paper.

    I like to take them down to Office Depot and get them laser printed on 28lb bond, sometimes on 11x17 (you have to make them that size first), sometimes on both sides.
    Choice of scale varies according to mission. I might use 1:12000 for 'front country' areas with complicated and dense road and trail systems. For out-and-out wilderness, sometimes 1:63360 suffices. I think that my 'go to' scale is most often 1:31680, which is "inch is half a mile." At my slow pace, I can usually put a day's hiking on one sheet of double-sided print at that scale. I have a 1:63360 Romer scale and it's easy to double the distances.

    I often wind up using CalTopo together with a basemap of my own, built from various government and open-source data sets. That gives me CalTopo's overlays and frame, with content that can be whatever I like. Most often, that's sort of a "modern American-style topo" like https://caltopo.com/l/10UD - but I've also been known to do overlays onto aerial imagery or special-purpose thematic maps.

    I typically print on regular office paper, but then carry my maps in a gallon freezer bag (along with my notebook, a pencil or two, my route card, and maybe a few guidebook pages). For longer trips or harsher conditions, I might print on water-resistant paper.
    I always know where I am. I'm right here.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Venchka View Post
    CalTopo is not 100% free. There is an annual subscription fee for advanced features like paper sizes larger than letter size and map pages beyond 5.
    The cost is nominal and worth it if you need high quality custom maps.
    All of the customary scales are available on a menu. Fire history is there as well.
    Wayne
    Wayne,
    You are correct, it is technically not 100% free. Most all the core functions of the software are available for free. Paying a modest $20 a year gets you several things: the ability to print on larger sizes of paper, which is often quite helpful, the ability to save your maps with overlays and share them with other people, and, most important, showing the one single guy in California, Matt Jacobs, that you support his project and are helping him keep this valuable resource online for all of us to enjoy. Matt ran Caltopo entirely as a side job hobby until about a year ago, paying for all of his web expenses out of pocket and gaining pretty much zero income from the project. To tell you what kind of a good guy he is, a couple of years ago I sent him $20 through PayPal as a token thank you, and he responded "thanks I am donating your money to my Search and Rescue (SAR) team."
    I would strongly urge anyone who tries Caltopo and sees it's value to subscribe to the site to help keep it thriving.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Another Kevin View Post
    I typically print on regular office paper, but then carry my maps in a gallon freezer bag (along with my notebook, a pencil or two, my route card, and maybe a few guidebook pages). For longer trips or harsher conditions, I might print on water-resistant paper.
    Kevin,
    What exactly is a "route card"?
    I have an idea of what I call a route card, but I'm curious what the term means to you.
    Thanks!

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    Quote Originally Posted by johngo View Post
    Kevin,
    What exactly is a "route card"?
    I have an idea of what I call a route card, but I'm curious what the term means to you.
    Thanks!
    Typically, at minimum, a list of waypoints (coordinates, elevation, description), and usually a distance, compass heading and rough description of the route between them. Possibly estimates of elapsed time to inform a go/no-go decision. I try to keep the segments short enough that they still don't need intermediate waypoints if I get caught out after sunset or the weather turns sour. I leave enough space to pencil in actual time of arrival at waypoints.

    It may also include descriptions of possible escape routes, a copy-and-paste of the 'higher summits' weather forecast, and sunrise/sunset times.

    Depending on circumstances, the route description might be as short as, "Hunter Mountain fire tower via the Spruceton bridle path, in/out, xx.x miles, yyyy feet elevation gain, estimated time z:zz" or be a multi-page list of:

    Grid Coords,Place Name,Bearing,Distance,Elevation change,Est time this leg,Est time total,Actual arrival time,Remarks

    This can get into very detailed turn-by-turn directions if I'm describing an off-trail route in a maze of ledges and dense vegetation such as https://kbk.is-a-geek.net/catskills/...=-74.3907&z=13 I was grateful to the friend who sent me route descriptions with all the details. It's really nasty terrain.

    If I'm leading a group, everyone gets a copy (plus everyone on the home team gets a copy), and the back side has the time at which to call S&R if we go missing, the location(s) where we intend to spot vehicles, eveyone's contact information, any medical information that the party needs to be aware of, the contact information for the local sheriff and the rangers, a rough equipment list, and the registration number of my PLB. It usually states that my wife (or possibly my daughter) is the contact person when coordinating emergency response.
    I always know where I am. I'm right here.

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    Kevin,
    Thank you for that very detailed explanation. That's more than a lot many folks here will probably want to carry on a private outing, but if you are in charge of a group in any official sort of way, having all this additional information is very wise idea.
    I make a similar a card for mountaineering. For mine, I will often include a screen grab off of Google earth with the route drawn in as a KML file, as well as a scanned page or two from any guidebook that may describe the route.

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