Search results
A brief introduction to determining the exact or estimated elevation of a location on a topographic map.
- 8 min
- 52.5K
- Mike Sammartano
The most direct process to determine the map you require is to visit the topographic maps section of the GeoGratis Website at. geogratis.ca. To order a Canadian topographic map, you must know either the location (longitude/ latitude) or the name of your area of interest (e.g. a major city, or a large body of water).
Jun 27, 2024 · To determine the elevation of a specific point on a topographic map, follow these steps: 1. Locate the nearest labeled contour line: Contour lines are used to represent changes in elevation on a map.
If you are calculating the slope of a hill from a topographic map, remember to use the contour lines to determine the elevation difference, and the bar scale on your map to measure the separating distance. In addition to contour lines, topographic maps will also have benchmarks (surveyed points) located at various locations on the map. These ...
- How Contour Lines Describe Terrain
- Map Scales
- Other Useful Map Details
- Where to Get Topo Maps
Simple trail maps are useful for trip planning but NOT for navigation in the field. Topographic maps go further, giving you the power to visualize three-dimensional terrain from a flat piece of paper. The feature that makes this possible is contour lines: Contour lines indicate the steepness of terrain.Contour lines connect points that share the sa...
The map's scale tells you how detailed your map is. A 1:24000 scale, for example, means one inch on the map equals 24,000 inches of real-world terrain. If the scale ratio had a number like 1:65,000, though, that would mean that each inch on the map covered 65,000 inches of terrain. A map with that scale covers a larger area overall—but it has less ...
Look closely at the map legend.It's loaded with map-reading clues and navigational data. Start by studying what each line, symbol and color means. Generally, green indicates denser vegetation, while light or colorless areas suggest open terrain. And, as you'd expect, streams and lakes are shown in blue. The legend also lists key data like the map's...
USGS Maps
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) used to be the gold standard for topo maps. Covering the entire country, its maps consisted of rectangular areas of land called quadrangles ("quads" for short). Once available in most REI stores and other outdoor shops, preprinted USGS maps are being phased out now and replaced by an online resourcethat allows map data to be continually updated. Maps downloaded and printed from here have some major drawbacks: limited trail information and lack of in-the-field...
Maps from Specialty Companies
Several companies produce enhanced topographic maps. They highlight key features and update details regularly. These maps are more likely to be available for popular areas. (Finding a map for a lesser-known area will be more difficult.) Additional features that can make a map more valuable include: 1. Highlighted trails 2. Elevation callouts 3. Distances between trail junctions and landmarks 4. Primitive trails 5. Backcountry campsites 6. Springs 7. Highlighted boundary lines Shop paper maps
Mapping Websites
Offering similar advantages to mapping software, a rapidly growing number of websites offer you the option to customize and download maps. Some are free; others are subscription based.
People use topographic maps to locate surface features in a given area, to find their way through a particular area, and to determine the direction of water flow in a given area. Oceanographers use bathymetric maps to depict the features beneath a body of water.
People also ask
How do you determine the elevation of a topographic map?
How do you read a topographic map?
What does a topographic map show?
What are surveyed points on a topographic map?
How do you draw a topographic map?
How do contour lines align with a topographic map?
May 27, 2023 · To read topographic maps, look at the thicker contour lines and the number next to them to determine the elevation. You can also figure out the elevation change by looking at the space between the contour lines. For example, the closer the spaces, the more rapid the change in elevation.
- 47.9K
