Hiking with mobile devices

Mobile devices are becoming more and more popular among hikers because of their versatility. Many people have skipped the traditional handheld GPS units and are using their cell phones as their GPS unit. Many mapping and GPS apps use the mobile device's internal GPS which operates, as most GPS units do, from satellites and so do not require a cell phone signal from a tower. The biggest problem with these devices as with any electronic device is that they operate on battery power which may be limited. Most devices DO NOT have replaceable batteries and must be recharged which can be difficult in the field. Charging units and solar chargers help to alleviate this problem. CAUTION: Hikers should NEVER depend on devices powered by batteries to navigate especially when bushwhacking! Hikers should always have a map for the area where they are hiking and a compass and should know how to use both.

Geospatial PDF, GeoTIFF, and GeoPDF® maps

It is possible to access the Internet on a hike, go to a website and see a map for the area where you are hiking. This only works if you have a cell phone signal. It is possible to download a map to your electronic device at home and then access the map on your hike. These methods have little advantage over paper maps and several disadvantages. Many websites are beginning to publish maps in special formats that have geospatial data encoded within the file. This allows hikers to SEE where they are on the map in relation to geographic features and marked trails. This can be useful and is a whole lot of fun. A special app is required to read and interpret these maps and these apps usually have other features such as being able to record your track. Once downloaded and stored on your mobile device, these maps do not use up your data and do not require a cell phone signal to work. There are thousands of free maps available and other are ready to purchase for a small fee.

Avenza

One of the best apps for mobile device maps can be found at Avenza Maps. You can check out the app on the website but, of course, to use it you will have to download it on your mobile device. A version is presently available for both iOS (Apple) and Android devices. Once you have downloaded and installed the app, you may download free and "for fee" maps from the "stores" or other websites that have them. I will begin to publish maps for some of my hikes when I cannot find one anywhere else. A list of all the features of Avenza Maps can be found at PDF Maps features.

Creating Compatible Maps

Some people may not want to bother with this new technology because of its limitations. Most people who embrace the new maps will be happy to download maps that exist. A few people, myself included, may want to create their own maps for themselves or for others. There are several expensive programs that do this but the best alternative is the Caltopo website. You can easily import GPS tracks in GPX format, create a map with many different tracks in different colors and then print the resulting map in geospatial PDF format. The ability to add labels is somewhat limited so I use PDF Annotator to markup the PDF. This does not disable the geocoding in any way.

Websites with Avenza Maps

Here are some websites with lists of Avenza Maps available. You should actually download the maps through the Avenza Maps stores or from the websites when you are using your mobile device.

NYNJTC
Finger Lakes TC
Catskill Mountain Club

Identifying Peaks

I have often joked that it would be convenient if all mountains had a big neon sign with there name at their summit so that they could be identified easily. Some of the fire towers have an alidade or Osborne Firefinder which, together with a map can help locate various mountain peaks. Balsam Lakefire tower has one of these devices. There are also cell phone apps that can be a big help in identifying everything from tall mountains to minor hills

One of these apps is Peak Finder which is available for both iOS and Android phones. This app shows an outline of the mountains that can be seen from your location. You can turn on the camera on your phone and match the outline to the profile of the mountains seen through the camera. The app allows you to take a picture which will include the mountain profiles and the overlay that names them! You can even edit the photo on the phone. The app has a database of 350,000 mountains and hills from around the world. The database is loaded on your phone so the app can be used even when you have no signal. I can attest to the fact that it really works identifying some very small features as well as prominent peaks. The app offers a way to calibrate the compass automatically or manually to fine tune your location. Touching the name of a mountain provides additional information about it. Tapping the center of the screen activates a telescope to zoom in on less prominent or partly hidden peaks. There are arrows on the screen to allow you to "fly" up or down to identify hidden peaks. Sliders are provided to adjust various letterings within the app. The price is a ridiculous $5!

Another app that identifies peaks is Peak Visor. The two apps are similar with some differences. This app shows a highly detailed 3D outline of the peaks in view from the user's location which is superimposed over a picture of the peaks. The compass is easily adjusted to make the view more precise. The database is downloaded so that the peak information is always available even when there is no cell service. It have over 1 million peaks with information about each. Peak Visor also includes hiking trails which may be an interesting feature and is being improved. The app also includes a sophisticated 3D compass and altimeter. A sun trail feature tracks the sun and helps photographers plan the perfect picture. Peak Visor uses more battery power than Peak Finder so that may be a consideration. The price for the app is $3.99

These apps are both so inexpensive that it is easy to buy both and use them together!