Gaia GPS

Type 2 Engineering™: How the Gaia GPS Team Found Beauty in Suffering Together

by Andrew Harris June 30, 2023

written by Andrew Harris

You’ve probably gone on a wild adventure where it rained the whole time, it was way colder than you anticipated, or everything seemed to break. You did not have fun in the moment. But you persevered and enjoyed sweeping summit views, crossed the finish line of the race, or found the perfect backcountry campsite. Now you reflect back on that experience with fondness, all suffering forgotten.

This is classic Type 2 fun.

Well, we engineers at Gaia GPS have been experiencing our own version of Type 2 fun, one that we’re calling Type 2 Engineering™. Most of us wouldn’t consider this period be the highlight of our career—we’ve been toiling away with little to show for it. But as we reflect on what we’ve accomplished over the past year or so, we realize just how strong of a groundwork we’ve laid. We’re giddy about what’s to come.

(Re)building the Team

Gaia GPS was built by brilliant, passionate engineers and outdoor enthusiasts, united around the goal of equipping themselves and others with the best tools to elevate their adventures. These individuals took an idea, their unwavering determination, and a heap of creativity to forge this extraordinary product from the ground up. They forged the field of exploring the backcountry and building the tools that they needed to stay safe and enjoy their own Type 2 fun.

Over time, new adventures began to call them, and Outside Inc. acquired Gaia GPS in 2021. Over the past year or so, we’ve rebuilt the team and are coming into our own as adventurers and engineers.

Bushwhacking

It’s quite unsettling when the trail you are following disappears, you realize that you forgot your paper map, and your phone battery dies. Orienteering is a difficult task on its own and grows more difficult without any kind of map or guide. This experience is not unlike beginning to work on a foreign and established code base–one that’s a forest of classes, database tables, and modules–without a mentor to guide you.

In these situations, you often find yourself looking for someone with tenure to answer questions about how various components were developed, designed, or just thrown together to solve an immediate problem. Well, as mentioned above, the team members who built Gaia GPS moved on. The few who remained didn’t have a map and there was no trail to follow. We were bushwhacking through the code base without a guide, feeling like archeologists attempting to understand the minds of those who built the system. As bushwhacking often leads to classic Type 2 fun, bushwhacking a code base is classic Type 2 Engineering™.

False Flats

Even as we bushwhacked through the code base, we still needed to ship features and fix bugs. You might recall that we released colored waypoints last year. We all know what you’re thinking, “What a killer feature! It must have been soooo difficult to engineer a solution! I mean, how hard can it be?”

We are the first to recognize colored waypoints should have been a pretty trivial feature to ship, but the trail was full of false flats. It looked like it was going to be a quick hike to our destination, but the further we traveled, the more we realized everything was harder than it initially appeared. We encountered scaling issues, constraints from previous decisions, cross-team coordination challenges, and a number of other hurdles to ship what should have been low-hanging fruit. These types of false flats are typical indicators of Type 2 Engineering™.

Finishing the Feature

When you push yourself to improve physically and mentally, you inevitably come across obstacles that seem impossible to overcome. It could be a mountain bike jump you always case or a bouldering problem crux you just can’t complete cleanly. Similar types of challenges crop up in software development.

For us, this feature was shared folders. Collaborative editing is a hard engineering problem. There are large research efforts (like conflict-free replicated data types) and whole companies (like Dropbox) dedicated to it. But we’re not Dropbox, we’re a mapping app. And while we didn’t nail our initial shared folders implementation, we’ve made significant progress squashing bugs and improving our design.

While on our adventure to clean up shared folders, there were numerous occasions when we found ourselves so deep down the call stack, it was hard to even remember the bug we were originally trying to fix. It’s that feeling you get when you’re hiking up high, the clouds roll in fast, and your visibility drops to zero. Adventure with a healthy amount of fear is a hallmark of Type 2 fun and Type 2 Engineering™.

Equipment Failure

Nothing lasts forever. Even the best products wear out after enough use.. And equiptment failure can quickly zap the joy from the experience. You probably know that feeling when your favorite hiking shoes become less comfortable, a portent of inevitable pain.

As software increases in complexity, users grow in number, and the app is used in unanticipated ways (I may be talking about the users who decided it would be cool to use Gaia GPS to record their flights), the system can fail in remarkable fashion. Solving these sorts of extraordinary failures can be filled with numerous false summits. Over the past year, we’ve accomplished a significant amount of work to stabilize our database. It had reached a tipping point, where we experienced some serious instability and unexpected failures. To stabilize, we were required to continually solve issues up and down the stack. We tuned parameters, managed bloat, and optimized query patterns. There was no silver bullet stabilizing the database required a huge yak shave. Suffering is the cornerstone of Type 2 Engineering™.

Suffering Together

So where’s the silver lining in all this toil? As is often the case when adventures turn into Type 2 fun, the shared experience builds a strong bond. The last year wasn’t easy, and to be honest, it wasn’t much fun. But going through it together with shared respect and mutual empathy has coalesced the team. We know each other better, our strengths and weaknesses, our passions, and our sense of humor. It really is the shared experience that makes Type 2 Engineering™ something that we can look back on with a chuckle and small sense of pride in what we accomplished. We haven’t reached the summit, but we’re committed to finishing.

Planning the Next Adventure

We’re feeling good and (mostly) fully recovered from the challenges we’ve overcome over the past year or so. We’ve begun to plan our next adventure and are excited to start shipping some cool stuff. With some tough lessons learned, we’re hoping to keep the Type 2 Engineering™ to a minimum.

June 30, 2023

Grizzly bear Grizz 399 stands on two legs in a meadow, surrounded by her four cubs.

Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast

Meet Grizzly Bear 399, the Most Famous Bears in the World

by Mary Cochenour May 19, 2023

written by Mary Cochenour

The Queen of the Tetons has emerged from hibernation—with a cub! At 27 years old, Grizzly Bear 399 now holds the record for oldest bear to reproduce, and she’s the oldest mother bear in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem.

Every year, hundreds of fans stake out in Grand Teton National Park awaiting her return from her winter slumber. She had last been spotted in mid September. That left many of her fans worried. So when Griz 399 and her cub emerged on the evening of May 16, onlookers including Jill Hall cried, the Jackson Hole News & Guide reports.

The cub in tow this week is Griz 399’s 18th, over the course of eight litters. For more than a decade, Griz 399 has been living her best bear life in the front country of Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. Thousands of tourists, wildlife watchers, and photographers flock to the park’s Pilgrim Creek area to catch a glimpse of Griz 399 and her cubs feeding on an elk carcass, scrounging for berries, and taking naps in the sun, all before the public’s eye.

Griz 399’s fame exploded in 2020 when she crawled out of her winter den with four tiny cubs in tow. Wildlife watcher Maureen Matsen has been scouting wildlife in Grand Teton National Park for 40 years. Viewing animals in their natural habitat helps Matsen de-stress from her high-stakes job as an ICU nurse. She says the feeling when Griz 399 comes into view is palpable.

“The adrenaline is super high; the excitement is super high,” Matsen says on episode 16 of the Out and Back podcast

. “And the minute she appears or one of those cubs pokes up its head, you just hear the ‘click, click, click, click, click, click, click’ of all the cameras going off. It’s just such a funny thing. I almost thought I’d just start filming these photographers because of the joy on their faces.”

Grizz 399 and her four cubs walk down the side of the road away from the camera in Grand Teton National Park. — Griz 399 on high alert as she shepherds her four cubs down the side of the road in Grand Teton National Park. Photo credit: Maureen Matsen

For many, Griz 399 embodies resilience and hope. Matsen is among them.

“It’s just giving people a lot of hope during a year where we’ve all dealt with a lot of really hard things,” Matsen says. “I think it’s been just this uplifting good news that this bear exists and that you have a chance of seeing her if you go up there.”

Griz 399 and her four cubs making their way through the sagebrush. Photo credit: Tom Mangelsen

Wildlife photographer and conservationist Thomas Mangelsen has been documenting Griz 399’s life for almost 15 years. Tune into episode 16 of the Out and Back podcast, in which he sheds light on how this majestic and wild bear mastered navigating crowds of tourists who come to the park just to see her.

“She will outfox most of us,” Mangelsen says. “We’ll be looking down the road, but she’ll just go through the willows and say ‘I don’t want to go through the crowd. I’ll just take the kids across the road down by the creek.’ We just laugh at it, because she’s so damn smart.”

Tom Mangelsen looks towards the camera as he sits in a field with his long-lens camera set up on a tripod. Snowy Tetons loom into the cloudy sky in the distance. — Mangelsen waits for wildlife to appear in Grand Teton National Park. Photo credit: Tom Mangelsen

Mangelsen says Griz 399 is a special bear because she appeals to human emotion. He recalls Griz 399 mourning her cub after it was hit by a car and killed. Mangelsen saw the distraught Griz 399 “sobbing” on the roadside near the body of her cub, grieving much like a human mother would.

But as cuddly and adorable as Griz 399 and her cubs appear, they are not domesticated animals. Grand Teton and its neighboring Yellowstone National Park are not zoos by any stretch of the imagination. These parks are home to wild animals that can attack if provoked. Park officials remind wildlife watchers to keep a safe distance of 100 yards or more, watch animals from the safety of a vehicle, and use binoculars to view animals from far away. Never approach wildlife.

Grizzly bears can be dangerous if people get too close for comfort. That’s what happened in 2007, when Dennis Van Denbos unknowingly walked into Griz 399’s space during an early morning outing at the Jackson Lake Lodge. The bear charged at Van Denbos. He hit the deck and suffered several bites from 399 and her three yearling cubs before people intervened.

“They’re just going to eat me,” Van Denbos thought. “There’s nothing I could do. There’s no way I could fight off four grizzlies.”

In this episode of Out and Back, Van Denbos gives a blow-by-blow account of the encounter. Though his injuries took months to heal, he explains that he felt no animosity for the mother bear and was relieved that wildlife officials spared her life following the attack.

Montana based journalist Todd Wilkinson says this decision to let Griz 399 and her cubs live proved to be a pivotal moment in grizzly bear recovery in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Since then, Griz 399 has expanded her ever-growing family tree, producing multiple sets of healthy and vibrant cubs.

Todd Wilkinson smiles for the camera while sitting in a sunny field at the base of the Tetons. — Wilkinson enjoys a sunny day in the Tetons.

“She’s been this amazingly fertile bear, and the cub production comes from a mother that’s getting good nutrition,” Wilkinson told us in 2020. “The number that’s been used is seven litters, including three sets of triplets, plus one quadruplet.”

At 27 years old, Griz 399 has become a grandmother bear many times over. Everyone was surprised when she woke from hibernation in 2020 with four cubs — a highly unusual event in bear reproduction. Now that she’s long in the tooth, her fans are wondering how long she’ll live.

Don’t miss this episode as Wilkinson and Mangelsen discuss the many dangers grizzly bears face in the lower 48. They dive into Griz 399’s ability to adapt, crediting her intelligence for her long life and survival against the odds. Tune in to hear the details of why Griz 399 sticks so close to the road, what kind of mother she has become, and how you may or may not see this famous bruin if you visit the park.

Learn more about Griz 399 by visiting her Instagram page. Read her Wikipedia page and Mangelsen and Wilkinson’s glossy-paged book: Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek. See Mangelsen’s photography by visiting his gallery in Jackson, Wyoming, or follow him on Instagram. Read Wilkinson’s non-profit Mountain Journal to discover public interest issues facing the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem and for a greater understanding of the inter-relationships between people and nature in the American West. Follow Maureen’s beautiful wildlife and landscape photography on Instagram.

Special thanks to Maureen Matsen, Dennis VanDenbos, Thomas Mangelsen and Todd Wilkinson for contributing to this show.

The cover of "Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek: An Intimate Portrait of 399" shoes Grizz with three of her cubs walking down a beach. — Cover of “Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek.” Photo credit: Tom Mangelsen

Episode Highlights

4:00: Wildlife watcher and amateur photographer Maureen Matsen grew up looking for wildlife when she was on long road to Grand Teton National Park. To keep them entertained, Maureen’s dad would pay her and her siblings cash if they spotted an animal.
5:15: Maureen seeks out wildlife as a way to download the stress of her job an an ICU nurse.
5:45: Maureen seeks out all kinds of wildlife in the park but bears, because they are not an every day sighting, are the piece de resistance.
6:10: Grizzly Bear 399 has very distinct markings: a heart-shaped face with blonde coloring down her snout.
7:05: Grizzly Bear 399 lives along the roadside in the Pilgrim Creek area of Grand Teton National Park.
7:20: Hundreds of people line the roads just to get a glimpse of 399. But on Maureen’s first outing this year, she missed the chance to see 399 and her cubs.
8:30: The pandemic has been heavy and these animals have brought so much hope and joy in such trying times.
9:20: Maureen went back a few weeks later and Grizzly Bear 399 popped out of the sagebrush trailing four little cubs behind her. And the crowd goes wild.
11:28: This bear is being stalked by hundreds of tourists and professional photographers just trying to get a glimpse of 399’s glory. The joy when she appears is palpable.
12:50: Professional Wildlife Photographer Tom Mangelsen describes the return of grizzly bears to Grand Teton National Park. A grizzly bear showed up on his back porch in 2006. That was his introduction to Grizzly Bear 399.
14:30: Tom recalls that last year, Grizzly Bear 399 was fatter than ever before. He speculated she would have triplets.
14:45: Griz 399 surprised everyone when she came out of hibernation with four tiny cubs.
16:50: Todd Wilkinson has written about Grizzly Bear 399 for National Geographic magazine and then collaborated with Tom Mangelsen to publish a book: Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek.
17:25: Grizzly Bear 399’s life has been more dramatic to watch as the years go on.
18:00: Bears are not fearsome creatures; they only want to protect her young.
18:50: 399 lives along the road because it’s safer for her babies, and she does all of her bear business with a grandstand of people around her.
20:20: The front country has turned out to be the perfect habitat for Griz 399, who has raised seven litters along the roadside over the years.
21:43: Griz 399 has exuded amazing tolerance for human beings; she can navigate cars and hundreds of people without “losing her cool.” Tom says Grizzly Bear 399 has become a master at navigating crowds.
23:45: But not so fast. Grizzly bears are dangerous and wildlife officials advise to keep your distance, stay in your car, and never feed a bear.
25:00: Dennis Van Denbos was at the wrong place at the wrong time in 2007. He was mauled by Grizzly Bear 399 and her then yearling triplets. He lived to tell us about it.
28:21: Griz 399 jumped out of the bushes about 20 feet away and charged at Dennis. Three “teddy bear shapes” stood in the background.
29:25: Dennis saw this striking image with the sun shining on her — a sight Dennis will never forget. Dennis started to back away but stumbled off the road.
31:10: Dennis is face-to-face, eye level with Griz 399. And she charges.
31:50: Dennis hits the deck and Griz 399 and her three cubs bite him in the back and backside.
32:50: “They’re just going to eat me.” Dennis contemplates the end of his life.
33:00: People intervened and Dennis survived. Dennis understood why she attacked, she was feeding on a carcass and was stressed. He would have been very disappointed if the park had decide to kill Griz 399 because of the attack.
37:30: The decision to let Grizzly Bear 399 live after the mauling of Dennis turns out to be a pivotal moment in Grizzly Bear recovery in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Griz 399 went on to have multiple sets of cubs.
38:40: Grizzly Bear 399 displays emotions humans can relate to.
40:00: After the death of her cub “Snowy,” Grizzly Bear 399 “balled” and grieved her baby’s death. Tom describes how distraught the bear was.
41:00: Grizzly Bear 399 is 24 years old, and that makes her a grandmother bear who isn’t expected to live much longer.
41:50: Todd explains how grizzly bears face many dangers in the world: human encounters and traffic.
42:00: We have this homegrown nature safari in the Yellowstone ecosystem.
42: 15: Todd describes how the story of Griz 399 brings us all together.

Next Episode: The Year of the Fastest Known Time with Buzz Burrell

The pandemic canceled nearly all the running races this year, but that only fueled the fire for pent-up athletes to take down the “fastest known times” on many classic and iconic routes around the world. Next time on the Out and Back podcast, Shanty and Mary catch up with Buzz Burrell, well-known “father of the fastest known time,” about everything FKT. Buzz takes us through the rise of the FKT objective, what makes a solid FKT route, and how his popular Website fastestknowntime.com documents new records. With a 30 percent increase over last year’s records, Buzz describes the allure of the solitary push for a fastest known time.

Buzz Burrell runs down a snowfield on Mt. Rainier in a white-out. He's carrying an ice axe and shouldering a cord of rope. — Buzz Burrell runs down Mount Rainier.

Buzz has championed many FKT’s of his own, including the first John Muir Trail and Colorado Trail speed records. He set records on Yosemite’s signature and scary Half Dome route, the 100km “O” Circuit in Chile’s Torres Del Paine National Park, and Zion’s Angel’s Landing. A trail running legend, Buzz was the visionary of some of the most sought after and iconic lines in Colorado, including the L.A. Freeway and Milner to Berthoud Pass, sometimes known as the “Pfiffner Traverse.“

In this episode, 68-year-old Buzz breaks down the realities of aging, reminding us that no one can stop the clock. Buzz implores us to keep moving even as the years creep up. You won’t want to miss this down-to-earth chat as Buzz delivers his tips to keep moving and gives us this year’s round-up of robust FKT activity. Plus, you’ll never guess what indoor activity Burrell has mastered.

Learn more about FKT at fastestknowntime.com. Listen every Friday to the Fastest Known Time podcast with host Buzz Burrell and featuring some of the fastest athletes on the planet.

Last Episode: Trails, Trials, and The Trek with Zach “Badger” Davis

In case you missed it, check out the last episode of Out and Back where Shanty and the Real Hiking Viking team up to interview Viking’s good friend and hiking legend Zach “Badger” Davis. Thru-hikers may know Badger as the founder of the popular backpacking resource, The Trek. Badger has also written Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials, psychological guides to tackling the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails.

In this episode, Badger reveals the path from thru-hiker to the creation of community on the Trek and his popular podcast Backpacker Radio. Shanty, Viking, and Badger rifle through the different skillsets needed to thru-hike the AT, PCT, and CDT. They discuss how thru-hiking has evolved over the past decade. And all three of them share how the trail serves as therapy, including the inexplicable catharsis of accomplishing the seemingly impossible. Listen through to the end to learn Badger’s favorite off-the-beaten-path backpacking trip. Seasoned and aspiring thru-hikers alike won’t want to miss this episode to learn how to find the light at the end of the dark, green tunnel.

Learn more about Badger on theTrek.co. Follow Badger’s adventures on Instagram, and tune into his podcast, Backpacker Radio. You can also hear more hilarity from Viking on his first Out and Back appearance from earlier this season.

Meet the Hosts

the host of the podcast Andrew Baldwin wearing an orange hat and blue jacket with a frosty beard, smiling

Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

In 2019, host Andrew Baldwin completed a southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. After five months on the trail, Baldwin returned home to pursue a career in voice acting. A friend of the Gaia GPS company, Baldwin was a natural choice for hosting the Out and Back podcast.

In each Out and Back episode, Shanty strives to bring you conversations with people who spend an extraordinary amount of time outdoors. Listen in as Shanty taps into each backcountry expert’s superpower so that you can take their knowledge and experience with you on your next adventure.

Mary smiles while lying down and resting her head on a rock. She's wearing a purple jacket, gloves, and a black buff around her ears.

Mary Cochenour

Mary is the Out and Back podcast producer and a writer and editor at Gaia GPS. Before joining Gaia GPS, Mary worked as a lawyer, newspaper journalist, ski patroller, Grand Canyon river guide, and USFS wilderness ranger. Mary holds degrees in journalism and business as well as a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Montana. Mary is licensed to practice law in Montana and Nevada.

When she is not in the office, Mary works as a guide for Andrew Skurka Adventures in wild places around the west, like Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite, and the Brooks Range in Alaska. Learn more about Mary on Instagram. Also, read her tips on how to plan your first solo backpacking trip.

May 19, 2023

Gaia GPS New Maps

See the World More Clearly with New Gaia Black and White Map

by Abby Levene May 18, 2023

written by Abby Levene

Move over technicolor, black and white is back in style. Meet Gaia Black and White, our brand new, very first all-black-and-white topo map. Whether you’re color vision deficient or want a crystal-clear paper map printout on hand, Gaia Black and White is for you.

Styled in the same manner as our other proprietary topo maps designed in-house, Gaia Black and White brings you industry-leading clarity, accuracy, and file-efficiency. Like our other Gaia Series maps, Gaia Black and White provides world-wide coverage. Download the map to use offline for your entire state so you can always find your way—even without cell service. Read on to learn how this map came to be and how it’s styled specifically to help you explore with confidence and peace of mind.

Accessibility-Forward

Born out of Gaia GPS’s Accessibility Assembly, Gaia Black and White prioritizes the needs of our community with color vision deficiencies. Our cartographers run each of our maps through a color vision deficiency filter. But sometimes their cartographic goals directly conflict with optimizing the map for color vision needs. Since it’s sometimes impossible to best serve all communities at once, we chose to optimize Gaia Topo for those who see the full color spectrum, and we created Gaia Black and White for those who do not. Distinguish topo lines, public land use boundaries, tree coverage, trail types, and labels quickly and easily thanks to crisp shading, clear lines, and bold fonts.

Printer Perfect

a paper map print-out preview of Gaia Black and White — A paper map print-out preview of Gaia Black and White

Gaia Black and White is also optimized for printing in black and white. (In case you didn’t know, it’s super easy to print any of our maps!) Whether you’re heading out on a family trip to a national park, backpacking over the weekend, or overlanding across the country, it’s never a bad idea to idea to print a paper map backup just in case. On Gaia Topo, trails are color-coded by activity—a useful feature for finding horse-friendly zones, mountain bike regions, and trails devoid of all activities except foot travel. Gaia Black and White translates those color-coded trails into line-marking-coded trails, which means now you can bring a black-and-white map printout and still distinguish trail types from each other.

Full-Featured Topo Map for Your Adventures

The colors may be gone, but the full spectrum of features, detail, precision, and accuracy you know and love in our maps remains. Our cartographers have painstakingly translated our colorized maps into black and white to bring you a world-class topo map rich with the clarity and information you need to adventure safely and confidently:

High-contrast shading

Landcover shading on Gaia Black and White hits the sweet spot: it’s dark enough that you can distinguish tree cover and find the alpine; find bodies of water for drinking and recreation; and spy screefields from home. And the shading remains light enough that labels, topo lines, roads, and trails pop from the map, making them easy to find and read.

To keep the map uncluttered and clear, we’ve simplified the land ownership shading schema from our other maps. But easily spy public land for free, dispersed camping thanks to dotted borders with black and white shading, along with labels.

Distinctive Trail Markings

Gaia Black and White expertly uses line markings of various weights and patterns to distinguish various types of roads and trails from each other. Use the map legend to find trails for horses, mountain bikes, motorized activity, and backpacking in solitude.

Bold fonts

We’ve added some new fonts to our catalog to make deciphering labels even easier. Determine which labels refer to rock climbing walls based on the font alone. (Although the associated climbing icon doesn’t hurt either.) Same goes for rivers, roads, mountains, trailheads, towns, and trails.

How to Get Gaia Black and White

Gaia Black and White is available on gaiagps.com and in the app with a Premium membership. To add this map to your account, go to “Add map layers.” From here, you can search for the map or find it under Topo maps.

Gaia GPS Premium gives you access to the entire 300+ map catalog, including high-resolution, world-wide satellite imagery; our suite of National Geographic maps; and specialty maps ranging from historic topos to slope angle shading.

With Premium, you can also download maps for offline use so you can find your way—even without cell service. You can layer maps together to reveal even more terrain, weather, and safety features. And you can print custom maps.

May 18, 2023

Gaia GPS New Maps

Gaia Classic: The Only Map You’ll Ever Need?

by Abby Levene May 4, 2023

written by Abby Levene

Calling all diehard map fans!

Do you yearn for the classic topo maps of old? You know, the ones not busied up with excessive colors and silliness when all you really need to know is how to plot your path from that alpine lake to that mountain pass and down the other side?

Or maybe you’ve found yourself yelling at our cartographers, “why oh why can’t I see the contour lines in this blazing sun!?”

Enter Gaia Classic, the map that just may answer that call of the wild. It’s inspired by a classic aesthetic, from the colors to the fonts to the very textures of the map itself. Maybe it’s totally pointless, or maybe, just maybe it’s the only map you’ll ever need.

Get to know Gaia Classic, our freshly updated map born out of the pages of history.

An Ode to the Maps of Old

Gaia Classic pays homage to the topo maps from the United States Geological Survey, otherwise known as the USGS. Often referred to as quadrangle maps, or quads, USGS maps have been the definitive resource for US topo maps since the 1880s.

Enjoy a classic aesthetic married with the crystal-clear resolution and file efficiency you know and love from our other proprietary maps. Download the map for your whole state in a manner of minutes and never get caught in the wild without a map again.

Our cartography team poured over the USGS map in Gaia GPS to gather design inspiration for Gaia Classic. They paid particular attention to the quads in Glacier National Park, whose landscape teaming with relief, steep terrain, glaciers, and recreation infrastructure makes it ideal for map modeling. These details are reflected throughout every aspect of the map.

Pared Down Color Palette

If you just want to see bodies of water, clearings, and treeline without the distractions of modern maps, Gaia Classic is for you. Enjoy a pared down color palette that’s easy on the eyes—and easy to reference in the backcountry. While our default Gaia Topo map contains a plethora of shadings for various forms of landcover, water, and land ownership, Gaia Classic sticks to the basics. Which, let’s be real, is often all you need.

Clear Topo Lines

Topo map lovers rejoice! Dark brown topo lines pop on the subtle map shading underneath, making reading ridges, valleys, peaks, and plains a snap.

Simple Tree Cover

Find the alpine thanks to two-toned tree and shrub shading that’s not muddled by other forms of land shading like crops and grass.

Distinct Trails

Find trails in a glance with clear, black dashed trail markings, along with distinct markings for alpine hiking routes, double track trials, and unmaintained trails, among others.

Classic Font

If the font looks familiar, that’s for good reason. Gaia Classic uses Bell Topo Sans, a font designed by cartographer Sarah Bell to resemble the classic typefaces from antique USGS quads.

Navigate Easier than Ever with Fresh Updates

We’ve freshly updated the map to make it even easier to use in the field. Enjoy updated landcover data and richer tree texture in forested and shrub areas. Scout out ridge lines, ravines, and peaks with darker contours. And spy landmarks easier thanks to blacker labels and trails.

How to Get Gaia Classic

Gaia Classic is available on gaiagps.com and in the app with a Premium membership. To add this map to your account, go to “Add map layers.” From here, you can search for the map or find it under Topo maps.

With Premium, you can also download maps for offline use so you can find your way—even without cell service. And you can layer maps together to reveal even more terrain, weather, and safety features.

May 4, 2023

Gaia GPS Offroading

9 Expert Driving Tips For Your Next Overlanding Trip

by Michael Charboneau April 20, 2023

written by Michael Charboneau

If you’re considering an overlanding or offroading trip, you’ll want a quiver of offroad driving skills. Knowing how to handle driving through sand, mud, river crossings, and steep climbs will help you get farther and keep you comfortable on your route.

This article covers the key overlanding tips to master, based on input from four experts: Nena Barlow, an International 4WD Trainer Association certified Master Trainer, Bob Wohlers, an author and off-road safety trainer, and seasoned 4×4 tourers John Watson, founder of The Radavist, and Sinuhe Xavier, filmmaker. From planning a trip to getting unstuck, they share their perspectives on essential off-road driving skills and how to learn them.

Do Your Overlanding Research

Preparing for an overlanding journey should begin well before you fire up your engine. That means knowing what trails you’ll follow, deciding where you’ll camp, and ensuring that private property won’t block your route. Studying the Gaia GPS web map will help you understand what obstacles you might face on your trip. After you scour the maps at home, download your favorite maps to your mobile device so that you can take the maps with you to places without cell service.

“I’ll download all the maps I can for the region that I’m going to,” says Wohlers, who teaches off-road safety in northern California and has written several books on off-roading. “Between all of them, I find that I have a pretty complete story of where I am and what I want to do.” Wohler’s favorite maps are the NatGeo Trails Illustrated, Gaia Topo, and USFS maps for offroad travel. Also, check out 4X Overland Adventure’s list of best maps for overlanding.

You also need to factor in the weather, says Barlow, who founded Barlow Adventures, a 4×4 school and outfitter in Utah and Arizona. Check the forecast and consider how conditions will affect trail surfaces, and how they might change as you pass through different elevations. You’ll likely want to use the Gaia GPS precipitation layers and snow forecast maps to determine if road conditions will be soggy on your next adventure. With a little research, you can avoid hazards and travel when conditions are optimal.

Know How Your 4×4 Vehicle Works

If you’re interested in overlanding and off-roading, you probably own a four-wheel drive vehicle. Most true 4x4s have a transfer case that allows the engine to send power to all four wheels, and understanding how to use the transfer case will help you harness that power effectively.

Barlow has a few common rules to follow for when to use 2WD versus 4WD. For pavement and hard surfaces, use two-wheel drive. Shift into 4-Hi (four-wheel drive) when you encounter loose gravel, slush, and sandy surfaces. If you’re going less than 15 MPH because of the terrain, shift into 4-Lo (four-wheel drive that delivers more torque at a slower speed). You’ll get enough power for forward motion without bouncing over obstacles too quickly. 4-Lo will also help you maintain a slow speed without stalling if you’re driving a manual transmission vehicle.

Proper use of traction control, found on many newer vehicles, forms another critical off-road driving skill. Essentially, traction control detects when a wheel spins and automatically applies the brakes. That slows the wheel down so it can regain its grip on the ground. If you have traction control and feel your tires slipping, says Barlow, apply steady throttle so the mechanism can activate.

“You really need to give those systems a full second,” she says.

Air Down Your Tires

To give your tires maximum grip and help absorb shocks, adjust your tire pressure for the terrain. The exact pressures you need will take some trial and error to figure out, but Watson, who has been off-roading since he was a teenager, has some general guidelines:

“The second I hit the dirt, I’m down to 25 PSI,” Watson says. “The second I hit a rock garden, or some technical trails, I’m at 15 PSI, and then as soon as I hit pavement, I’m pumped back up to 35 PSI.”

Just remember: Always check your tire pressure before airing down, bring an air compressor to air back up, and never exceed your tires’ suggested pressure.

person inflating their tires using a portable air compressor

Sit Comfortably

Driving with an aching back or sore legs can distract you and keep you from maintaining control of your vehicle. Before you head out, make yourself comfortable in the driver’s seat.

Barlow recommends holding the steering wheel in an “8 and 4” position. This relaxes your shoulders and keeps your thumbs out of the steering wheel, so if you hit an obstacle and the wheel spins, it won’t take your hands with it. She also recommends adjusting your seat for even support from your butt to the backs of your knees. Finally, make sure the heel of your right foot rests on the floor. Your foot on the accelerator pedal and your leg should make a 90-degree angle, giving you maximum leverage.

“If you’re over-extended or under-extended, you’re not going to have good control on the throttle,” Barlow says.

Look Ahead and Develop Trail Vision

two vehicles offroading in the San Juans, Colorado

“Trail vision” sounds like a sixth sense that experts hone over many years, but it boils down to one simple rule: Don’t drive where you can’t see. On the trail, look as far ahead as you can, says Barlow. This will help you anticipate terrain and adjust for it (making a gear change before a creek crossing, for example).

“If you’re looking over the hood, you’re just looking at the next bump in front of you instead of establishing the correct line and momentum that you need,” she says.

Your Driving Mantra: Smooth and Steady

Off-roading will throw many obstacles at you, but the key to pushing through them is to focus on measured, steady driving.

“Go as slow as possible and as fast as necessary,” says Xavier—a lesson he’s learned over many 4×4 trips and backcountry film shoots.

As you look ahead on the trail, supply smooth power to move over the terrain. Flooring the accelerator, slamming on the brakes, and other sudden movements will only decrease traction and make it harder to drive.

Know How to Handle Common Issues

A man fixing a vehicle with the hood up.

In addition to driving skills, you’ll need to be prepared for mishaps any time you head into the backcountry. Driving a loaded vehicle on unimproved roads adds more issues to the mix. At the very least, know how to change a flat tire, get unstuck, and handle basic first aid.

Changing a flat might seem simple, but aftermarket wheels and other modifications can make your vehicle challenging to work with, says Barlow. Make sure you have the equipment you need—a lug nut key that fits your lug nuts, a jack that works with your vehicle—and rehearse a tire change in controlled conditions, like in your driveway at home. Changing a flat on the trail should not be the first time you do it.

Getting stuck is another common overlanding incident, but a little resourcefulness can get you moving again. A tire jack can lift your vehicle off a rock, and Xavier points out that floor mats placed under your tires can provide extra traction when bogged down. He also recommends purchasing a MaxTrax recovery board, which is easy to use and effective.

“Recovery is the best thing to invest in,” he says.

Finally, Watson and Wohlers both recommend learning first aid. When you’re deep in the wilderness, it can keep a minor injury from snowballing into a more serious situation.

Know When to Turn Back

“Turning around isn’t failure,” says Xavier. Especially as a beginner, remember to recognize the limits of your skills and stay humble. Keep in mind that your turn-around point depends on a variety of factors, says Barlow, including daylight, weather, fatigue, fuel level, and the amount of food you have. Don’t go farther than you’re comfortable with.

Some Tips for Learning These Skills

There’s a lot to learn in overlanding and many ways to learn the skills. If you’re willing to invest some time and money, signing up for an off-road driving class will give you the benefit of expert insight and save you a lot of time in the trial and error process. Wohlers points out that an instructor can help you tackle terrain that you might not have attempted on your own—an invaluable experience builder.

You can also learn from a local 4×4 club, says Watson. Many groups exist for specific vehicles and types of off-roading such as rock crawling or overlanding, for example. These vehicle- or activity-specific groups can be very helpful for getting detailed advice for the kind of driving you want to do.

Try visiting your local OHV park: There, you can drive on challenging terrain without wandering too far from help. These parks offer a great opportunity to practice getting bogged down and freeing your vehicle, says Xavier.

“Get stuck and see what it’s like to be stuck,” he says. “See how much time it takes to get unstuck.”

Finally, you can even build some overlanding driving skills on the pavement. Barlow recommends practicing wheel placement—essential for navigating narrow or rocky trails—by setting out cones or rocks and maneuvering your wheels to meet them.

No matter how you choose to practice, building these skills through hands-on experience will pay dividends on the trail. Even if you’re just a few minutes from your driveway, getting behind the wheel can always lead to valuable lessons.

“There’s nothing better than good old-fashioned seat time,” says Xavier.

April 20, 2023

Gaia GPS How-To New Features

Meet Map Packs: A Totally New Way to Map

by Abby Levene April 20, 2023

written by Abby Levene

A totally new way to map is now available for all users! Meet map packs.

With over 300 maps, our deep map catalog is one of our greatest assets. And yet we offer so many maps, it can be hard to even discover them all — much less learn how to use them all. To put the best maps in your hands, right now, we’ve totally redesigned our mapping interface.

Turn on map packs and get the best map presets curated by the Gaia GPS team. Whether you’re visiting a national park with your family, backpacking a long trail, or skiing in the backcountry, just tap the map pack crafted specifically for your adventure. Or create your own map pack so you can always have your favorite map combinations at your fingertips.

And don’t worry, you can still use our maps exactly as you always have, if you prefer.

What are Map Packs?

Map packs instantaneously put the best maps in your hands in one tap. No fuss. No digging into the depths of your memory to remember the exact map combinations you like for each activity.

Traditionally, Gaia GPS works by choosing a base map, which you can use on its own. Or you can layer additional maps and overlays on top of it. The most classic example is selecting Gaia Topo, our proprietary map designed in-house, as your base map. You can use Gaia Topo all on its own. Or you can use Gaia Topo as a base map and put weather overlays, cell coverage maps, wildfire maps, or any other map or overlay on top of it. We call this “map layering.”

Map packs does all of this layering for you, saving you time and brain power. Our team has curated the most useful map combinations and meticulously selected just the right opacity for each layer in the pack.

Whether you’re overlanding, stargazing, or just want to check the weather for the weekend, select the map pack perfectly curated for your needs. For example, rather than individually selecting Gaia Winter with Slope Angle, Avalanche Forecast, SNOTEL, and Snow Depth when you go backcountry skiing. Just choose the Backcountry Skiing map pack and you’re good to go, with each map layered to just the right opacity so that you can access the info you need to ski smartly and safely.

So, if you choose to use map packs, all you have to do is select the map pack you would like, whether that be for wildfires, weather, cell coverage, you name it. And voila, the map shows you all the info you need. In short, map packs give you the maps you want, hassle free.

How to Activate Map Packs

If you’re an iOS user, you may remember we rolled out this beta feature last year. We’re pleased to report map packs are now available on Android as well. To try map packs out: tap “Settings” (bottom right corner of the app) → “Map Controls” → toggle on “Map Packs (beta).”

Once you turn on map packs, you’ll notice that changing the map sources displayed on your screen looks different. To change maps:

Click the map icon on the bottom left corner of the map.
From here, you can peruse our curated collection of map packs by scrolling through the list or searching for a specific map or activity.

You can also build your own map pack:

Tap “Build a New Map Pack”
Select the layers you want
Change the opacity and order in which the maps are layered.
Add a memorable title and a description, if you like.
Tap “Done.”

Want to check the weather, the snow depth, or the air quality? You can also add overlays in one tap, pre-set to the opacity we’ve deemed most useful.

You’ll notice this same map icon on the bottom left corner is now where you can toggle on and off saved waypoints, tracks, routes, and areas.

A Note About Syncing

As a beta feature, map packs currently do not sync from one device to another. In addition, you will lose your map pack data if you uninstall and reinstall the app, or clear the app data in Settings.

Unlock all Map Packs with Premium

Access the best map packs for every activity like overlanding, hiking, and bikepacking by upgrading to Gaia GPS Premium. Premium also gets you weather forecasts, air quality maps, slope angle shading, and every other feature available in the app.

Please Share Your Feedback!

We’re continuously improving map packs. We know this beta feature isn’t perfect, and we would love your help to make it better. Help us make using our maps as easy as possible by leaving us some feedback. What do you love about map packs? What do you hate? How can map packs (and using maps in general) better help you get outside on your adventures?

Share your feedback with us by contacting our Support team. You can also Tweet at us or post on Reddit…

April 20, 2023

Gaia GPS

Backcountry Discovery Routes Now Integrated with Gaia GPS: Get the Best Off-Pavement Routes with the Leading Navigation Experience

by Abby Levene April 4, 2023

written by Abby Levene

Sometimes, it’s a relief—even a delight—to follow a trusted off-pavement route you know will go. Especially when you know it will go past breathtaking views, across challenging terrain, and to memorable watering holes. That’s why we’ve partnered with Backcountry Discovery Routes to bring you premier long-distance off-pavement routes with a leading navigation experience.

Thanks to this new partnership, you can take any Backcountry Discovery Route (BDR) offline in the Gaia GPS app with just one click. We’re also honored to promote BDR’s mission of promoting responsible travel and fostering sustainable adventuring and economic growth.

Explore 12 Iconic Long-Distance Routes

BDRs provide a unique opportunity to explore rural America and taste the tracks that shaped early American history. From Gold Rush ghost towns to the battlefields of the American Revolution, explore the country’s iconic public lands on two wheels. Soak up seemingly endless desert solitude, majestic mountainscapes, and wildlife sounds and sights while covering engaging and fun terrain most people will never see.

Every year since 2010, with the exception of 2021 due to the global pandemic, BDR has introduced a new long-distance route for dual-sport and adventure motorcycling. These off-pavement routes come with free GPS tracks, lodging, food, and fuel suggestions, and detailed guidebook notes. Choose from the rocky and rugged terrain of the northeast to the canyons and sandy washes of southern California. Soak in the hot springs of New Mexico, or climb jaw-dropping passes over 12,000 feet high in Colorado.

This year’s newly unveiled route traverses the lush coniferous forests and winds past the volcanic mountains of Oregon. Gaia GPS played a pivotal role in the creation of this route, from finding new roads and trails to navigating in the field. Go inside the Oregon Backcountrry Discovery Route and whet your thirst for adventure by watching the new ORBDR feature-length film. Find a showing near you.

The Best Backcountry Navigation App Meets the Best Long-Distance Adventure Motorcycle Trails

You can now plan your BDR and navigate in the field easier than ever before. Once you’ve selected your BDR of choice, upload it to your Gaia GPS account with the press of a button. You’ll automatically see the route and points of interest right in the Gaia GPS app and on gaiagps.com. While you can use any of our 300+ maps to plan your trip and navigate along the trail, we suggest starting with Gaia Overland, the world’s premiere map for offroad travel. Modeled after our proprietary Gaia Topo map, Gaia Overland comes with the same crystal-clear resolution and download efficiency you know and love from Gaia GPS. But it puts everything for motorized travel first. Download the map for offline use, and know where to go at every turn—even without cell service.

How to Download BDRs to Gaia GPS

Uploading routes from BDR to Gaia GPS is available to anyone with a Gaia GPS account. Here’s how:

Choose your BDR on ridebdr.com
Hit the “Upload to Gaia GPS” button
A new page will pull up prompting you to log in to your Gaia GPS account
Log in to your Gaia GPS account and click ‘authorize’ to allow your BDR routes to be imported

And voila, BDR trail data will automatically sync to your Gaia GPS account. You won’t have to login on future syncs when you click the ‘upload to Gaia GPS ’ button; the app will remember your info and sync the routes right to your account

Supporting Sustainable Tourism

A non-profit advocacy organization, BDR also conducts rider education, safety campaigns, and promotes responsible travel for motorcyclists traveling in the backcountry. Each of the 12 BDR routes around the US generates new tourism, bringing sustainable economic relief to less-advantaged rural communities. In turn, this symbiotic relationship between riders and communities creates local stakeholders who will help fight to keep access for dual-sport and adventure motorcycles in these incredible backcountry areas.

BDR also promotes safety, knowledge sharing, and informing the community of critical issues and backcountry best practices. Learn more about BDR’s awareness programs, including Ride Right, Ride Respectfully, and Yield to Animals, on its website.

Level-Up Your Adventures with Gaia GPS Premium

Reclaim your peace of mind with a Gaia GPS Premium membership. Take your maps offline so you can always find your way, even out of cell service. Be prepared for what’s ahead with our suite of weather features. And find the perfect map for your next adventure thanks to our 300+ map catalog, including our proprietary Gaia Overland, MVUM, Public and Private Lands, USFS, and a collection of maps from National Geographic Trails Illustrated.

April 4, 2023

Featured Gaia GPS

The Secret to Getting Young Urbanites Outdoors? ‘Mappiness’

by Abby Levene March 23, 2023

written by Abby Levene

You can live in a city and love the outdoors. In fact, there’s an entire organization devoted to that premise: Mappy Hour.

After a year ski-bumming at Alta, Mappy Hour founder Sarah Knapp came back east and organized OutdoorFest, a ten-day adventure festival that brings the outdoors to the five boroughs of New York through everything from biking to kayaking. Knapp wanted to put together a casual meetup to drum up hype for the big event. Millennials love pairing their recreating with socializing, and Mappy Hour—a portmanteau of maps and happy hour—came to life.

“We’re all multifaceted people,” Knapp told Outside in 2017. “Mappy Hour is there to feed that side of us and make sure that it’s a part of our identities that doesn’t get lost.” While millennials and gen Z are more likely to live in cities than their parents, Knapp believes urban dwelling and time outside can coexist. “I try not to think of it as a compromise,” she says.

The first Mappy Hour event was held nine years ago at Fjallraven in Manhatten, and quickly gained popularity among outdoor enthusiasts in the city. Over time, the event expanded to include outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and camping, and became a platform for advocacy and education around environmental issues and outdoor recreation.

Now there are Mappy Hour chapters and events across North America, from Bentonville, AR, to Seattle, WA. Mappy Hours generally have a theme, from diversity to avalanche safety to transitioning from the climbing gym to the crag. Past meetups have ranged from a “Send It Sister” panel centered on females in the outdoor industry to “choose your own adventure” camping trips.

Mappy Hour founder Sarah Knapp (left) engages with participants.

A recent Mappy Hour in Denver, whose chapter contains a stout 900 members, included ice skating at Evergreen Lake, which at 8.5 acres is the biggest Zamboni-maintained outdoor ice rink in North America. At another, ultra runner Andrea Sansone spoke about setting the iconic Nolan’s 14 supported record last summer.

And of course, some Mappy Hours do focus on their namesake—maps. Every third Thursday in Rogers, Arkansas, Mappy Hour members bring their favorite map for an atypical bar chat and a beer.

Built on a belief that the outdoors are for everyone, Mappy Hour welcomes those wanting to get outside but are unsure where to start to seasoned adventurers looking for new outings and friends. Upcoming Mappy Hours range from exploring the mountains and alpine lakes of Colorado with Dr. Jon Kedrowski to cleaning up Washington DC’s Rock Creek Park. Find a Mappy Hour near you.

March 23, 2023

Gaia GPS

Find Snow-Free Trails with the Snow Depth Map

by Julien Friedland March 9, 2023

written by Julien Friedland

With record-breaking snowfall coating much of the mountain west, everyone from early-season PCT thru-hikers to day trippers are asking the same question: how much snow is on the trail? The answer could have far-reaching consequences, from the gear you bring, to modifying your route, to skipping sections of the trail entirely.

While we can’t magically melt the snow for you, we can give you a very good estimate of how much of the white stuff is on any given part of the trail right now. See how much snow is on the trail with our Snow Depth map.

Inspired by a thru-hiker looking to track snow depths along the Pacific Crest Trail with Gaia GPS, the Snow Depth map assists with planning journeys of all sizes. Now hikers and outdoor adventurers can examine how many centimeters of snow exist in specific areas by referencing color-coded indicators of coverage.

SNODAS Sourced Data

The NOAA National Weather Service’s National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC) Snow Data Assimilation System (SNODAS) source all data for snow depth values. The SNODAS modeling and data assimilation system was developed by NOHRSC to gather information from satellite, airborne platforms, and ground stations to predict snow depths. Climatologists, ecologists, hydrologists, and other professionals rely on the data and now adventurers can too.

Use Cases for Route Planning

When referencing snow depths, remember that estimates are not based on actual observations, but product model output. These data predictions are best for checking seasonal snow-cover rather than exact snowfall totals. However, snow depth totals are updated every 24 hours by both NOAA and Gaia GPS.

If you’re looking to find snow totals for a storm overnight or specific regions, reference your local climate center or weather source. SNODAS recommends American Association of State Climatologists, NOAA Regional Climate Centers, and NOAA National Climatic Data Center. Pair Snow Depth overlays with Snowfall Forecast and Slope Angle overlays to gather more information for backcountry travel.

How to Add the Snow Depth Map

The Snow Depth map is available with a Premium Membership. To add this map, visit the Feature/Weather Overlays map source categories and add “Snow Depth.” Access the legend by tapping the info icon in the left corner of the map screen of your phone or hovering over the layer on gaiagps.com

Get the Snow Depth map with a Premium Membership. Premium also unlocks the full 300+ map catalog and lets you download your maps to use out of cell service.

March 9, 2023

Adventures Backcountry Skiing Gaia GPS How-To Newsletter

How to Read Topographic Maps

by Mary Cochenour February 24, 2023

written by Mary Cochenour

Knowing how to read a topographic map is the foundation of any backcountry adventure. Through the use of contour lines, topo maps bring a 3-dimensional element to a 2-dimensional paper map. Topo maps allow you to visualize the rise and fall of the land and “see” the depths of canyons, the location of boggy meadows, and the height and shape of mountains.

But, make no mistake about it, learning to read and understand topographic maps takes time and practice. Whether you’re new to topo maps or a seasoned wilderness navigator, this article will help explain the basic features found on topo maps, like lines, numbers, symbols, and colors, so that you can read them with ease and confidence.

This article covers:

Contour Lines
Identifying Features with Contour Lines
Map Scale
Distance Scale
Map Legends
Orienting the Map
Declination
Map Grids
Find Topo Maps

Contour Lines

Contour lines are the primary and most important feature on a topo map. They show the shape of the terrain, including its hills, slopes, and depressions, by tracing a constant line of elevation on the map that corresponds with the landscape in the real world. Think of contour lines as imaginary horizontal planes sliced through the terrain surface.

Visualizing Contour Lines

It may be helpful to visualize contour lines as stacked “layers” of the landscape, similar to a layer cake. A large mountain appears as a dense group of lines with a small circle in the center that represents the peak—just picture looking down at a wedding cake from above. Areas with few contours appear relatively flat—more like a 2-tier birthday cake. A topo map provides a bird’s eye view of those concentric circles, allowing you to “see” both the height and shape of the mountain on the map.

From the USGS Topo on Gaia GPS, the summit of Pu’umakanaka, Hawaii is a near-perfect cone as indicated by the evenly spaced and round contour lines. Notice the tick marks on the contour lines in the center of the map. Those marks indicate a crater or depression at the summit.

Knuckle Mountain

Try this quick exercise at home to get a better understanding of contour lines:

Make a fist with your hand, taking note of the “features” on your fist. There are four knobs (knuckles), a gentle slope (back of your hand), and four small ridges (fingers) separated by ravines (space between the fingers).
With your other hand, mark an “x” on the knuckle that sticks up the highest to mark the “summit.“ Using a pen, drop down from the summit a quarter-inch and make a contour line around the peak of “knuckle mountain.” Follow the elevation around the mountain, without dropping or climbing, until you complete the contour line and close the circle. Drop down another quarter of an inch and repeat. Do that again and again, until you’ve mapped out your entire fist.
Next, lay your hand flat with your palm on the table. Find the spread out contour lines on the back of your hand, indicating a gentle slope. Notice the “v” shaped topo lines where the ravines were between your fingers. The areas by your fingers have contour lines that are close together, indicating steepness. Find an hourglass-shaped topo line for the saddle between your knuckles.

Reading Slope Steepness on a Topo Map

Contour lines present in very predictable ways on the map. When the slope is gentle, the contour lines are spread far apart. Conversely, when the slope is steep the contour lines pack closely together. On a cliff, the contour lines are stacked on top of each other. A flat meadow is void of contour lines.

California’s Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet, the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states, is steep on its east face as indicated by the closely spaced contour lines. Whitney’s west face is marked by low-angle slopes, as depicted by the wide-spaced contour lines.

Identifying Features with Contour Lines

Contour lines show more than just the steepness of a slope or the elevation of a peak. You can pick out major land features on the map by the way the contour lines are shaped.

Peak: A mountain or hill that is marked by concentric contour lines. The summit may be marked with a name, an “X”, or an elevation.
Valley: A landform with a depression in which water, if present, would flow down. Also know as gullies, drainages, ravines, and couloirs, valleys are indicated by “V“or ”U“ shaped contour lines that “point” uphill, toward higher elevation.
Ridge: A landform with an elevated crest that slopes down on the sides. Ridges are also shown by “V“ or ”U“ shaped contours, but these “point” downhill, toward lower elevations. Remember, water never runs along ridge tops.
Saddle: A low spot between two peaks marked by hourglass-shaped contour lines.

*Basic topographic landforms (peak, saddle, ridge, drainage) and a comparison of relative steepness as seen on US Topo in gaiagps.com.*

*Basic landforms on Thompson Peak, Idaho.*

Contour Intervals and Index Marker

The contour interval is the amount of elevation change between each contour line. Contour intervals vary from map to map. Intervals set at 40-feet are common on 1:24,000 scale maps. But many maps, especially small scale maps, have 50-foot or 100-foot intervals. Index contours are the more prominent, bold colored lines with the elevation marked on them.

*Index contours on the NRCAN C a nada Topo layer. Index contours are every 5th line, and there are 500 feet between index contours, so the contour interval is 100 feet.*

Discover the contour interval in two ways:

Find the contour interval on the map margin or legend, or
Calculate the contour interval between index contours, which are are the more prominent, bold-colored lines with the elevation marked on them. First, subtract the lower number from the higher number and then divide the result by the number of contour lines. For example, if the index contours elevations are 8000 and 7500 feet as shown in the picture above, the difference is 500 feet. If every fifth line is bold, then divide by 5. The contour interval is 100 feet.

Topo Map Scales

Map scale is important because it tells you how detailed a topo will be. Map scale is defined as one single unit of measurement equal to a definitive number of the same number of units in the real world. You’ll find the map scale written as a ratio in the bottom margin of a topo map.

Map scales vary greatly across different topo maps, but the most common scale is 1:24,000 for topo maps created in the United States. On a 1:24,000 scale map, 1 inch on the map is representative of 24,000 inches, or 2000 feet, on the ground. The United States Geological Survey quadrangle maps are scaled to 1:24,000. These are large scale maps and bring a lot of detail into focus.

A map scale of 1:63,360 is common in Forest Service maps, and maps throughout Alaska. These are smaller-scale maps, with less intricate detail. Some National Geographic maps use a scale of 1:65,000, which allows a large area of land to be packed onto a single topo map.

What you need to know is that the bigger the number on the bottom of the ratio, the smaller the scale and the less detail:

1:24,000= a large scale map that depicts a smaller region of land in intricate detail
1:63,360= a small scale map that depicts a larger area of land in less detail

The map scale and contour intervals are usually found in the bottom margin or in the legend of the topo map.

Distance Scale

The distance scale in the margin identifies the distance on the ground in relation to a straight line on a map. For example, in a 1:63,360 map, one inch on the map equals one mile on land. On a larger scale 1:24,000 USGS quadrangle map, as referenced in the photo above, one inch on the map equals 2,000 feet on the ground. This is important when you’re out in the field because it places context to distances on the map’s representation of the landscape.

The bar scale doesn’t take into account distance added by switchbacks and twists and turns of a trail. But you can use the lanyard of your compass, a guy line from your tent, or the shoelace from your boot to trace the bends of the trail and then measure the lanyard against the linear bar scale. This will give you a more accurate assessment of distance than a straight-line measurement on the map’s surface.

Map Legend

A map legend explains what the map’s symbols, lines, and colors represent. Look for the legend in the margin or in the corner of a map. On gaiagps.com, click on the map’s thumbnail in the layers menu to access the legend.

Large scale USFS recreation maps often include a robust legend with keys for recreation symbols, like campgrounds and restrooms. There may be a listing of points of interest, such as prominent peaks and glaciers, and a legend defining roads, trails, and manmade features like gates and power lines.

Colors on the Map

Some legends define what different colors represent on the map:

Blue represents water in the form of creeks, rivers, and lakes.
White areas outlined by a thin blue line indicate a year-round snowfield.
Green areas are sections of land covered with vegetation, like trees.
White, or the color of the base map, represents land that lacks tall vegetation.

The absence of vegetation can mean many things, including a desert landscape, a meadow, a scree field, a gentle grassy slope high above treeline, or a burn area. Use the contour lines to take a guess at what the surface characteristics will be on the ground without vegetation. If the area is flat with no contour lines and a river flows through the non-vegetated area, then the white-shaded zone is likely a meadow. If the non-vegetated area is high above tree-line, steep, and below a rocky mountain, there is a good chance it’s a field of talus.

Declination

Topo maps are oriented to true north, while your compass needle is drawn to magnetic north. Declination is the angle of deviation between the magnetic north and true north. This angle is often depicted in the bottom margin of the map or on the map itself, as seen in the photos below.

These diagrams show the declination for the area on the map. Map and compass navigators use the declination angle to adjust their compass to account for the difference between true north on the map and magnetic north, which lies some 400 kilometers south of true north.

Declination varies with location on the earth, and in one part of the United States may be several degrees different than in another part of the country. Also, declination changes over time as magnetic north responds to the earth’s ever-changing magnetic field, so it’s important to check the map’s publish date as older maps may not accurately reflect the current declination. You can also look up magnetic declination by using this nifty calculator.

Orient the Map

Topographic maps are oriented to true north. If you’re holding the map in front of you, and the letters and numbers are right-side up, then the direction of true north is located at the top of the map. This is important because when you are in the field, you’ll need to orient the map to true north to bring the map in line with the land features around you. Learn how to orient the map from backpacking guide Andrew Skurka.

When the map is oriented to true north in the field all the surrounding features will line up with the contour lines on the map. This is the time to practice picking out ridges and peaks on the skyline and matching them up with distinctive contour lines on the map.

Map Grids

Township and Range

Many maps have grid lines with the numbers 1-36 written in the middle of each box. These numbered boxes are called sections and originate from the township and range survey method that was used throughout the western United States, some midwestern states, and Alabama and Florida. Each square on the map represents one-square-mile on the ground, conveniently giving you the ability to assess distance without having to use the distance bar.

UTM Coordinates

Some maps, like National Geographic Trails Illustrated, display the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinate system, which includes markings on the map for every 1,000 meters on the map’s north-south line and east-west line. The measurements on the north-south lines are “northings” and represent the number of meters that point on the map is from the equator. The numbers on the east-west lines are “eastings” and they depict the number of meters east or west of a particular reference line. You can find these measurements along the margins in the USGS quadrangle maps. Some maps display UTM grid lines, and others don’t, leaving you to eyeball the exact measurement or use a tool to help calculate the exact point.

Latitude and Longitude

Latitude and longitude coordinates are also listed in the margins of most topographical maps. They present in the form of degrees, as shown in the picture below.

*Notice the lat/long coordinates on the upper left margin of this USGS quadrangle map and the UTM “easting” and northing“ measurements closer to the edge of the map.*

Find Topo Maps

The USGS has been producing topographic maps since 1879 and has produced some 54,000 maps that cover the topography of the entire lower 48 states and Hawaii. These maps are referred to as the USGS quadrangle maps, with each map covering a 7.5-minute section of latitude and longitude on the globe. USGS quad maps, scaled at 1:24,000, are still considered the industry standard.

The U.S. Forest service also makes topo maps for its lands. The FSTopo is the same large-scale map as the USGS quadrangle map and is available in hard copy at some of the Forest Service offices. Its wilderness maps cover an entire wilderness area and come in a small scale to fit on a single page.

Private companies have delved into publishing topo maps too. National Geographic Trails Illustrated offers more than 250 titles for recreation areas in America. Some smaller companies make regional topo maps, such as Beartooth Publishing in Bozeman, Montana, and Tom Harrison Maps, based in San Rafael, California.

View the nine most popular hiking maps at Gaia GPS to get an idea of which topo maps people use most. With a premium membership, you can access and download the entire Gaia GPS map catalog, including the best backcountry maps and layers. Check out all the classics:

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