Garmin created an incredible mapping GPS receiver and left off the key ingredient, high resolution maps. Garmin's sophisticated Operating System and mapping language allows for very useful and detailed topographic maps. Above the Timber is now filling that mapping void. Unlike so many "GPS enabled" map products on the market, these are maps inside your GPS, not maps at home on your PC. You can easily hold an entire states 24K Topos inside your GPS, try that with paper.

Screenshots from a Garmin eTrex Venture Cx

Will 24K Topos really work on such a small screen?

As the screenshots above demonstrate, a definite yes.  While you will use a GPS Topo differently than a paper map, their are a number of distinct advantages to offset the obvious size difference.  After one trip with one of these maps and you'll consign your large paper maps to their rightful place: hanging on a wall in your den.

Advantages of GPS Topos verses Paper Maps:

• The most significant advantage is the GPS Position Marker, see link. It places you on the map at your exact location . . . no more transposing via coordinates to a paper map, no more guessing.

• Garmin Levels, the OS within the receiver and the multi-level structure of the maps intelligently adds/removes map detail as you zoom in and out, so that the screen is not overwhelmed with too much detail. You can customize this feature on the fly with Map Setup > General > Detail.

• Seamless borders, adjacent maps seamlessly join one to another, unlike paper maps.

• Vast scale, on a fingernail sized memory card you can hold an entire states 24K topo maps, try that with paper quads. Now you can go to that next basin that's off your paper map and know where you're at, freedom.

• Over zoom, unlike paper maps at a fixed scale and font size, these topo maps allow the individual users to zoom as needed for their eyesight, no need for a magnifier. Font sizes can also be adjusted over a broad range.

• Map Pointer Info, want to find the elevation of a contour? Simply position the pointer on the contour, viola instant elevation. No more finding an elevation and following the line back to your area of interest and then counting lines.

• Backlight, view the maps in any light condition from full sun to totally dark, no need to drag out a flashlight.

• Waterproof, need to check the map in the rain, no problem, GPS receivers are waterproof, are your paper maps waterproof?

• Windproof, ever try to read a paper map in a strong wind, acts like a sail doesn't it.

• No folding and unfolding with the inevitable loss of detail at the folds.

• No need to dig the giant map out of your pack, a GPS "rides" up front.

• No need to print a paper map from your map software, you always have your maps inside your GPS.

• A GPS provides odometer functions, can your paper map and compass do that?

Primary Map Features (click for details) ● 40-Foot Contours ● High Resolution Water Data ● 15-minute Coverage per Map ● Extensive Geologic Feature Points ● Forest Service Trails ● Latest Roads ● Disadvantages ● Disclaimer ● Work with Garmin GPS Receivers
	Garmin eTrex Venture Screenshots of Washington and Colorado

40-Foot Contours:

Above the Timber's Colorado Topos are at 40-foot intervals, the same as standard 7.5-minute USGS Quad maps. The 40-foot intervals are also in integer 40-foot increments, not meters converted to odd numbered feet.

High Resolution Water Data:

It is the High Resolution Water Data that makes these maps stand out. To make the water data work on your GPS requires 10-100 times the man-hours of the contours. Most vector maps only have large named water features, named lakes and streams. For every named water feature, their are 100-unnamed water features. We're talking beaver pond resolution!!!  Rivers and streams are shown at their true extent, bank to bank, not just a line indicating river or creek. Above the Timber's 24K Topos have the same map detail as 7.5-min paper Topos.

Without this water data, no GPS topo map can lay claim to being a 24K equivalent map.

15-minute Coverage per Map:

Each map segment covers an area of 15 x 15 minutes of arc or exactly 4 - 7.5 minute Quad Maps. These maps seamlessly join one to another, therefore you can have the entire coverage area as one seamless map inside your GPS receiver. This coverage was chosen based on a practical map data size (100KB - 2MB per segment), since the size of the piece of paper is irrelevant.

Extensive Geologic Feature Points:

In addition to the expected summits; mines, cemeteries, arches, pillars, basins, springs, flats, ridges, cliffs and passes are shown.

Forest Service Trails:

National Forests are crisscrossed with numerous foot trails, aiding backcountry travel. If they were in the Forest Service database, they're on these maps.

Latest Roads:

The federal government has several agencies which maintain massive US roads database, each with their own virtues and vices. These databases are the primary source for most of the roads on these maps. The roads give context and guidance to the off-road detail where these maps shine. The roads in conjunction with the GPS position marker will greatly aid you in determining where you're at and more importantly where you want to go next. Sorry, the roads are not routable.

Works with Garmin Mapping GPS Receivers:

While the maps have not been tested on all Garmin GPS receivers, their have been no reported incidents of the maps not working, therefore buy with confidence. Given the large file size of each 15-minute map segment (100KB-2MB) these maps are intended for Garmin's "x" family of receivers which have interchangeable microSD memory cards up to 2GB. Or other Garmin GPS receivers with replaceable memory cards. The total size of all the maps installed into a Gmapsupp.img container file exceeds 250 MB.

Recommended models include the Garmin Colorado, eTrex Vista/Legend HCx, the GPSMAP 60 Cx and CSx, and the similar 76 Cx series. By test, these maps do work with the Garmin Colorado series. If you're unsure about your model, each state has a free download so you can test the maps in your GPS prior to purchasing.

You can use Above the Timber's 24K Topos in conjunction with Garmin's Mapsource USA Topos and the City Navigator maps. This screenshot shows Garmin's US Topo and the Colo and Wash 24K Topos loaded together:

Simply toggle Show/Hide to turn On/Off an entire map set. To see this screen do the following:
From the map display > Menu > Map Setup - Information > Menu > after scrolling to the map set > Press Enter

The 24K Topo maps were optimized to be viewed in your color GPS receiver. The view in Mapsource can/will be significantly different.

Disadvantages:

Because of the immense detail inherent in these maps, your GPS receiver will be unable to keep up at anything other than slow speeds. Highway speeds will overwhelm the CPU's ability to redraw and you'll get ??? However at walking speeds your GPS will have no problems keeping up. The actual speed where redraw becomes a problem varies by GPS model, Above the Timber can offer no guidance. For highway speeds, Garmin makes wonderful routable road maps.

Disclaimer:

These maps are intended for recreational use and can/do contain unintentional errors. Neither these maps nor your Garmin GPS are land survey class products. If you see a cliff and the GPS says their is no cliff, trust your eyes and don't go over the cliff.

States
Washington | Colorado