NGS Topo and Mountain Lion

[kepPNW]

Thanks, Dave & Carl - I see that I've logged in to CalTopo at some point in the past, but I either missed the added layers, or they've expanded since I was last there. Look like a great solution! Looks like I can do much of what NG Topo! offered, save for elevation profiles and setting large export areas (that exceed the screen area), but I can work around these limitations.

Check out the ability to make a PDF (click "Print" up-top). You can generate those up to 13x19, which covers a pretty good chunk of territory. And you can make the new-fangled USFS digital quads look a little warmer by adding a hillshade layer with about 25% opacity.

[Splintercat]

Wow... thanks, Karl! Excellent tip, and now I'm wondering why I would even bother to put up with NG's bugginess...? Hmm... I wonder if CalTopo is part of why NG wasn't able to continue extorted $90 for marginal USGS scans coupled with a marginal, buggy software to navigate them..?

Great idea on softening the digital topos, too - since that really opens up the ability to use much larger (and custom) scales. Good stuff!

Tom

[kepPNW]

It's an incredible service. I'm still learning more each time I use it. Wish it had more varied symbology options, but what it has will do. The feature that I'd make the most use of all though, would be if they'd adopt the GeoPDF standard for their output! (If you haven't tried Avenza's PDF-Maps app, you really should - amazing possibilities!)