Mobile maps from the USFS

[justpeachy]

U.S. Forest Service offers new digital maps for mobile devices
http://www.fs.fed.us/news/2013/releases/11/e-maps.shtml

I downloaded the app on my Android phone and did a quick search to see what local stuff was available. The four ranger district maps for the Mt. Hood National Forest are available for $4.99 each. The BLM maps that cover the Mt. Hood area are $2.99 each. For some reason the 2003 USFS map for the Mt. Hood National Forest did not come up. Maybe it covers too wide of an area and would be too large of a file?

USGS quads are free to download. But you either have to know the name of the map to search for it, or be near the area with a good signal and your GPS so it can bring up maps in your vicinity.

[kepPNW]

U.S. Forest Service offers new digital maps for mobile devices
http://www.fs.fed.us/news/2013/releases/11/e-maps.shtml

I downloaded the app on my Android phone and did a quick search to see what local stuff was available. The four ranger district maps for the Mt. Hood National Forest are available for $4.99 each. The BLM maps that cover the Mt. Hood area are $2.99 each. For some reason the 2003 USFS map for the Mt. Hood National Forest did not come up. Maybe it covers too wide of an area and would be too large of a file?

USGS quads are free to download. But you either have to know the name of the map to search for it, or be near the area with a good signal and your GPS so it can bring up maps in your vicinity.

That looks very cool, Cheryl! Thanks so much for posting this. Downloading now.

[kepPNW]

Finally got around to playing with this a little. That (free) Avenza app is pretty cool! It'll work with any Georeferenced PDF, of which there are now thousands available -- many of them free. It's available as for both Android and Apple here:

• Avenza PDF Maps | Get the app. Get the map.® - http://www.pdf-maps.com/

Then, I downloaded a little KML called QUADS. This loads into Google Earth, and lets you zoom/pan around to the area you're interested in, and then download (georeferenced!) current and historic USGS quads:

• USGS Quadrangles - http://www.metzgerwillard.us/quads/quads.html

What I really wish was that there was a way to produce our own Georeferenced PDFs using CalTopo. Or, even better, add georeferencing to any existing PDF!

[adamschneider]

You can get the USFS 2013 maps in BackCountry Navigator for Android... Possibly in some iPhone apps too.

[kepPNW]

You can get the USFS 2013 maps in BackCountry Navigator for Android... Possibly in some iPhone apps too.

Yeah, one day I was bored so I threw a little script together that snagged about 1800 of those. Most of Oregon and Washington, I think. Now I can use any of them quite easily with that free Avenza app.

[Lumpy]

You can get the USFS 2013 maps in BackCountry Navigator for Android... Possibly in some iPhone apps too.

Backcountry Navigator is done by a guy that loves the outdoors and lives in Camas. I'm glad I was able to help support a local outdoor enthusiast by buying the application.

[kepPNW]

You can get the USFS 2013 maps in BackCountry Navigator for Android... Possibly in some iPhone apps too.

Backcountry Navigator is done by a guy that loves the outdoors and lives in Camas. I'm glad I was able to help support a local outdoor enthusiast by buying the application.

Local guy? Yeah, that ratchets up my interest quite a bit. Thanks for that.

[RobFromRedland]

Although the app interface can be a bit odd at times (it is improving), I've learned how to use it, and it works well. I paid the $10 as well - well worth the cost for what it delivers.

I knew he was from the northwest, but didn't know he was from Camas!

[justpeachy]

I like Backcountry Navigator but it has twice locked up my Samsung Droid Razr phone. The first time it happened last summer the phone was frozen solid and I had to let the battery run down to get it up and running again. The second time I was able to force the phone to shut down. I'm wary about using the app now, but if anyone knows how to prevent this freeze-up, I'm all ears.

[Lumpy]

I like Backcountry Navigator but it has twice locked up my Samsung Droid Razr phone. The first time it happened last summer the phone was frozen solid and I had to let the battery run down to get it up and running again. The second time I was able to force the phone to shut down. I'm wary about using the app now, but if anyone knows how to prevent this freeze-up, I'm all ears.

There are known issues with the Motorola Droid Razr and Backcountry Navigator, which is probably what you are talking about, unless Samsung has a product I don't know about. There is some info here, and if you read thoroughly, there may be a hardware button reset procedure that you can try if the phone locks up again: http://support.crittermap.com/entries/2 ... zr-Maxx-HD

Have you contacted the app developer? Have you tried any of the process killer apps like Advanced Task Killer?

FWIW, I have a Motorola Droid Razr Maxx and have had no issues with using Backcountry Navigator.