Pacific Crest Trail Atlas

[John Roan]

Has anyone used Blackwoods Press Pacific Crest Trail Atlas?

http://www.blackwoodspress.com/pct/atlas/

Looks like a very well thought out, complete guide, but I am wondering how accurate it is?

[Ken Thompson]

I don't care how good it is, $200 for the set is too much. $100 tops. Granted a lot of time and energy put into these. But your gonna hike it anyway…… Toes north.

[drowning in spam]

I haven't heard any complaints about accuracy. The creator is hiking the PCT this year, so you can lodge complaints directly if you have any.

I think the Atlas might be a good substitute for the guidebook and a data book. Where you would almost certainly cut pages out of the former, you probably wouldn't bother with the Atlas, which means you would have better luck reselling it after you're done.

Even with the atlas, I'd still want Halfmile's maps or upload all the maps on a gps with lots of spare batteries. My training hikes have been with Halfmile maps, and the tracks and waypoints on my gps…I still need to get something sorted out for town/resupply data.

[Miner]

I used it last year. I also carried all the other guidebooks (Yogi's guidebook, the Wilderness Press data book and guidebooks). I found I mostly use the PCT Atas because it was convient to just quickly glance at it and know where to go. And yes, it does seem overpriced, but I broke down and bought it in Big Bear after being on the trail for 3 weeks. The WP guidebook maps are enough to hike the trail (and for many, that is all they use), but I like having better maps. An alternative would be to print out Halfmile's free topo maps at http://www.pctmap.net/. But printing that many color pages would be expensive in terms of buying color toner.

The Atlas was done using a GPS track so the mileage differs from all the other guidebooks. I personaly think the other guidebooks mileage is more accurate (or at least more consistant with itself) as there were times the Atlas mileages seemed longer then other times. You get the normal compaints on the elevation profile missing climbs all the time. It also doesn't show some of the most common alternate routes such as the Eagle Creek Trail in North Oregon that most PCT hikers take. But overall, it is a good product, I just wish it was cheaper.

[drowning in spam]

Halfmile just found a place in Oregon that will print high quality double sided color laser maps for about $75 plus shipping. I've been having a family member print my maps for me, but I may still go with the printer in Oregon since the maps from my family member are missing some of the annotations….like the ones that say "no water for next 20 miles".

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