Estimating distance with Hillmap

I just tried plotting a path using hillmap. It seems it would have a greater margin of error since it doesn't (?) support continuous paths. I found having to click each point tedious so I started spreading them out as far as possible.

I agree with about Topo route mapping being easier. I'm waiting for an application to replace it.

Two features I always wanted…
1 have the app be able to follow a trail (e.g., dashed line) automatically
2 be able to overlay another image (trail map) and trace that. This would require being able to stretch/shrink the image to align a couple of points with corresponding points on the topo map.

Caltopo.com supports continuous path drawing. I like it more than hillmap in general, too.

Stretching an image to fit a topo is called "georeferencing an image" I believe. I have a bit of GIS software knowledge from school, and remember doing that. I haven't used it in a few years, but QGIS was a growing free GIS software back then which supported georeferencing images.

I answered my own question this weekend. My son and I backpacked to a lake in the Uintas Friday afternoon. Before we went I measured the route using Hillmap and added 10% to that distance just like I do with TOPO!. Using my Garmin Forerunner I measured the route as we hiked in on Friday. The distance value I got with Hillmap and my gps where less than a tenth of a mile difference.

How many miles was that, Jeff? Straight lines vs switchbacks? Elevation changes?

I tried caltopo and couldn't figure out how to trace out continuous paths. Frustrating in general; I had to start over 4 or 5 times. Lost it before I could figure out how to save it. Went back to Topo!. Just have to figure out how to get that to run on my new Mac.

The route was 8.3 miles. There was a few ups and downs of 300-400 ft elevation change and a climb at the end of about 600 ft of elevation gain. Nothing too dramatic. Not really any serious switchback sections.