AZ Topos from USFS FREE

[JRhetts]

In another thread, Mark (crawler#976) posted about free AZ Topos from the Forest Service.

Forest Service Topos for AZ and NM!
http://fsgeodata.fs.fed.us/rastergat...hp?regionID=r3
Two formats available GeoTIFF and PDF.
The maps can be saved and additions made via Adobe or like I did ...with Paint.

When compared with the USGS Topos I have, they seem cleaner and more recent than the USGS ones.

However, does anyone know what app(s) I could use on a Macintosh or iPad [iOS6] to interface either the PDF or the TIFF format files with a GPS to mark and export tracklogs or waypoints to my Garmin GPS units?

 

[agavelvr]

Try the PDF Maps app for Ios to use geolocated PDFs and GeoTiffs.

 

[JRhetts]

Try the PDF Maps app for Ios to use geolocated PDFs and GeoTiffs.

Thanks. I had looked at this app a while ago but its pricing structure for available maps put me off.

Have you used it to open either these or maps like them NOT from Avenza?

John

 

[agavelvr]

Have you used it to open either these or maps like them NOT from Avenza?

Yes. I found the app on the FS web page a while back. The USFS can cut their MVUMs as geo PDFs out of their GIS platform. They provided a link to this as the suggested viewing software, no purchase required It will work with the free maps Mark posted or geolocated PDFs you create on your own. Pretty sweet stuff. And yes, many of those fancy maps are new, take a look at the publication date These are vector based maps w/selectable text as opposed to the old USGS raster maps (DRGs). That makes them render much faster, look sharp, and take up less space. I'm sure there are other apps that do the same thing, so post up if you find a nice one.

 

[JRhetts]

Jeff

As I posted in another thread here, I only managed to get the PDFMaps app to display the FS maps. Is there more functionality to the app than I managed to discover? I read about the selectable text and display of other info, but I could not operate that via PDFMaps - any tips?
Also, to reveal my ignorance, what are "MVUMs"?

Thanks, John

 

[Bill Beers]

They are "Motor Vehcile Use Maps," from the USFS, link.


" The MVUMs display National Forest System (NFS) routes (roads and trails) designated as open to motorized travel. The MVUMs also display allowed uses by vehicle class (ex. highway-legal vehicles, vehicles 50 inches in width or less and motorcycles); seasonal allowances, off route travel distance allowances, and provides information on other travel rules and regulations.

Routes not shown on the MVUMs are not open to public motor vehicle travel. Routes designated for motorized use may not always be signed on the ground but will be identified on the MVUMs. It will be the user's responsibility to reference the MVUMs and stay on designated routes for motor vehicle use."

 

[JRhetts]

Bill

Thanks for explaining the acronym. I NEVER would have guessed that is what it stood for. It's too bad the PDF Maps app cannot do more, like record tracks and import/export files, but I guess one gets what they pay for.

John

 

[agavelvr]

Jeff

As I posted in another thread here, I only managed to get the PDFMaps app to display the FS maps. Is there more functionality to the app than I managed to discover? I read about the selectable text and display of other info, but I could not operate that via PDFMaps - any tips?
Also, to reveal my ignorance, what are "MVUMs"?

Thanks, John

Selectable text is a function of the PDF in Acrobat, not PDF Maps. I only mention it because I use pdfs all the time and having the ability to capture text as text, rather than an image is handy. MVUMs...yeah, I would have hoped the gov would had come up with a friendlier way to describe those