Canada's Backroad Mapbooks Expands into the US

[Colin Hughes]

Backroad Mapbooks have been the go to maps and adventure guides in Canada for over 25 years. They have released their first US digital product, Washington State. Lots of really good info.

https://www.backroadmapbooks.com/blog/now-available-for-washington-state/

Washington State - V2020

Discover the Best of the Northwest Situated at the northwest corner of the continental United States, Washington State is a land of unparalleled beauty, where rainforest-clad mountains tower over the wild Pacific coast and vast stretches of undeveloped wilderness provide the perfect backdrop...

www.backroadmapbooks.com

 

[MANUCHAO]

Any paper map books info....?

 

[billiebob]

Sorry, digital is not near as reliable as paper.



I love these.

 

[shade]

Sorry, digital is not near as reliable as paper.

View attachment 562149

I love these.

Paper is nicer for some things.
Digital for others.

I like both for different purposes, so I try to supplement a generic paper atlas with prints compiled from digital sources, and use the full digital version for active nav assistance, as needed. Strikes a good balance for me.

 

[Victorian]

I love books and big print paper maps. Can’t go exploring without them.

 

[shade]

I love books and big print paper maps. Can’t go exploring without them.

Nothing better for an overview and general route planing, IMO.

 

[billiebob]

Nothing better for an overview and general route planing, IMO.

but too much detail takes the explore out of exploring

 

[shade]

but too much detail takes the explore out of exploring

True, but that's pretty hard to do at the scale typically found in a road going print atlas. I like the ability to zoom in on digital maps when it's important to find the correct trail junction, or to see if what I'm looking at is even a legitimate trail. The last thing I want to do is drive up someone's privately owned dry wash.

You're right about too much detail being a bad thing.

I was on a trip through BC and elsewhere with a young co-pilot, and I put her in charge of navigation. Teaching her to navigate by map, and how to roll with whatever a trip brings were two important goals. No real schedule, and with an RTT, we could camp about anywhere. As long as we were generally headed in the right direction, I didn't care where she pointed us. I hadn't looked at the map all day, and she was excited about us camping in Wistaria Provincial Park for some reason. I'm not sure what she thought "Free Fy." meant on the map, but we were both surprised as I rounded a corner to a free ferry ramp. That was just one little joy from an excellent trip.

 

[seeNik48]

Since we live in Washington, I would like to buy this But it is only available as aSD card, not as a pdf for AVENZA or as a map book. Oh well.

 

[JaSAn]

I prefer paper maps.

This time of year (the frozen months) I have Delorme, Benchmark, NF and State maps spread out. This leaves my computer free for Google Earth, Freecampsites, park and forest web sites, etc. It would be disorienting to keep switching back and forth on screen.

I have very detailed trip plans by the end of March and I have never found 'too much information' to interfere with exploration and serendipity. I've usually gone off script by the 3rd or 4th day. On the contrary, I would have missed some interesting adventures without my early research.

jim

 

[Colin Hughes]

Since we live in Washington, I would like to buy this But it is only available as aSD card, not as a pdf for AVENZA or as a map book. Oh well.

Print copy mapbook is coming late spring/early summer.

 

[seeNik48]

I prefer paper maps.

This time of year (the frozen months) I have Delorme, Benchmark, NF and State maps spread out. This leaves my computer free for Google Earth, Freecampsites, park and forest web sites, etc. It would be disorienting to keep switching back and forth on screen.

I have very detailed trip plans by the end of March and I have never found 'too much information' to interfere with exploration and serendipity. I've usually gone off script by the 3rd or 4th day. On the contrary, I would have missed some interesting adventures without my early research.

jim

That sounds like the way I plan. I get us from NW Washington stopping at a few different areas each time then it’s on to either Oregon or Idaho. Then, it’s serendipity as to what is next. It is nice to have a few interesting points to stop at. Sometimes we will revisit an area just to see places we missed th3 first time.

 

[Red90]

Sorry, digital is not near as reliable as paper.

Technically speaking sure. But after 25 years of using a GPS for navigation, I've not once had a failure and needed to look at the paper maps. Maybe it will happen in the next 25.

 

[aaen]

Technically speaking sure. But after 25 years of using a GPS for navigation, I've not once had a failure and needed to look at the paper maps. Maybe it will happen in the next 25.

Agreed, however I do like to have multiple options for digital. iPad, phone and head unit all have Gaia maps loaded onto them and downloaded for the areas I go. I also tend to have the paper books in the truck as well.