Mac OSX Lion compatible topo software

[4lowdean]

So it turns out my copy of NatGeo's topo software for my state does not work with OSX Lion. There is no expectation any time soon that they will either come out with a patch or a new version, so in the mean time does anyone have any recommendations?

I don't need it to be iDevice compatible (as in run on the device, so i am not looking for iPad apps), although it would be nice to be able to export maps and data sets from my desktop/laptop to other devices. I am still considering a Lowrance unit for my next dash-mounted GPS system, so that is what I am thinking about (record the trails, edit them at home, update/refresh the Lowrance unit before the next time out).

For the time being I am going to figure out what's wrong with my Dell and my inverter and see if I can get them working in time for this month's trail ride.

 

[sickchilly]

I use Garmin BaseCamp with the US Regional 24k Topo maps as well as some internet sourced free trail maps. I use it to manage data on my in-dash Garmin and hand-held hiking Garmin units. I also exchange GPX data between it and my iPad/iPhone apps. Has been working well enough for me.

 

[4lowdean]

Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[jCubed]

I use BaseCamp for my Garmin Fortrex and it's pretty awesome. It's free and you can easily find free maps.

 

[mrshish]

I'm in the same boat as you and finally decided Garmin 24k Topo is what I'm going to give a whirl. My concern is it seems to not include as many roads as some topo's but it looks like what it does have it fairly accurate. I went to amazon last weekend but they were out of my state so I'm just ordering it from Amazon.

 

[Uglyduck]

Take a look at http://www.macgpspro.com/ . Its a powerful mapping tool that I'm looking into for route planning after I bought their app iHikeGPS, which I like more than any other nav app I've used, and I've used a lot.

I don't have first hand experience but reviews state that its a very powerful nav tool and the user interface seems to be the only complaint. I had problems getting into their website today to check on compatibility with Lion but I imagine it works.

 

[goodtimes]

Take a look at http://www.macgpspro.com/ . Its a powerful mapping tool that I'm looking into for route planning after I bought their app iHikeGPS, which I like more than any other nav app I've used, and I've used a lot.

I don't have first hand experience but reviews state that its a very powerful nav tool and the user interface seems to be the only complaint. I had problems getting into their website today to check on compatibility with Lion but I imagine it works.

IIRC, you can do pretty much everything with macgpspro, except communicate with a GPS unit. IMO, its a rather important function.

Maybe that has changed since I looked into it a year or two ago (or maybe I'm thinking of some other software package -pretty sure it's the same one though), but I can't get to the site to verify.

 

[Uglyduck]

I think there was a problem with their site earlier...seems to be working now.

IIRC, you can do pretty much everything with macgpspro, except communicate with a GPS unit.

Are you referring to transferring data or real time tracking?

Their site features it as being compatible with Lion and capable of real time tracking and lists compatible receivers.

http://www.macgpspro.com/?id=143

Like I said, I don't have it but it appears to be the best thing going for the Mac IMHO.

 

[goodtimes]

Are you referring to transferring data or real time tracking?

Transfer data - up/down load tracks, routes, waypoints, maps, etc from an iMac to a traditional GPS (not an iPad, iphone, etc).

 

[Uglyduck]

I recall something similar a couple of years ago. It looks like they've updated it and it does all that with many stand alone units, not sure about maps though.

 

[cshontz]

IIRC, you can do pretty much everything with macgpspro, except communicate with a GPS unit

You may be thinking of a different software. I've had MacGPS Pro for a few years, and have always used it to navigate in real-time with my 276C. I'm not particularly fond of the software, though. Just felt obligated to chime in.

 

[Charlie56]

How about keeping your Nat Geo Topo and running it inside a virtual machine that has Windows loaded as the OS?
I have a Macbook pro with Lion and Parallels Virtual software. Topo works just fine.

 

[vdeal]

NG Topo! state series runs just fine under Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion). I have it running on my work Mac. No problems.

 

[JRhetts]

IIRC, you can do pretty much everything with macgpspro, except communicate with a GPS unit. IMO, its a rather important function.

Maybe that has changed since I looked into it a year or two ago (or maybe I'm thinking of some other software package -pretty sure it's the same one though), but I can't get to the site to verify.

I don't want to be argumentative, but I have used MacGPSPro extensively for the last 8-10 years, including driving to Panama, all over Baja, all over the western US and both the Yukon and NWT in Canada.

There is no problem transferring files [Waypoints, Tracklogs, Routes] from a Mac to a GPS [incuding Garmin and Magellan units specifically] and from a GPS to the Mac. I have run my Mac+MacGPSPro with input from a Bluetooth GPS for many years; it handles this seamlessly. [My current favorite is G-Sat's #BT-368, which never dropped a signal in 3 months of driving in the Yukon including heavy cover and heavy weather.]

MacGPSPro uses USGS 1:24k [7.5 minute] Topo maps which are geo-referenced into ".PICT" files. You can record real-time tracklogs directly into MacGPSPro or record them on a separate GPS and download and display them in MacGPSPro. Each GPS device company has its own file format so it can make money off the captive audience that has invested in its hardware. However, there are very good sources for free maps in Garmin format. [My favorite is: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/]. However you cannot up- or down-load maps themselves to a GPS from MacGPSPro, anymore than you can upload and display Nat Geo maps on, for example, a Garmin. So this is NOT a limitation of MacGPSPro.

Disclaimer: I have no interest in MacGPSPro except for being a satisfied user for many years. I just don't want to see incorrect information stand about this or any other application or hardware.

 

[vdeal]

Just a follow-up, NG Topo! state series still running fine on a MacPro tower (2 actually). One running Snow Leopard (10.6.8) and the other running Lion (10.7.5). I see no reason why it shouldn't run under Mt. Lion either. BTW, I'm an IT systems admin and general jack-of-all-trades IT guy and have been running Macs since the OS 6 days. I wonder if the problem is installing Topo on a new 10.7 machine instead of my situation where Topo has been on machines that have been upgraded through the OSes. Shouldn't really matter but if that is the case, then you could find an older machine, install Topo and then copy over the files.