Sierra High Route Mapset & Databook

Description

When I first hiked the Sierra High Route there was no official or unofficial Mapset or Databook that was publicly available. So I made my own, and post-trip I updated it and made it available for purchase. Aspiring SHR hikers no longer have to assemble their maps from scratch, which is time-consuming and frustrating.

Table of Contents

• Download Instructions
• Product Description
• Map Set Detail
• Printing
• System Requirements

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Download Instructions

This digital product is available via electronic download. Instructions:

1. Complete and pay for your order.
2. Check your email. Open the order confirmation email from me.
3. To start your download, click the customer-specific download link. This link will expire in 48 hours; if you ever need it renewed, email [email protected].

The download file is 240 MB in size. It is recommended that you have a moderately fast, reliable internet connection before attempting the download.

If your internet connection is unreliable or excessively slow, and therefore you need to be mailed a CD or DVD with the data, please forward your receipt to [email protected] with a mailing address.

Product Description

The Mapset & Databook features two versions of the SHR Mapset, plus a Databook, TOPO! file, and PDF’s of each Map Set version. More detail:

Map Set. There are two versions of the Map Set: one is designed to be printed on 8.5×11 paper; the other, 11×17 paper. Each version contains two sets of maps: one technical set, at a scale of 1:24,000, based on the USGS 7.5-minute quads; and one overview set, at a scale of 1:100,000, based on the USGS 30×60 minute maps. The 8.5×11 version includes 31 technical maps and X overview maps. The 11×17 version includes 26 technical maps and 7 overview maps.

PDF’s of the Map Sets. In addition to being available as individual map images (.JPG’s), each version of the Map Set is also available as a print-ready PDF. This is for convenience: it will save you time if you wish to print the entire Map Set or a chunk of it; or it will save you money if you wish to have the entire Map Set (or part of it) printed professionally, since printing companies usually charge a fee for each file they must open.

TOPO! file. If you have the California TOPO! software, you will be able to open this file and inspect the route more closely, including as a 3D flyover.

Databook. The databook is a consolidated table of key information from the Map Set. It provides distances between major features like passes, lakes, and trail junctions. It’s an immensely helpful resource: it can be used to gauge progress, plan the day, and coordinate resupply points. The databook is contained in two files: a print-read PDF document; and an Excel file (.xls for PC), if you wish to integrate it into your more extensive planning file.

Mapset Details

The maps were developed using National Geographic’s TOPO! mapping software in conjunction with Roper’s SHR guidebook. Because the SHR is a route, not a definitive trail, and you therefore your actual path needs to be in response to what you see on the ground, I opted to NOT draw a continuous line from Road’s End to Mono Village, which I feared would indicate, “The SHR goes –here–.” Instead, the route is marked with a series of symbols: red diamonds indicate off-trail routes; red flags indicate on-trail segments; yellow diamonds indicate the starting/ending points of the chapters; and red “X” marks mean, “Don’t go here.”

The symbol method also ensured that a minimal amount of topographical data was lost, since there is no thick red line running across the map.

All of the maps are overlaid, i.e. two adjacent maps share at least one common reference point, like a red diamond or a geographic place name (“White Bear Lake”). This makes it easier to align them in the field.

Printing

You have two options for printing these maps: print them at home using your home printer, or have them printed by a professional printing company.

Most home printers are consumer-grade inkjet printers. I have never been pleased with the results: the printers are slow; fine detail is often lost; the ink is prone to bleeding and smudging; the initial cost advantage is often offset by the cost of ink cartridges and high-grade paper; and most home printers do not print double-sided, which means you need to standby in order to feed paper into the printer.

When I need a lot of maps printed, I prefer to have them done professionally. This ensures that the fine detail is preserved and that maps are resistant to bleeding/smudging and flaking. The process is very efficient — I upload the file(s) to the printing company’s website and pick them up a few days later. And the cost is reasonable: I printed two Map Sets for our July 2008 trip at a cost of $80. The maps were printed in color, double-sided, on 11×17 paper; each Map Set contained 33 maps.

Jonathan Ley has put together a lot of helpful tips about printing his Continental Divide Trail maps, which he also makes available on CD. Visit his website for more information.

8.5×11 versus 11×17. The information contained in, and the scale of, each version of the Map Set is the same. But, they are not equal. In my opinion, the 11×17 Map Set is more optimal because it contains more information per sheet — more of the SHR, and more of the surrounding landscape, both of which are helpful in plotting the next few hours of your route from a vantage point. The 8.5×11 Map Set does not contain as much information — your “window” is smaller — and more often you’ll have to hold two maps together in order to figure things out. That said, I recognize that more people have access to 8.5×11 printing than 11×17, which is why I have included this less optimal version.

System Requirements

You need Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free software that allows you to view PDF documents.

To edit the Databook, you will need Microsoft Office 2007. If you are running an older version of Office, you will need to download the Microsoft Compatibility Pack so that you can open the .docx document.

The DVD was burned in a widely compatible format, and Windows and Mac users should have no problems opening its contents.