For those of you that are not familiar with topo maps, I have experience with them and can attest to their usefulness. Of course each situation is different, and depending on where you live, the terrain can be different every few yards. If you live in an area like I do these maps can be lifesaving.
If you live in an area where the terrain is relatively flat and doesn't change much in any distance of say 25-30 miles, topo maps will be almost useless. However, I live in the mountains of western north carolina where topo maps can be quite useful.
In case you are wondering... I am a Rock Hound and an amateur Mineral Collector, and it just so happens that western north carolina can be a Rock Hounds paradise if you know where to go and know what to look for. I moved to these beautiful mountains some 24 yrs ago and found out quickly that topo maps were a useful tool. Here's just a couple of reasons that I find them such a good tool...
1. They show you elevations levels that can be useful when determining how difficult an area may be to reach. For instance... There is one area that I know of that has a storied past for a certain valuable mineral, but its one tough climb and not for rookies. One of the topo maps told me the topographical story of the site and surrounding area so I was able to hike a looong way around without having to resort to professional climbing and repelling gear.
2. Another time I went on one of my adventures on a day that was calling for a 50% chance of rain. Fortunately I had stopped by the local State Minerals Survey office and got a copy of the topo for that area, prior to my outing. The map showed the exact spot where a small shaft had been dug out of the side of a small mountain for a minerals exploration test hole. The topo map led me right to the horizontal shaft and kept me dry for 3 hours while a nasty storm passed through the area.
3. The last story ( #2 ) leads to one of the more important aspects of having topo's handy... They almost always point out water sources like streams, small ponds (pools), and all other known sources of water. And as mentioned, they also show the exact locations of every known prospect holes and mining shafts. Some of these shafts are vertical while others are horizontal. Having them located on a map keeps you from accidently falling into an open shaft surrounded by mountain laurel which hides the shafts perfectly.
These are just some of the uses I have gotten out of topos, but I can imagine them being VERY useful in a survival situation. Just my 2 cents.
Replies
GREAT!
For those of you that are not familiar with topo maps, I have experience with them and can attest to their usefulness. Of course each situation is different, and depending on where you live, the terrain can be different every few yards. If you live in an area like I do these maps can be lifesaving.
If you live in an area where the terrain is relatively flat and doesn't change much in any distance of say 25-30 miles, topo maps will be almost useless. However, I live in the mountains of western north carolina where topo maps can be quite useful.
In case you are wondering... I am a Rock Hound and an amateur Mineral Collector, and it just so happens that western north carolina can be a Rock Hounds paradise if you know where to go and know what to look for. I moved to these beautiful mountains some 24 yrs ago and found out quickly that topo maps were a useful tool. Here's just a couple of reasons that I find them such a good tool...
1. They show you elevations levels that can be useful when determining how difficult an area may be to reach. For instance... There is one area that I know of that has a storied past for a certain valuable mineral, but its one tough climb and not for rookies. One of the topo maps told me the topographical story of the site and surrounding area so I was able to hike a looong way around without having to resort to professional climbing and repelling gear.
2. Another time I went on one of my adventures on a day that was calling for a 50% chance of rain. Fortunately I had stopped by the local State Minerals Survey office and got a copy of the topo for that area, prior to my outing. The map showed the exact spot where a small shaft had been dug out of the side of a small mountain for a minerals exploration test hole. The topo map led me right to the horizontal shaft and kept me dry for 3 hours while a nasty storm passed through the area.
3. The last story ( #2 ) leads to one of the more important aspects of having topo's handy... They almost always point out water sources like streams, small ponds (pools), and all other known sources of water. And as mentioned, they also show the exact locations of every known prospect holes and mining shafts. Some of these shafts are vertical while others are horizontal. Having them located on a map keeps you from accidently falling into an open shaft surrounded by mountain laurel which hides the shafts perfectly.
These are just some of the uses I have gotten out of topos, but I can imagine them being VERY useful in a survival situation. Just my 2 cents.