Another use of a digital camera?

[Mike P.]

In the past couple of years I've done some state park hiking & hiking at new places where I did not have a trail map. In many of these places they tend to have a map at the trailhead, behind glass showing the whole area. Sometimes they do have paper copies for people to use but sometimes they don't. Sleeping Giant in CT or the Pinnacle in PA are two recent examples I've come across. (in both of these trips I did not have a camera either - Sleeping Giant was a website where you can print your own map but that is of little use at the trailhead)

Until this AM, I did not give this any thought but with a Digital camera you should be able to take a couple of pictures of the map at the trailhead & if needed later view it on the screen & zoom in the area you're at (assuming you do this at trail junctions before you take the wrong one)

Thoughts, comments?

 

[Goblin84]

Good idea I guess. However I am one for thinking of the worst possible thing that could happen. What do you do if your camera gets wet? or runs out of batteries? I could see this as being a good backup to the backup.

When I hike I always have maps and a compass. Everyone I hike with normally knows how to use these items to find their exact locations (waypoints and triangulation). Plus I normally make people carry at least a general map with them in their packs (pending on the hike)

 

[Greg]

I've done it before. I couldn't seem to find a map of White Memorial (easy hiking) in Litchfield so I snapped a photo of the one at the trail head.

 

[LongStep]

hah actually had to do this last week hiking up in lincoln.

 

[threecy]

I tend to do this whether or not I think I'll actually use it...I find it helpful for when I try to plot things out when I get home.

 

[David Metsky]

I've been known to snap photos of trailsigns at junctions so that later I can look at the timestamps on the images and know how long each leg of the journey took.

 

[Mike P.]

I've taken trail signs before but that has to do more with my seemingly higher than average ability to hike on rainy days, those signs are about all you can see.....

Is that an answer to my wife when she next looks at pictures of rocks from the Presidentials or F-Ridge, "Not just Rocks but rocks at 2:45:34 on 4/1/2007!

My problem is that when I decide to hit a State Park or other similar place, it's on the QT on the way back from a business destination, can't explain why I need to bring the camera for work.... For days in the Whites, Greens, ADK's BSP, Catskills... I have the map.