The maps in this hiking guide were all specially designed for this book. In this section, you'll learn more about the process of how these maps were made and how to read them while preparing for your hike.
Maps
I wanted maps that were not only as accurate and helpful as possible but also visually appealing. So I hired a very skilled map maker to help me create exactly what I wanted.
I chose to go with a topographical map since that gives the hiker the most information possible about what to expect. Between each dark line on the map there is 200' of elevation change and between each light line on the map is 40' of elevation change. When the lines are close together then the terrain is especially steep and when they are more spread out then the change is more gentle. You'll notice that we only included the contour lines for areas inside the national park as this helped to better define Park boundaries.
We then colored the maps so you could easily see when the trail is in forest or climbs up above the trees into the open tundra. You can also see the streams, tarns, lakes, glaciers and other important features. The mountain summits are marked with an X so that they are clearly identifiable. We also included a scale for each map so that you can get a sense of how much terrain you are looking at. The scale will change from map to map as some hikes cover only a short distance while others cover a much larger area. There is also a directional arrow so that you know which direction is north on the map. This may vary from map to map.
The particular hike we are referencing in the book is highlighted in red while other trails you may encounter are colored yellow. Some of these other trails are official park trails and some of them lead out of the park onto private property. We've included them simply to help you avoid confusion when you come across one of these intersections while on your hike.
Each of the waypoints listed in the book is also shown on the map using a number. You'll also find these waypoint numbers repeated on the elevation profile graph and in the description of the hike. By referencing the waypoint number in each of these four locations you should have a pretty good sense of what to expect.
One feature that many are not aware of is that this map was designed so that it can also be easily read by those with the more common forms of colorblindness. This was thanks to the son of our mapmaker who offered his assistance for this purpose.
On the inside of the back cover of the book you'll find a map legend that provides additional information about the maps used in the book.