RE: [Philmont]: GPS e-Trex

Hi Pete,
I bought a Magellan Meridian Platinum for our trek last year, we were 726-L1
Trek 33. I downloaded my information from Selden's webpage,
http://www.lns.cornell.edu/~seb/philmont-waypoints.html . Using those
waypoints really helped, one of the things that I learned really early is
that you have to remember how scattered the campsites are and waypoints are
very specific. I was usually within a 1/2 mile and it certainly helped make
sure we were headed in the right direction.
So far I have found that each GPS company has developed their own special
program you can download onto their particular GPS, in my case the Mapsend
TOPO is the best gps program I can download into it. I have found the
topographic information invaluable since it tell me my elevation along with
the barometric pressure elevation.
However I was looking at the National Geographic TOPO! program at REI and it
has a lot more detail, most of the trails are there. I believe you can
download tracks and waypoint from it in the same way I have from the Delorme
GPS program, which I also got from REI on sale last summer.
To do that takes some time, I had to download the information onto the
Magellan Meridian on top of the Mapsend Topo program. I believe Garming
makes you do something similiar if you want to download another company's
information.
To keep it simple you could do what I did last summer, since because of the
fires we didn't have a clue where we were going to end up. So I just took
all the waypoints I could find, which was every manned camp and most of the
non-staffed ones and entered them as I went. I then kept my track of my own
waypoints.

I believe that the youth need to learn how to best use their map and compass
skills and observations so I tried to keep my information as a verification
of where we were in case we went the wrong direction. It was a great "peace
of mind" tool. In 2000 my crew went 2500' down the wrong side of Black
Mountain and a 8 hour day ended up being an 18 hour day. Quite honestly I
really don't want to do that again. It was an incredible experience and the
boys will remember it forever, but since we ended up bushwacking off the
trail the hazards were considerable.

If you have any other questions, please email me directly to
buffalobrian@excite.com.
I would also like to learn more about you geocaching.

Brian Gorman
Philmont Adviser 704-K2,2000 & 726-L1,2002
I used to be a Bear and a Buffalo

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-philmont@troop47.com [mailto:owner-philmont@troop47.com]On
Behalf Of stolze
Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2003 7:11 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
Subject: [Philmont]: GPS e-Trex

I have recently invested in a Garmin e-Trex Vista GPS to fulfill my
passion
for geocaching. I assume several of you own the same or similar units
that
you use on backpacking trips. I plan to take my e-Trex to Philmont this
summer and I am looking for some information.

Can anyone tell me where I can purchase software to download maps of the
trails and campsites at Philmont Scout Reservation?

Or does anyone have the coordinates of the campsites located in Philmont
Scout Reservation that can be manually programmed into my GPS unit.

Thanks in advance for your responses if you have any other information
that
would be interesting or relevant please send a response.

Pete Stolze
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 360
Philmont '01, '03
Marion, Iowa

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As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
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loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
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As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------

 
Received on Wed Mar 12 16:54:45 2003