I can't tell you how many times I get asked if I have GPS (GPX, KML, etc.) files for one of the many trips I've posted, or specific coordinates for a cabin or petroglyph site. I totally understand why - I've been lucky enough to see some really cool stuff. And, when I see cool stuff posted by others, I too often wish I could just wave a magic want and know exactly where to go to see it myself! And so, since I understand the feeling, I thought it would be worthwhile to talk about why I don't share…
13 CommentsGuide Section: Route Planning / GPS
Using satelite imagery and online tools to build routes, then taking those routes offline with you on an adventure.
June 12, 2018. Route planning for an offroad adventure can be daunting to say the least. Just finding a geographical area to explore is often time consuming, and that doesn't even take into account the time spent figuring out the cool things to visit in that area and how exactly to get to those things (i.e. the actual route). Oh, and then there's navigating that route when you're out in the wild - often without any type of internet connectivity. Because of this, two of the most common questions I see on the interwebs are: How do you plan your…
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June 15, 2018. For part 1, see How-to: Planning a Trip/Route (with Google Earth, GPX, KML, and more) So, you've done your research and created a route that you're super-jazzed about. If you're anything like me, it's taken you days. Or weeks. Months of work (on-and-off), even. That's awesome - you're in a small class of folks who do detailed route planning. Now it's time to get out there! You know, like this... Seriously though - the hard part is done, now comes the fun part - seeing the beauty that nature has to offer. Here I'll cover how I take…
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February 2, 2019. This is the third post in the Planning a Route series. If you haven't caught the others, it's probably worth reading at least Part 1 - Planning a Trip/Route Part 1 (Google Earth, GPX, KML, and more) - before making your way through this one, since we'll be building on some of the information there. Like anything in life, the more routes I've planned, the more efficient I've gotten. Sometimes it's just learning keyboard shortcuts or faster ways to do the things I was already doing. But sometimes, it's learning a whole new workflow that really saves a bunch…
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If you're not familiar with my route planning series, you should be sure to check it out - it's not hard, and I've found that figuring out where to go is often one of the most daunting aspects of adventuring for folks who want to get out into the world. Today, I'm going to cover an exciting - at least for me - new development in the space: a new version of Backcountry Navigator. First - I'm going to cover a bit of background and soapbox about the new version of BCN. If you're not interested, or already use BCNavXE,…
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