Mapping & Trail-Finding
Caltopo is a free online database of all the USGS quads. It is searchable like Google Maps, and you can save or print out topo maps of any area you want, with multiple pages if needed. Magnetic declination and a scale are printed out once the PDF is created. It's slightly harder to use, but it does allow for path creation as well as elevation profiles. (I prefer Google Earth for paths and elevation profiles.) You can export a given area of map as a .kml file, very handy for importing into Google Earth. They are automatically geo-located, so you don't have to fuss about with matching up roads and bodies of water to get the proper location. This is helpful for getting trails onto Google which are not in its database, but are on the USGS quads.
This is a google-powered, well...a trail-finder for hikers in Maine. Unlike 4000footers.com, you can view contour lines in the terrain mode of google maps. Each trail on this site provides a detailed description, mileage (or total mileage if it's a trail network), approximate difficulty, and other relevant information. This is far from an complete list of possible hikes in Maine, but it does have a good handful of popular ones, and in addition some lesser-known hikes for those looking to get away from the crowds.
This is a great website started by Wendy Theberge to organize all the NE67 4000-footers for peakbaggers. Wendy unfortunately passed away this year, which is sad since she loved the mountains so much and would have had many more years left to spend in the hills. The website is still here for us to use as a resource. Pictures, maps, and details on trails and road access are all included on all the pages. This includes information on trails in ME, NH, VT, and some info on the Adirondacks, since they are part of some of the lists that people hike. The only part of this site that I don't like so much is the style of maps for each of the mountains. They have no contour lines, which can make it difficult to judge what kind of ascent you may be in for.
Perhaps my favorite program of all time, Google Earth is how I create all my tracks and elevation profiles, since I don't own a GPS unit that I can take with me while hiking. I will overlay maps of the area in question to provide me with trail locations. From there I adjust opacity and trace along my path on the overlaid map. Then I can choose to view the elevation profile, which gives me mileage, ascent and descent information, min/max/avg of elevation and slopes.
Weather & Trail Conditions
General
(My Climber Page)
Peakbagger is a simple website that allows you to have a detailed log of all your hikes. The site's focus is on peaks, so canyons and other hikes that feature a lake or a waterfall are a little more tricky to input, but doable. There are many options for viewing stats on your hiking history, and comparing with other peakbagger climbers as well. The site allows for trip reports to be entered, though I typically will link to posts on this blog because I can add pictures here. Trail conditions and equipment used gets inputed to peakbagger. My favorite feature is the master ascent map that is produced as hiked are added to a climber's database. You can color code peaks by elevation or by prominence (which is way more relevant if you ask me). I admit it is circular to link to there from this blog and to link here on peakbagger. They work well in conjunction.
Peakbagger is a simple website that allows you to have a detailed log of all your hikes. The site's focus is on peaks, so canyons and other hikes that feature a lake or a waterfall are a little more tricky to input, but doable. There are many options for viewing stats on your hiking history, and comparing with other peakbagger climbers as well. The site allows for trip reports to be entered, though I typically will link to posts on this blog because I can add pictures here. Trail conditions and equipment used gets inputed to peakbagger. My favorite feature is the master ascent map that is produced as hiked are added to a climber's database. You can color code peaks by elevation or by prominence (which is way more relevant if you ask me). I admit it is circular to link to there from this blog and to link here on peakbagger. They work well in conjunction.
A good resource of information for any aspiring or current climber. Just note that their audience is perhaps different from other hiking websites. Mountains like Everest, K2, and Denali are included in this site, so the difficulty scale is a bit skewed from the average eastern hiker. They consider mountains like Mt. Washington a "walk up", with a medium difficulty, where it might be closer to the strenuous level in our minds. Just be aware of that if you reference summitpost.
Information on routes, access, camping restrictions, recommended gear, as well as trip reports, pictures, and specific pages for routes on some mountains are all part of the site. I believe the pages are monitored and controlled by seasoned climbers, and hence fairly reliable. I normally peruse the summitpost page for a new mountain I'm interested in doing, just to see if anything unusual stands out that I should be aware of.
Information on routes, access, camping restrictions, recommended gear, as well as trip reports, pictures, and specific pages for routes on some mountains are all part of the site. I believe the pages are monitored and controlled by seasoned climbers, and hence fairly reliable. I normally peruse the summitpost page for a new mountain I'm interested in doing, just to see if anything unusual stands out that I should be aware of.
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