Google Maps
As my all time love is LandScape, I tend to spend a great deal of time scouting and searching for new locations, how to get there, vantage points, etc.
An indispensable tool that I’ve come to rely heavily on is Google Maps, not just to search for locations, but alternate routes, key way points, images uploaded by other users, recommendations for places to visits, distance, etc.
I even plan long trips on it, marking each way point and point of interest, for day by day visits; and alternating between between layers to see things differently … making sure to download the maps for offline use too, accessing it via my iPhone & iPad mini when on the trip.
But that’s not all! Even during a given trip, I tend to access Google Maps frequently and mark down points of interests for possible future return trips. It acts like a live visual database for future referencing.
After a trip is over, when I am back at “base camp”, I make sure to revisit the map and route(s) I took all over again to see where I’ve been, where I’ve deviated, what markers I’ve added and when / how I should be heading back.
Of course, I do use normal GPS devices while out too. A portable Garmin is with me all the time, but this is purely for backup and for quickly storing locations. The Garmin I carry is the Hikers’ type'; but this post isn’t about the device, it’s about the site … Google Maps has made things so much more fun.
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