Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

Where is the best place to get topos for the coast range of BC? Is there some equiv. of the USGS? Sorry for the lame question, but I've never climbed up there and have no clue.

  • Replies 12
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted

If you want actual paper copies of maps for the Coast MOUNTAINS wink.gif , the best place is the GSC on Robson Street in Vancouver, tel 604-666-0271 (they can probably send you stuff). MEC and other outlets have SOME, but usually only the popular areas.

 

However, everything is online now:

http://maps.gov.bc.ca/imf/imf.jsp?site=bc_basemap

Click on "layers" to get elevation and play around with scale to get the right one (usually 1:20'000 or 1:30'000 give you the best relief)

Posted

There are two major mapping systems for BC. The TRIM series covers the province at a scale of 1:20,000, and the NTS series covers all of Canada at 1:50,000.

 

The TRIM maps are available to order as hardcopy, B&W, should be about $5 a sheet. The NTS maps are available in coulour for the most part, and some of the more popular areas are printed on Tyvek as well as paper for $12-20/sheet.

 

To determine which TRIM sheets you might need, go to this web page . Information on ordering them is here.

 

For NTS sheets, there is a site called Toporama where you can browse the sheets and look at them in poor detail, but it will help you figure out which sheets you need. It does seem to be down today though. Map Town has an online index that does not give sheet detail, but if you know the area you need, it should work.

 

To purchase NTS sheets, you can order them from many stores, like the one I work at, or pick them up from an online shop.

 

Fell free to PM me with any other questions.

Posted

josh, you don't say where you live, but i assume the USA from the "up there" comment.

 

if you're passing thru vancouver, MEC stocks most of the 1:50,000 sheets for southwest BC, but not more remote areas, and they don't have their maps available for website sales. i've had good service from Int'l Travel Books and Maps; www.itmb.com; 604-879-3621; 4 blocks west of MEC along Broadway. they do phone and web sales too. Kevin McLane (publisher of Waddington, Squamish, Bugaboos, etc guides)swears by Nanaimo Maps; 1-800-665-2513.

 

the Canada Map Office website gives more info than you'll ever need about where to get maps, and includes a search tool to home in on which map you need:

http://maps.nrcan.gc.ca/cmo/

 

cheers,

Posted

Don Serl wrote

you're passing thru vancouver, MEC stocks most of the 1:50,000 sheets for southwest BC, but not more remote areas, and they don't have their maps available for website sales. i've had good service from Int'l Travel Books and Maps; www.itmb.com;

 

This place is the best spot and is open on sundays and is about 6 blocks from MEC and you can order online.

 

 

Posted

Thanks for all the replies. Maybe I'm stupid (most likely) but using the BC online map system I cannot figure out how to turn on topolines, etc. I zoom in to an appropriate scale and toggle the various layers but the map never changes, despite hitting refresh. Has anybody had luck with this site?

Posted (edited)

I've been using it for a couple of weeks so I guess I am an

expert, eh? grin.gif

 

First you have to zoom in a couple of steps until the red star

dissappears from next to the "elevation" check box. Then

check the box and refresh. At large scales the result will be odd

- just a whole bunch of little tiny brownish "+" characters all

over the map.

 

It takes another couple of zooms to get actual topological lines

to appear and from then on they are there.

 

Edited by Ed_Seedhouse
Posted

get yer area you want to see by zooming in drag and click boxes

 

at any scale under 1:80 000 if you choose view layers, turn on elevation and refresh you will see the contours at 20m interval. above that you see 200m interval.

 

most of the peak names etc are best viewed at a scale of 1:15000

 

at a scale of 1:5000 or larger - they will vanish confused.gif

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...