Lesson on How to Read a Topographic Map
Topo Map Skills
A Topographic Map includes profile lines drawn to represent changes in meridian. When you follow a path on a topographic map that crosses these contour lines, yous will be either climbing or descending. A path running parallel to profile lines is relatively flat.
When reading a topographic map, yous need to visualize in your heed's eye a 3-dimensional view of what the symbols and profile lines are representing.
The nigh of import thing to call up is that CLOSE profile lines mean STEEP terrain and OPEN contour lines mean Flat terrain.
Shaded relief added to a topographic map makes it more realistic and helps visualize the real landscape.
For example, see how the mountains and canyons stand out on this map:
What is the height of Mt. Passaconway? _______________
What is the elevation of Mt. Tripyramid? _______________
The closest Index contour line for both peaks is 3,000 feet. You can see another Index line of ii,000 feet. At that place are 4 Intermediate lines between 2000 and 3000 so each intermediate line represents a 200 foot change in meridian.
Counting upwardly from 3,000 feet, at that place is 3200, 3400, 3600, 3800, and the tiptop line is 4000 (actually the adjacent alphabetize line).
So, both peaks are over 4000 anxiety and it looks similar Mt. Tripyramid is possibly most 4200 anxiety loftier.
This instance of a very simple topographic map shows many common features. Keep your eyes open to encounter these features on other maps and yous will showtime to empathise how a topo map works.
Even without elevation numbers, clues that #1 is a hill include streams converging away from the hilltop, contour lines pointing sharply towards the hilltop (indicating draws), contour lines pointing widely away from the hilltop (indicating rounded ridges).
Using contour lines, yous can tell a lot near the terrain, including steepness, ruggedness, and ground cover. On the epitome in a higher place, expect at indicate A . At that place are no contour lines around this location then information technology is relatively apartment here and a good place for a campground by the lake. You can tell from the summit listed at marker 3095 that the campground is at 10155 feet.
You tin also tell the top change betwixt each contour line by looking at the Alphabetize lines. Discover that the Index line nigh betoken B is labeled 11600 anxiety and the one northward of it is labeled 10400 anxiety - that is a departure of 1200 feet. Between these two Index lines are two more Alphabetize lines so each alphabetize line represents a modify in 400 feet of tiptop - 10400, 10800, 11200, and 11600.
Count the lines between two index lines and you lot should see there are 4 lines which cause the 400 feet between the two index lines to be divided into 5 intervals, each one beingness 80 feet in superlative. And so, now we know that on this map every contour line represents 80 feet of elevation change.
If yous follow a single contour line, your meridian remains constant. For example, starting at point Ten and following the Alphabetize line to the NorthEast, around, and down South to point Y , you would stay at about 10,800 feet.
When you lot cross contour lines, you are either hiking up or down. Expect at the ii routes to get to the elevation at signal B - the ruddy road and the bluish route. Each path reaches the top, but the bluish route is three times as long as the red route. That means it covers more than altitude to proceeds the same summit then information technology is a more gradual slope - and probably an easier hike. Going upwardly the red route may require a lot of scrambling and hard work.
Using the map above, pretend y'all are camped at the Grandview Campground but y'all heard at that place is great fishing in Willow Creek at betoken C over the mountain to the SouthEast. How could you lot get there?
Well, a straight line to the SouthEast would be shortest on the map, but would include a climb of over 1500 feet!
Instead, heading East from campsite and circling the northward side of the mountain will effect in a longer altitude covered simply but nigh 325 feet in height! That may exist a much improve hike.
One other thing to accept into consideration. Notice that the basis is colored green upwards to nearly the ten,800 foot index line. The white surface area above that is open up footing while the light-green surface area is forested. This can be proficient or bad. The wood can offer shade and coolness, but on the other paw it may be thick and hard to navigate.
What do yous telephone call a map of the prison house system? A con-tour map!
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Comments:
Sep 21, 2015 - Gautam Yadav
very proficient page ,the topic is actually cleared to me with this page.
Jul 21, 2016 - Dave
First learned Topographic Map reading in the Army but haven't used it in some time. This was a very nice refresher equally my family and I are going to practice some hiking in the Rockies.
Thank you!
January 10, 2017 - Mary
Finally a clear concise explanation that helped me to understand how to read a topographic map! And excellent examples.....
Thanks
Apr 15, 2017 - Randy
how-do-you-do Compassdude, what practise yous recommend for wandering lonely out in the wilderness, a GPS or a campass.
April 16, 2017 - Compass Dude
@Randy - a Map and Compass.
Jun 01, 2017 - David
VERY GOOD PAGE AND VERY HELPFUL!!!!
Sep 29, 2017 - Gregory
May 07, 2019 - andrew
I liked this page besides - I utilise topo maps quite a bit and appreciated the good quality of the explanations here - thanks.
Sep 04, 2019 - Boris
Great explanations and examples, thanks dude!
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Lesson on How to Read a Topographic Map
Source: https://compassdude.com/topographic-maps.php
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