The Connected Forest
The Connected Forest
My Topo
– MyTopo started in Red Lodge Montana in 1999 to solve one
problem. “Where I am going requires four USGS quad maps, can
you make me a map that has my area on one map.”
– Today, we have topos, aerials, satellite maps, hybrid topophotos.
You can add private land boundaries, public land boundaries, US
Forest Service Roads and Trials, GMU boundaries. We print on five
different paper sizes, rolled or folded, waterproof or laminated, etc.
STILL, same as 1999, WE PRINT AND SHIP WITHIN 24 HOURS! So, our maps
arrive to your doorsteps within a few days!
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MYTOPO FORAY INTO DIGITAL/SOFTWARE
MYTOPO MAP PASS
In the early 2000s, we acquired a company that had created a
subscription-based service that allowed you to access maps
stored on a server, and have tools to measure distances,
add waypoints and text notes, etc. Essentially a competitor
to the old National Geographic Topo!
Map Pass (first named Mapcard) was the Backpacker Magazine
Best New Product of 2004!
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MAP PASS
FREE 24 HOUR ACCESS
HTTP://MAP-PASS.MYTOPO.COM/TESTDRIVE
Benefits:
Access to all 50 States
Topos, Aerials, Hybrids
Section, Township, Range
Streets
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Import/Export .GPX
Print True to Scale 8 x 11 or 11
x 24 mini MyTopo maps
Create .jpgs
MYTOPO ACQUIRED MAPTECH TERRAIN
NAVIGATOR IN 2007
▪ Terrain Navigator was the high end topo software. It was always more
geared towards professional use. We considered it the best mapping
software available at the time and still do.
Benefits then:
All USGS seamless and with original collars
Robust measuring tools and annotation tools
Great output functionality
No Internet Connection Needed
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IN 2011, MYTOPO ACQUIRED BY TRIMBLE
▪ Trimble had spent a lot of effort developing the first
generation of smart phone apps. At one time, our apps
were on over a million devices. We had apps for
backpackers (co-branded with Backpacker), for hunters
(with Cabelas), for runners, etc.
▪ Last year, we completely got out of the consumer
recreation app business. There are great options out there
now that are free or next to it….ViewRanger, Gaia,
Backcountry, OnXmaps, are a few we recommend.
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TERRAIN NAVIGATOR PRO IN 2017
Today, subscription-based ($240 a year, $360 for private land data)
Includes desktop, web and smartphone (includes compass, elevation and lat/long)
Dynamic…multiple people can share access to a project. See one another’s location
and data in the field, etc.
All data syncs automagically whenever in Wi-Fi or Cell range
Maps/projects can be cached for offline access
Import/Export of shape files, .pdf and more
Complete Field-to-Office solution
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CHALLENGES/BENEFITS
Prevalence of maps/apps. The more prevalent, the more MyTopo map sales go
up. There is a growing interest in maps. People are decorating their homes with
maps, there’s even a micro-brewery in Bozeman, MT completely decorated with
maps!
Challenge for us: basic skills missing. People don’t understand or appreciate map
scale. They don’t know how to read topo maps. And, they definitely don’t
understand how to navigate. All of this results in overreliance on the blue dot.
They assume if the GPS knows where they are, they are not lost!
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CONT.
Today there is no excuse to get lost. We say to our customers, carry your paper
map, use your GPS device, and know how to relate the blue dot to your paper at all
times.
We explain that if you have a smart phone, you have a GPS device. It’s the same
technology in both…a chip that reads location from a satellite. But, Siri doesn’t tell
you how to navigate in the backcountry! And, the blue dot has to have a map
underneath it! Subscription service required to cache maps.
GPSs/Smart Phones have limitations…like any battery-operated device. Smart
phones are reliable between 32 and 95 degrees.
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Cont.
Our search and rescue friends tell us that the more technology is available, the
more rescues they do!
Expectations too high: people think they can get maps of changes to landscape that
happened yesterday. Road closures in real-time, etc.
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In summary…
We encourage everyone to learn to use the UTM grid. We have a free powerpoint
presentation we give to outdoor writers, boyscout leaders, etc. We encourage you
all to use it if you can. Here’s a link: http://www.mytopo.com/poma2016
We have a free browsing service that allows you to get coordinates and print quick
maps on your own computer. Here’s a link: www.mytopo.com/maps Anyone can
link to this free resource and encourage your site visitors to preplan. Give
coordinates of where you plan to park, camp, etc. to friends and loved ones, and
leave them with the ranger or local law enforcement.
We appreciate the work all of you do, and we thank you for the opportunity to tell
you about the tools and services we provide, and to participate in this discussion.
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We appreciate all of you and the work you
do, and we thank you for the opportunity to
tell you about the tools and services we
provide, and to participate in this discussion.
Paige Darden,
MyTopo, A Trimble Company
1 South Broadway
Billings, MT 59102
877-587-9004
[email protected]
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