Mary D.

  • US Topo – a New Generation of Maps

    Ever wonder what those squiggly brown lines are on a hiking map? Contour lines depict the shape and elevation of the terrain, including the steepness of the trail and height of the mountain. They are a dominant symbol on topographic, or topo, maps. Hikers are familiar with the standard “quad” topo map from the US… Continue reading

  • Wonderful Old Guidebooks

    Who would take along a 1930s guidebook on a cross-country road trip across the United States? John Steinbeck, for one! Steinbeck makes reference to a set of depression-era guidebooks in his well-known travelogue Travels with Charley: In Search of America, which is about his 1960 road trip around the U.S. with his French standard poodle… Continue reading