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TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 14 2008 8:57 pm
by te_wa
I just logged into Topozone, where I would take advantage of browsing all the maps I needed to plan trips, maps that were easily printed at home for free... until tonight, it seems that Topozone has been assimilated by Trails, the pay-for-membership info site. No more free maps? Is there another way to get maps free without buying NG topo or cd-roms and the like?
I feel like an old friend just died. Somebody burn me a disc, quick! :(

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 14 2008 9:30 pm
by joebartels
According to Chumley TOPO! has something coming but I guess you need to own the product or pay.

I know it may seem far fetched but topo maps are free on HAZ. Granted the topo layer is slow. You can't print with IE, but you can with Firefox. Safari prints layers too but the topo layer doesn't poll on my version. IE 8.0 may work, I haven't tried.

Personally I think $100 for TOPO! is among the best investments I've made in my life. I use it daily.

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 14 2008 9:48 pm
by Grasshopper
joe bartels wrote:I know it may seem far fetched but topo maps are free on HAZ. Granted the topo layer is slow.
This is what I use. For the more remote and risky hikes, if available on the hike description, I load the GPS Routes on both "terrain & topo' format and then print copies of each and make notes on them from our HAZ Hike Descriptions... yes it is slow, but IT ROCKS FREE!! :)

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 14 2008 10:15 pm
by joebartels
The liberated maps Kurt mentioned can be edited in photo programs.
available by googling "libremap arizona"

In response to Grasshopper: Wow and you use IE 6.0, I can't do it on my versions of 6 or 7. Must have something to do with your Dell version of IE. Good to hear!

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 14 2008 10:28 pm
by Grasshopper
joe bartels wrote:In response to Grasshopper: Wow and you use IE 6.0, I can't do it on my versions of 6 or 7. Must have something to do with your Dell version of IE. Good to hear!
Actually, I didn't tell the whole story: IE6 does not print for me either, I have a software program called TechSmith-"SnagIt" that allows me to select the screen, then print it..

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 14 2008 10:58 pm
by joebartels
Ahh a screen capture program. Also in IE you can press the "PrtScr" button on your keyboard then paste (Ctrl-V) into a photo program.

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 14 2008 11:20 pm
by chumley
That's bad news ... I used to use TopoZone quite a bit because I had the extra-double-old version of Topo! which only covered certain parts of the state and I occasionally needed to fill in the blanks.

The Libremaps are a great resource for here in AZ as an option, but you do have to download them and then view them in a separate application ... it's not a web-based map that lets you zoom in and out like TopoZone did.

As for the new version of Topo! (Topo! Explorer), it seems like it will have a free web-based interface that anybody can use. However, you will have to purchase an application to install on your computer that will interface with the online data if you wish to print maps or enter routes and waypoints. (Though I hope the old standby screen-grab option still works) I'm looking forward to the release to see how it all works. I just visited their website, and there's a new landing page for Topo!Explorer beta. None of the links are active though. You can sign up for beta testing however if you want.

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 14 2008 11:27 pm
by joebartels
I got suckered into that Phoenix/Flagstaff ?? edition too. What a waste. As was the National Parks edition. Definitely ante up for the State version!

Found the old static map works fine on Safari and somewhat faster than the dynamic maps topographic pull.
http://hikearizona.com/location.php
The "red dot" level is actual 7.5 minute.

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 15 2008 6:25 am
by PaleoRob
I noticed that this weekend. I liked the versatility and the search feature, primarily. I have been using the HAZ topos as well, but without the search function for map features, I can't use it for as much as I used topozone. Guess it is time to ante up for the TOPO! software...

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 15 2008 8:04 am
by Jeffshadows
They're not terribly versatile, but you can find all of the Arizona 7.4min topo DRG files out on the net, usually in .TIF format...

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 15 2008 10:52 am
by joebartels
Jeff MacE wrote:They're not terribly versatile, but you can find all of the Arizona 7.4min topo DRG files out on the net, usually in .TIF format...
that's what these are
joe bartels wrote:The liberated maps Kurt mentioned can be edited in photo programs.
available by googling "libremap arizona"

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 15 2008 12:10 pm
by Jeffshadows
Oh, I missed your reply; sorry to be redundant...

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 15 2008 3:00 pm
by PrestonSands
The TOPO!-Arizona set is worth every cent. I highly recommend it.

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 15 2008 3:41 pm
by wrangler0
you can still order the maps directly from the USGS just go to there web site.

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 15 2008 3:59 pm
by Jeffshadows
There is a rather time-consuming way to create custom maps from USGS data repositories for upload to a GPS that I've used on Linux for a while now (Would work on Windows, too) but that might be a topic to post on its own, elsewhere...

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 15 2008 8:03 pm
by wrangler0
how do you get the maps from the lib-map site? when i click on the TIFF download it just loads quiketime and the map is like a thumbnail. thanks for any help

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 15 2008 8:12 pm
by joebartels
Unfortunately Quicktime is required for iTunes and other programs. When it installs it takes over your computer changing preferences without your consent. The big unfortunate is that it pretends to let you change the preferences but they don't save on many setups.

Instead of clicking the link
Right click and select "Save Target as..."
then open it in Photoshop or whatever photo program you use
which (on Windows) is generally "File -> Open..."

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 15 2008 8:21 pm
by wrangler0
joe bartels wrote:Unfortunately Quicktime is required for iTunes and other programs. When it installs it takes over your computer changing preferences without your consent. The big unfortunate is that it pretends to let you change the preferences but they don't save on many setups.

Instead of clicking the link
Right click and select "Save Target as..."
then open it in Photoshop or whatever photo program you use
which (on Windows) is generally "File -> Open..."


Thank You

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 16 2008 8:11 am
by Jeffshadows
joe bartels wrote:Unfortunately Quicktime is required for iTunes and other programs. When it installs it takes over your computer changing preferences without your consent. The big unfortunate is that it pretends to let you change the preferences but they don't save on many setups.

Instead of clicking the link
Right click and select "Save Target as..."
then open it in Photoshop or whatever photo program you use
which (on Windows) is generally "File -> Open..."
Speaking of that - wasn't there some kind of "freebie" DRG map explorer program that the USGS put out a while back?

Re: TopoZone bit the dust

Posted: Apr 17 2008 4:26 pm
by wrangler0
Are those maps from the lib-map project stuff the most recent cause i downloaded the iron mountin quad and it says the date produced 1942 if i order a paper one will it be more recent?