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Offroad Navigation Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Colorado' started by Stig, May 2, 2016.

  1. Jan 17, 2017 at 5:27 PM
    #61
    acidchylde

    acidchylde Well-Known Member

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    KML/Z (Z is just a zipped/compressed version of L) is fairly universal being the native Google format. I'd expect anything would read it right behind .gpx. I didn't even know they were putting those out. I just looked and I see they've changed since the last time I looked up an MVUM. Now all the pdfs are geo, and they're also offering the geotif as well (on the FS site). Some of them are even putting out the shapefiles they use.

    I didn't see any KML/Z, so I did a search and I'm guessing you mean from Stay the Trail? According to what I read, they've basically just done the conversion for you with a GIS program. The original pdfs are vector, and they've used the GIS software to rasterize the ones from the FS and output both tif and kmz. Which makes me wonder if they were doing that before the tifs were available straight from the FS. The KMZ aren't vector then, so they'll take up more space and not be as clean (particularly zoomed in) than if they could just extract the vector data... But that's a whole other rabbit hole I don't want to go down right now.

    I don't do much in the way of mobile mapping (no smartphone or tablet here), I just use my Garmin 60CSx and the map data from them (as well as the map program that came with it if I want to create/import/export tracks and way points). So I can't recommend any specific apps, but if I were to start I'd be checking out some of the ones mentioned in this thread and looking for a quick 'feature' list that says it can import gpx, KML/Z (and some may be able to do L but not Z), or geotiff.
     
    Stig[QUOTED][OP] likes this.
  2. Jan 17, 2017 at 5:41 PM
    #62
    Stig

    Stig [OP] Resident smartass

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    Thanks for all the info... So much to try and learn.
     
  3. Jan 24, 2017 at 9:18 AM
    #63
    CO MTN Steve

    CO MTN Steve Well-Known Member

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    That interesting Ram mount location, did you have to drill ur dash or does it connect some other way (Windshield)?
     
  4. Jan 24, 2017 at 9:47 AM
    #64
    MonkeyProof

    MonkeyProof Power Top

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    windshield mount, the provided suction cup is more than adequate. I originally had it mounted on the dash but it turned out that the dash is thin and caused a lot of vibrations.
     
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  5. Jan 27, 2017 at 11:53 AM
    #65
    Dave23487

    Dave23487 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for all the info here... installed a couple apps to try.
    Also got a pretty sweet Ram mount for my Tab S2. Perfect position for my taste, but it's got a lot of bounce. Going to have to see if I can more solidly secure it.
     
  6. Jan 28, 2017 at 8:24 AM
    #66
    Stig

    Stig [OP] Resident smartass

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    Good link I saw on another thread
     
  7. Feb 2, 2017 at 12:06 PM
    #67
    Stig

    Stig [OP] Resident smartass

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    After watching the Google earth tutorial, I decided to give it a try of planning some trails to explore. I'm heading to Utah tomorrow to find some sunshine.

    Capture.jpg
     
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  8. Feb 5, 2017 at 1:38 PM
    #68
    TACO ROCKO

    TACO ROCKO No Known Boundaries

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  9. Feb 5, 2017 at 2:06 PM
    #69
    mountainmonkey

    mountainmonkey Well-Known Member

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    That was an informative video. Hopefully I can join you guys on a trip sometime this summer.
     
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  10. Feb 6, 2017 at 8:02 AM
    #70
    TACO ROCKO

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    We'd be happy to have ya.
     
  11. Feb 16, 2017 at 3:37 PM
    #71
    josh80

    josh80 Well-Known Member

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    Is there a way to create maps on my PC then transfer them over for My Trails and Gaia? Thanks.
     
  12. Feb 17, 2017 at 4:30 AM
    #72
    TACO ROCKO

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    Yup. That's covered in the video a few posts above.
     
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  13. Feb 17, 2017 at 5:17 AM
    #73
    josh80

    josh80 Well-Known Member

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    :thumbsup:
     
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  14. Mar 5, 2017 at 7:34 PM
    #74
    TACO ROCKO

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  15. Mar 6, 2017 at 8:30 AM
    #75
    alee891

    alee891 Destination: unknown

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    Does this file provide individual shapefiles for trails, or are all trails included in one big file and unnamed/unmarked?

    I'm trying to find a source for downloading all CO trails data in bulk (something like the GPX files provided on Traildamage). Ideally each individual trail would be selectable so that I can simply sort alphabetically and chose the desired trail on my device.
     
  16. Mar 6, 2017 at 9:36 AM
    #76
    acidchylde

    acidchylde Well-Known Member

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    Both and neither. :D First, a shapefile is a very specific format for GIS data. GPS related files store three things in general - waypoints, tracks, and routes.

    The above linked file is a kmz, which is a compressed version of a kml. You can literally unzip a kmz into a kml using whatever program you use for zip files. Some programs can read kmz directly, others have to have it uncompressed first. Those are Google's formats, and they're based on xml - if you open one up you'll find it doesn't look much different than the html behind a web page.

    SO, yes, that is one file, zipped or unzipped, that contains all the trail information in it, but each trail is a separate element in the file and so you can sort through/select them by name. Each trail has some other attributes as well, most of it not useful. The file also contains a bunch of waypoints, like trailheads and obstacle locations, picture spots, etc. It even includes specific symbols/icons for all those points, not just generic dots. It's also got polygons for all the counties in it.

    That said, in addition to the original warning about the lines being potentially out of date, Traildamage is not an all-inclusive site. There are lots of trails in CO they haven't run and therefore don't have maps or info on. There probably isn't a single source/file out there for all trails. Things that accompany books would only have those trails, I've already mentioned what Traildamage is/does, and Trailsoffroad is in the process of building their collection but their stated goal is what you're looking for. It's crowd sourced though, so it's only as things get added, and @Ice Horse would be the one to ask about a single bulk download as opposed to individual files. Most trails are going to be on BLM or USFS land, and from what I've seen in my 'little' mapping project for the OHV sticker thing, they've got a lot of the data you want but it's not anywhere close to a useable format for what you want to do (like the majority of stuff doesn't have names).
     
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  17. Mar 6, 2017 at 10:01 AM
    #77
    alee891

    alee891 Destination: unknown

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    :rolleyes:

    Trails Database.jpg
     
  18. Mar 6, 2017 at 11:57 AM
    #78
    acidchylde

    acidchylde Well-Known Member

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    Well why are you making me open it up and look for you when you can do exactly what I did! :smack:

    I didn't realize you were an Arc user or knowledgeable about GIS and formats, or I wouldn't have made the big 'ole speech. Only one person mentioned it in the OHV sticker thread and it weren't you! :p Most people on here just use the GPS mapping software. Are you an O&G guy? I can't tell from your folder connections. ;)
     
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  19. Mar 6, 2017 at 12:33 PM
    #79
    alee891

    alee891 Destination: unknown

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    I appreciate the run down and info!!!

    I was just curious if anyone else had utilized the file before I went ahead and downloaded it. I'm trying to collect as many files as I can and build my own database of CO trails. I'm tired of having to download individual GPX files for a single trail run. I'm going to dig into the BLM and FS files you mentioned soon and see what I can find, as well as any other files that come to mind. The link provided in the OP was actually a pretty good foundation to start with - has most of the 'major' CO trails! I just started messing with it this morning, but I'd like to push out a file that I can use on my android device at some point.

    And yes, I'm O&G. We do quite a bit of database generation/management for clients throughout the Midwest & Rocky Mountain regions.
     
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  20. Mar 7, 2017 at 6:29 AM
    #80
    TACO ROCKO

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    I don't remember where the link is, but there is a bulk zip file with all of the TrailDamage .GPX files. And you can certainly select trails individually. Different apps obviously utilize different UIs, but for MyTrails, it's as simple as opening the "Tracks" prompt in the menu, and selecting which trails to display at that moment. Moreover, they can be sorted by name, import date, distance, duration, et. al.
     
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