Scouting, Volume 69, Number 2, March-April 1981 Page: 8
58, E1-E24, [34] p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Understanding
Topographic Maps
MOST OF US wouldn't think of set-
ting out on a cross-country trip into
unfamiliar territory without a road
map. But countless travelers each
year venture into remote, roadless
areas, where the terrain is unknown
and often treacherpus, without the
invaluable help of a topographic map.
Cities, towns, exit ramps, and
points of interest along the highways
are usually clearly marked, so the
chances are you could reach your
destination even without a road map.
But in the wilderness, there are no
such convenient markings to distin-
guish hills, valleys, forests, streams,
or stretches of coastline. This is
where a topographic map can be a
real lifesaver—or where the lack of
one can spell disaster for the un-
prepared backpacker, or camper.
Many vacationers don't bother
with topographic maps for two main
reasons: (1) they don't realize how
simple it is to obtain a detailed topo-
graphic map of virtually any area of
the country, and (2) they believe that
topographic maps are too difficult to
read.
Neither idea is actually very valid,
however. In the first place, the U.S.
Geological Survey has untold thou-
sands of topographic maps available,
covering just about anyplace you may
want to go. In the second place,
topographic maps are really no
harder to read and understand than
road maps, providing you take a little
time to learn the symbols used on the
maps.
The U.S. Geological Survey was
established by Congress in 1879, and
began working three years later
under a general plan to produce a
series of topographic maps in three
scales. Over the years, the plan has
been expanded and modified to meet
the complex and sophisticated needs
of a growing nation.
Geologists, highway engineers,
municipal planners, and industrial
developers all make extensive use of
topographic maps. But the maps are
available to anyone, and more and
more people engaged in outdoor ac-
tivities are using them to discover
greater understanding and apprecia-
tion of the outdoors.
The maps are classified generally
by publication scale, and each scale
series fulfills a range of map needs.
Large-scale maps are usually on a
scale of 1:24,000, which means that
one inch represents 2,000 feet. These
provide the kind of detailed informa-
tion you may need for an outdoor
excursion. Maps of this scale cost
$1.25 apiece.
Intermediate-scale maps (from
1:50,000 to 1:100,000), on which one
inch represents about one mile, cover
larger areas and are especially suited
to land management and planning.
Small-scale maps (1:250,000 to
1:1,000,000), on which one inch
represents from four to 16 miles,
cover extremely large areas on a sin-
gle sheet and are useful for large
projects or regional planning.
The procedures by which these
maps are created is fascinating in
itself. A century ago, most topo-
graphic maps were painstakingly
sketched out by hand in the field, but
today most are compiled by photo-
grammetric methods using aerial
photographs and complex stereo-
(o
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 69, Number 2, March-April 1981, periodical, March 1981; Irving, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth353561/m1/78/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.