Gaia help

[Gorilla57]

Well, just bought the 5yr plan though Gaia since TrailsOffroad integrates with it so nicely....but I have a problem. I can't figure out which layer to use to make my own routes. There are a few trails off of Table Mesa and Box Canyon areas that I can't find on any map layer. Nothing is named and I was hoping one of the many layers/maps would have something that would guide me along better. TrailsOffroad doesn't have all of the trails I'm interested in either..

Thanks

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[JimLee]

Try the US topo map layers. I have found a few trails that weren't on any map, some trails get made that have never been mapped. In those cases I found the trail by zooming in on the satellite maps then making a route manually. I've also found using only one layer helps a lot when trying to find trails, then after I find what I want i mess with adding layers.

 

[Yellow Cake Kid]

I use GAIA frequently. The way I use it the tracks I have made display over any map layer I select.

I am usually "out of service" so I have downloaded a big chunk of GAIA Topo and numerous small chunks of satellite photos. GAIA's agreement with their satellite photo provider stipulates that they can only let end users download 9,999 tiles at a time, which is a very small area of hi res satellite info, so it is impractical to collect as much as you need when you are out of service. I usually try to anticipate where I will want to have the satellite info and download enough small sections to help with that outing.

It seems ironic that you can stream and temporarily cache huge amounts of satellite info over and over and over again but the satellite provider arbitrarily demands that downloading and saving the very same data is a tedious and bothersome chore. I am hoping that more GAIA customers ask GAIA to negotiate a better arrangement on our behalf.

The GAIA topo map is reasonably detailed, and very easy to read. It downloaded fast and it scrolls and zooms smoothly.

I like some of the other maps and use them as underlays to my track paths as it suits me. For example; the Native Nations land ownership map is helpful when poking around in the four corners area.

I wonder if I am misunderstanding what you mean by "make my own routes". The ones I have made have begun in a variety of ways. Some are routes I found in blog posts, downloaded as gpx files etc., and uploaded to GAIA. Some started as tracks I recorded directly in GAIA while I was driving. Some are paths I have made in Google Earth by "tracing" their hi res photography while searching for tracks that go to places I would like to visit.

In all those cases after I have uploaded the info to GAIA I can use any of their layers underneath the tracks.

I hope that helps in some small way.

 

[Gorilla57]

Thanks guys. Seems like Gaia is only gonna be as good as the amount of effort I put into it. Thought it was gonna be a little easier than this. Will be a good learning experience.

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