CalTopo: Backcountry Mapping

CalTopo is mostly awesome as it has myriad features for route and adventure planning as well as team and search organization for SAR work. It has extensive tools for gathering detailed information you may not have known existed in mapping programs such as the time of day that the sun will shine on a particular aspect, the estimated time it will take you to complete the objective you’ve planned, and very recent satellite imagery so you can check whether that high-country trail you’ve been psyched to run is melted out yet. However robustly featured the preeminent CalTopo is, it would benefit from certain upgrades and then truly be a godly mapping tool: a “snap-to-trail” route building feature on iOS, 3D map view in iOS, route preview, and a recreation layer with all of the hikes, trail runs, bike trails, backcountry ski routes, etc. that are popular. Ascendancy is within your reach CalTopo team, make it happen.

CalTopo is so good, it has changed my life. I can be more creative in planning trips than I would ever be otherwise. Thanks a million!

I have to Sign in with Apple every time I want to refer or use app? No thanks. Disappointed.

I started using CalTopo for Search and Rescue. Now it’s my hiking buddy!

This has been a great SAR tool for me and my team. I have also used it for personal hikes and it has been outstanding. It may be a bit overkill for the casual day hiker, but then again the most basic elements can be learned and employed quickly.

All of the GPS/GNSS apps use the same data sources. Open Street Map, and in the US, the US Geological Survey, NAIP for aerial photos, and various satellite platforms. How they allow one to visualize, combine, and notate distinguish the apps Best for me is CalTopo. I’m a field forester who travels mostly off trail in remote locations often alone. I’ve used it to find 4” nails driven into the ground, up to 6 years prior. These mark plot centers that need to be exact in order to remeasure the trees to verify the inventory. We found 98% of the plots we were looking for in a 350,000 acre (142,000 ha.)watershed. The missing 2% had been treated between the inventory and the verification. When working in these remote locations, my device is mostly in airplane mode to save battery life. CalTopo lets me combine and visualize these layers in a manner that promotes efficient off-trail route planning. The tracking feature shows where I’ve been. The import/ export features are effective, the interface could be improved. The notation interface could be also improved. Both work but are a bit fiddly. CalTopo was started to support Search and Rescue with mapping, and has separate servers for them. My paid $50 annual Pro subscription includes the parcel data I need along with other useful layers. The $20 level is needed for downloaded maps. A $100 subscription buys the desktop app. My few contacts with tech support have been perfect, quick and accurate response. GaiaGPS has the prettiest maps, at a price. I’ve never liked the import/export method, but have not tried it for several years. Hopefully it has improved. On X has features useful for hunting. The parcel data doesn’t include Assessor’s Parcel Number, which is crucial in my business. Only address and owner, I already know the owners, they hired me. I travel to places without addresses. Nice annotation features. Never tried the import/export features. Download maps are $30 annually? All Trails is useful for the crowd sourced information. They have not been where I’m going. Avenza is widely used in the industry. Useful to document field photo location if you can get the feature to work. I find it far too cumbersome to use in the field and use it only when forced by contract and usually make a coworker be in charge of the Avenza.

Not an intuitive app!!

I have been using CalTopo for years on the computer to plan my adventures. It is a professional grade platform that focuses on the tools that a person needs to plan outdoor adventures, SAR operations, map building. The phone app allows you to take all of that with you right into the outdoors. Get a subscription to really unlock the features so a person can appreciate what this is. I am currently teaching a friend out to navigate in the back country and read maps. This has been a great learning tool for him.

Very detailed and high tech BUT way too technical , difficult to use and long costumer service wait times ( days ) . I jumped ship to OnX backcountry which is WAY more user friendly and has excellent customer service .

I’ll admit I was getting frustrated at first as there is definitely a steep learning curve. Now that I have a handle on things I cannot wait to plan my summer trips!!!