Profile

Anyone know where I can find a profile of the Whites showing elevation?...I have topo's,..just wondering if there was a site or program to create one. Thanks.

Hmmm. Not sure exactly what you're looking for but this might work. Just found it last week myself. It's a smartphone app (iPhone and Android) called Peak Finder that shows an outline of the surrounding peaks from any location (there are East and West US versions). I used the West version last week when I was in Utah and it worked really well. Going to grab the East one before the next trip to the Whites.

http://www.peakfinder.org/

Just got the East version for iPhone, and it works really well. In the first few minutes that I have tested it out, it's very easy to use. It will definitely be good to use when out hiking. I'd highly recommend it. Thanks Mark!

Wow, that looks like something really cool to have. I see it has a GPS, so if I ever do get on a real mountain, could it help me follow the trail to not get lost?

My contract is up in March and I get a new phone, I'm looking at the IPhone.

Kathy, you will love the iPhone. I have the 4S now with Siri, but if you can wait until the summer, the 5 is supposed to be released. It will be a completely new design, with a much faster processor, etc. One thing you will love is the Siri assistant. This entire reply is done completely by my voice. No typing!

Kathy - the Peak Finder app uses the GPS to find your current location which then allows you to virtually 'look at' the profile of the peaks around you. It doesn't have GPS navigation though. There are a bunch of apps for that. I have several on my Android phone but my favorite is the Trimble Outdoors Navigator (http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Produ...oorsNavigator/). It uses MyTopo maps which are the best topo maps for hiking that I've found. They include all of the trails (at least everything from the WMG) and the maps are much clearer than the USGS topos. The app also allows the maps to be cached so that you don't need a data signal which is good for two reasons - a) because you don't want to lose your map if you don't have a signal and b) because you get much better battery life with the phone in airplane mode (cell signal shut off). It also allows you to record the track from your hike and automatically uploads it to your Trimble account so that you can access it from anywhere. There is also an iPad app which is great for planning hikes. Finally, they have a huge database of hikes that other people have submitted and you can download the tracks so that you can review them or use them in your phone for route guides.

Kathy, I apologize for not answering your question about using it for hiking. I got caught up in the new iPhone excitement. What Mark said is what i would have too. :-) I have used an app called AccuTerra On-Demand for a few hikes now, and it works well. On one recent 10 mile loop hike, we came across a stream crossing near the end that was too high to cross, and we weren't thrilled about doubling back. One option was to bushwhack over the mountain through a couple of ravines. I have to say, it worked great guiding us to exactly where we had to go.

Mark, I took a look at the iPhone version of Trible Outdoors, and it looks to be even better than AccuTerra. Have you ever used AccuTerra? Can you offer up a comparison if you have? Thanks!!!

Kathy,

If you are Apple product centric then the iPhone is probably a good choice. If you are Google centric then a Droid phone would be better. I went with a Droid and love the way it integrates with the other Google applications I use. I don't use Apple applications at all.

Thank you all of your are so generous with your advise all the time. I hate to show my true colors but I am quite naive when it comes to the electronic toys. I just got my first Ipod and GPS for Christmas, I never thought I needed or would want them, but I am totally in love with the Ipod and I know the GPS will come in handy because it's like a cartoon world on the screen and it talks to me, lol....

Don't laugh, but the phone that I have now is a Samsung Strive and very simple. http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cel...SGH-A687ZPAATT

I don't use it for much other then phone calls, an occasional text and sending pictures, I just learned how to post on FB from it not long ago and I don't use it for the Internet at all, maybe the weather. So anything that I get will open a whole new world to me.

Good luck with whatever you decide to get Kathy. There are phones out there to match everyone's needs and wants. :)