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09/21/2018 10:24PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
We went into Crab a couple weeks ago and used 2 new maps, a McKenzie and a Fisher. Two different scales so slightly different looking maps, which was ok. We usually don't measure distances for these trips, just look for bays, etc. with the topo.

When we got home and I was putting things away, my husband got to wondering where the old map was that we used 32 years ago to go into Crab. Well, I couldn't find it, put it out of my head. A few days later I was sorting through a box of old pictures, etc. and surprise! There was the old map.

So I laid the old McKenzie (1985) and the newest McKenzie next to each other to see how much the EP4 portage changed. Happened to check the scales. They were both 1:31680. The maps should have looked the same, but you could see the actual maps were different. The new one was 2 inch = 1 mile (1: 31680). The old one was 1.5 inch = 1 mile. Which is 1:42240. So the 1985 Makenzie version has the wrong scale printed on it. It never affected our trip, but I wonder how that got past the accuracy checkers and if other 1985 maps had the same error or if it was just map #16.

 
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The Great Outdoors
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09/23/2018 02:24PM  
Does it matter??? :)
32 years ago the portage into Crab lake was 1 mile long (320 Rods).
When they moved the portage about 1/4 mile south into another bay, it became about 1 1/8 mile long.
09/24/2018 09:08AM  
I was just making the observation that the scale printed on the older map was wrong. I would guess few even own it now. Thought it interesting the map editors back then didn't catch it before printing.
PuffinGin
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09/26/2018 04:47AM  
4keys: "I was just making the observation that the scale printed on the older map was wrong. I would guess few even own it now. Thought it interesting the map editors back then didn't catch it before printing.
"


I think your discovery is interesting and a good catch, 4keys. I would think these kind of errors are rare but it's interestubg to think the difference between actual and perceived travel distance mat not always be in our mind or result of our own or portage condition but a map error. :)
09/26/2018 07:39AM  
I guess that's why a lot of maps state that this map is not meant for navigation use.
Savage Voyageur
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09/26/2018 10:04AM  
And it’s little errors like this is why I use USGS Topo maps for my trips. All other maps were drawn from these maps. They are the gold standard in accuracy. It probably won’t be too big of a deal most times with other maps. But my thoughts are if someone copied the information to make a map there will be mistakes.
 
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