The map question in one of the other threads got me thinking of how I carry my maps. I usually carry two set of maps when I trip, one voyageur and either fisher or mackensie but I carry them in the same map pouch. So If I ever lost my main map over board or on a portage or a bear eats it in camp, I would lose my spare set at the same time. I might have to carry the extra set in the pack from now on but then they are not accessible when I want to look at them. Sometimes I just need the larger scale of the meckensie maps. Just wondering what all of you do.

tony

I bring two maps and a GPS. The maps are split between my main pack and my thwart attached map case. The GPS rides in the pouch under the seat or the thwart bag. I also carry a spare compass in my pack...

You just pointed out another reason I print maps at home. I will make a 2 sided single page map of the entire trip area, to keep on my PFD.
A full set of maps on my GPS.
Primary navigation is done with a set of maps on several pages. My current trip is up to Conmee and consists of 2 map sets, Canadian Topo on one side with the same area, but from "Red Pine Paddle Nav" on the flip side.

butthead

I bring McKenzie maps of my planned route and a Chrismar map. One is always on my person and the other in camp or in the canoe.

quote PineKnot: "I bring McKenzie maps of my planned route and a Chrismar map. One is always on my person and the other in camp or in the canoe."

McK's and Chrismar here too. i have used Fishers instead of McK's on some trips. it took 10 Fishers to cover hunter island, McK's would have taken about 14.

just the area's i will be in, usually 2 covers it. fisher maps here.

Have to say that I need to better protect my maps as I usually only bring one set. I've had a map case that you can attach to the canoe on my wish list for a while. Sometimes in the past I have printed maps from TOPO and laminated them.

Always have two sets of maps. One in my main pack. One in my map case. Two compasses as well. Again the spare is in my main pack. Only one gps, on a lanyard that's is either lashed to a thwart or around my neck when I'm not in camp.

Ive been a McKinzie user but last time I bought Voyageurs. I like the weight of these and also the color/contrast ad detail. I think they are easier to read.

Nice to see what everyone does.
I just go down to Office Max and Color Copy the area I am going to.
Then this goes in my Map Case in front of me, and the Original goes in my pack. I also have GPS and Compass, and on WCPP trips I also take topo's and do the copy thing with them also.
SunCatcher

What is a chrismar? Is this a Canadian only map or a computer type program? Thanks

tony

Two maps, one a Voyager (great colors and clarity on them) and the other a Fisher. Stored in separate areas.

In the past I took just the Chrismar map, though I've started to add Fisher maps as the Chrismar's scale can be challenging with older eyes.

quote Tony: " What is a chrismar? Is this a Canadian only map or a computer type program? Thanks


tony"

Chrismar maps

Yes they are a Canadian map company. I use their Quetico maps all the time.

They don't have BWCA maps.

like just about everyone,two.one traveling map of just the area i'm going to be in and a larger,all park,map in case i have to get off the grid and head off someplace else.i'm thinking a fire or bad weather forces me to another route.no GPS,one compass.on buddy trips the bow person has the same map and i mark that one,and mine,with numbers in the order were should be traveling.the numbers mark portages,camps,points,bays and other landmarks.that way if i say we are near #6 or just passed #32 my bow can look at their map and know what i'm talking about.before i did that there was some hassle about what we were talking about with maps held up and pointing,hard to do in the wind,or saying something like "it's just right of the U on Quetico Lake"
i use a small WP felt pen in red.

One set in map case, one set in pack and a loaded GPS that I use mainly for data collection, I will break it out when I get turned around but I mainly use the GPS when journaling at the end of the day.

i have a double set of maps (usually) for all the areas i think i may traverse. also at least two compasses. it's a good thing. last week, on a five day solo ski trip i lost a map right away due to a careless error. fortunately i found it the next day with little difficulty or time lost. my backup map was a fairly useless, 1970s' vintage map. (one of those yellow ones..?). had i not found my modern, accurate map, i would have used my old one. my backup map had for a time been the map of choice for the BWCA.

In 2010 I did a solo out of little Indian Sioux and miraculusly my intended route was on one map. I went Shell to Oyster up to Gebe and intended to do the Finger, Thumb to Eugene back to Loon and out LIS. I got blisters so bad on my feet I decided to go right on Pocket Creek over to Lac La Croix and paddle that up and around giving my feet a break. Luckily I met a guy on the first portage with a spare map. Paddling blind through the mazes of islands could have been tough. So now I bring extra maps in case I have to ulter my course again. I find I can keep the second set and extras in a map case and in the sleeve that Kondos has for the foam pad they pad your back with.

maps are one of those "no weight" items..bring a bunch.

I have a SeaLine waterproof map case atached to the back of my PFD now. I keep in there one large contractor bag, extra map, and paper and pen. Between that and a ditch kit, I should be good. It weighs almost nothing, and could payoff huge someday.

I always bring 2, Fisher or McKenzie depending on the area. I keep one in my map zip-lock pinned to my main pack, and one in the food pack. I don't keep one on me, but I usually have the trip memorized enough to know the path of egress in case of a catastrophe. I also carry a GPS or Iphone with the maps pre-loaded. Last year I lead a group of 4 on a 4 day trip. Two canoes, 4 guys, on a fishing expedition. Did anyone else in the group bring a map or a compass? One guy had a compass, none had maps. Only one guy was a newbie. It really makes me wonder how prepared people are (apart from this site) in the BWCA.

Guess I don't see the need for a backup. In thirty years of tripping I've yet to lose a map, and I can't really imagine exactly how you would misplace it (short of a gust a wind blowing it into the fire) and get far enough away from the place of misplacement that you would not consider returning.