Hiker's GPS database

[+imajeep]

This post is mainly for Groundspeak, but I'm hoping other hikers will chime in with your thoughts.

 

There is a real need for a web site where hikers can share GPX tracklogs and Google Earth KMZ files for hikes that they have taken. Hikers could upload files for friends and family; but more importantly, complete strangers could download files to plan upcoming hikes and take 'virtual hikes'.

 

For some hikers, figuring out direction on the trail is part of the game. But for others, confusing trails are a hassle. Those of us in the latter category like to plan our hikes by plotting a route and downloading it to our GPS in advance. That's tough to do on existing sites, which generally offer only scanned topo maps with no trail markings. If I could download a GPX tracklog for a hike, I could load it into my mapping software over a topo or aerial photo of the site and plot a route pretty easily.

 

If I could download KMZ files, it would be even better. For those not familar with KMZ files, they are Google Earth files that provide a 'virtual tour' by combining your digital photos with a tracklog from where they were taken. Software like RoboGEO or Google's own GPicSync geotag the photos from the tracklog. The KMZ file associates each photo with the appropriate point on the tracklog, and Google Earth displays the track with clickable icons for each picture.

 

If I'm considering several hikes, I could download a KMZ for each and use the photographs in the KMZ files to choose among the hikes. Or, I could simply take a virtual hike from my desktop at any time. For example, I'd love to be able to do a virtual hike of a section of the Appalachian Trail or Yosemite.

 

This sort of web site would seem to be a natural for Groundspeak. The content is user-generated, and the site is mainly a database front-end. It's a site for which I'd be willing to pay membership, and I suspect a lot of other hikers would, as well, particularly now that GPS has hit the 'explosive growth' stage of its adoption. The file database could easily be combined with a traditional 'trail report' database to provide a first-class 'hiking central' web site.

 

As far as I am aware, there is no online GPX/KMZ repository, so it could be a great opportunity for Groundspeak to expand into another growing area, without going too far afield (so to speak).

 

What do other folks thing?

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Have you checked out MotionBased?

 

http://www.motionbased.com/

[+imajeep]

Have you checked out MotionBased?

 

http://www.motionbased.com/

Yeah, first place I checked. Runner's logs. Seems to be mainly Garmin ForeRunner users. Found a couple of other personal web sites where hikers have posted their GPXs, but nothing organized.

[+Cache Heads]

How 'bout localhikes.com? They offer NG Topo files, which can be converted to .gpx.

[+The Leprechauns]

There are great hiking trail and kayak/canoe categories over at Waymarking.com. The developers there should consider allowing uploads of tracks and routes.

[iryshe]

Our plan is to include tracks and polygons in a future version of Waymarking.com. Right now the site is concentrating on the search and marking experience but we're getting to the point where it makes sense to add this info. However we also want to create additional tools for tracks so you can edit them online on the fly.

 

Polygons are shapes. We already know that a park is hard to mark with a point (along with other odd shaped items) so it makes sense to be able to draw or walk around a location to mark its shape.

 

Thanks for your feature request. We're on the same path

[+Mopar]

This post is mainly for Groundspeak, but I'm hoping other hikers will chime in with your thoughts.

 

There is a real need for a web site where hikers can share GPX tracklogs and Google Earth KMZ files for hikes that they have taken. Hikers could upload files for friends and family; but more importantly, complete strangers could download files to plan upcoming hikes and take 'virtual hikes'.

 

For some hikers, figuring out direction on the trail is part of the game. But for others, confusing trails are a hassle. Those of us in the latter category like to plan our hikes by plotting a route and downloading it to our GPS in advance. That's tough to do on existing sites, which generally offer only scanned topo maps with no trail markings. If I could download a GPX tracklog for a hike, I could load it into my mapping software over a topo or aerial photo of the site and plot a route pretty easily.

 

If I could download KMZ files, it would be even better. For those not familar with KMZ files, they are Google Earth files that provide a 'virtual tour' by combining your digital photos with a tracklog from where they were taken. Software like RoboGEO or Google's own GPicSync geotag the photos from the tracklog. The KMZ file associates each photo with the appropriate point on the tracklog, and Google Earth displays the track with clickable icons for each picture.

 

If I'm considering several hikes, I could download a KMZ for each and use the photographs in the KMZ files to choose among the hikes. Or, I could simply take a virtual hike from my desktop at any time. For example, I'd love to be able to do a virtual hike of a section of the Appalachian Trail or Yosemite.

 

This sort of web site would seem to be a natural for Groundspeak. The content is user-generated, and the site is mainly a database front-end. It's a site for which I'd be willing to pay membership, and I suspect a lot of other hikers would, as well, particularly now that GPS has hit the 'explosive growth' stage of its adoption. The file database could easily be combined with a traditional 'trail report' database to provide a first-class 'hiking central' web site.

 

As far as I am aware, there is no online GPX/KMZ repository, so it could be a great opportunity for Groundspeak to expand into another growing area, without going too far afield (so to speak).

 

What do other folks thing?

check out http://www.trailregistry.com

[+imajeep]

check out http://www.trailregistry.com

Hey, that's cool!