1. Choosing the Right Map
Due to market and industry factors, there may be a variety of maps available for the same region. It’s been reported that there are dozens of different versions of maps just for the Beijing area. But regardless of their format, all maps generally fall into two main types: the first is the travel transportation map (or transportation travel map—the meaning is the same). This refers to comprehensive travel maps consisting of urban layout diagrams, tourist attraction distribution maps, citywide transportation maps, along with photos and text descriptions. These maps are rich in detailed and comprehensive information, affordable, widely distributed, and easy to carry, meeting the needs of most travelers. As such, they are the top choice for most tourists. Even if you can’t buy one at your departure point, you can easily purchase one upon arrival and quickly grasp the relevant information. The second type is the city travel atlas. Presented in atlas or booklet form, these provide a comprehensive overview of the spatial distribution of various city attractions and offer more detailed travel-related information such as transportation, food, accommodation, sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment. They are content-rich, illustrated, and beautifully printed. These maps are suitable for single-destination travelers or those who have ample time to prepare for their trip, and they can often be purchased at many bookstores.
When purchasing travel maps, you should also consider factors such as information quality and map version. High-quality travel maps primarily use maps as the main medium, supplemented by text descriptions and photos, to provide comprehensive and practical travel information. However, some travel maps are cluttered with commercial advertisements that offer little value to travelers, resulting in limited useful information and significantly reduced guidance functionality. Another consideration is the map version. Many regions have maps in various editions—some focusing on transportation, others on tourism or business, or combinations of two or three. Naturally, we should choose those that include travel-related content. But even among maps with travel elements, publication dates matter. Many vendors still sell outdated maps, while some publishers simply change the publication date of old maps. There are also many pirated maps with questionable accuracy. Therefore, we need to be a bit more careful and attentive when selecting maps.
2. Understanding the Information Structure of Travel Maps
Travel activities primarily involve six key elements: transportation, food, accommodation, sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment. Maps mainly serve to guide travelers in meeting these needs, so their information structure revolves around these six aspects.
3. Correctly Reading Map Information
Although travel maps provide a wealth of information, most share a broadly similar legend. Through the legend, we can:
1. Determine Direction
Generally, maps are oriented with north at the top, south at the bottom, west on the left, and east on the right. However, some maps may slightly adjust this based on the scale and shape of a city or attraction. In such cases, the map will feature a clear directional marker (often in the shape of a cross or compass rose), allowing you to clearly identify the primary directions of the area. Once you determine the direction, you can accurately locate each marked place and the direction of every route. As a traveler, upon arriving in a new place, you should first find your current location on the map, then quickly identify the direction and position of your next destination based on your needs. Only after determining the direction and location can you make reasonable and correct decisions for your next steps.
2. Use the Map to Navigate
Every transportation map has a clear legend. Before reading the map, familiarize yourself with the legend to understand what each symbol and line represents. On a map, each transportation route, tourist attraction, commercial area or major shopping center, as well as hotels, banks, hospitals, theaters, schools, historical sites, tombs, mountains, rivers, and lakes, are represented by specific symbols. On general transportation and travel maps, large color blocks are also important distinguishing features—green areas usually indicate green spaces, parks, or scenic spots; light yellow areas typically represent built-up urban zones; pink (or dark yellow) areas usually denote commercial districts; blue sections represent lakes or rivers; and light blue areas typically indicate suburbs or rural regions. By using these different legends, you can navigate the map to find exactly what you’re looking for.
3. Calculate Distance
Most travel transportation maps include a scale (though there are exceptions), and some even indicate latitude and longitude. Using the scale, you can roughly estimate the relative distances between different destinations, helping you plan your next steps more effectively.
4. Mark Key Information
Whether during pre-trip preparation or while traveling, after studying the map, you should mark important locations such as transportation stops, attractions, hotels, and shopping areas. This allows you to navigate your trip with clarity and purpose, plan efficiently, save time and effort, and ultimately enjoy a smooth and pleasant travel experience.
4. Tips for Using Contour Maps
For outdoor activities—especially hiking—the most essential map is a contour map, which reveals various terrains such as mountains, valleys, steep or gentle slopes, cliffs, and precipices.
Basic Elements of a Contour Map
A contour map connects points of equal elevation on the Earth's surface into closed loops and projects them onto a flat plane as horizontal curves. Loops of different elevations do not overlap unless the terrain features cliffs or steep drops, where lines may appear dense or overlapping. On gently sloping open hillsides, the spacing between curves is wider. The baseline is set according to the average sea level, and each map includes production notes at the bottom for user guidance. Key elements include the scale, map number, sheet index, legend, and magnetic declination angle.
The scale is a mandatory symbol on maps, showing the ratio between actual ground distance and the distance shown on the map. For example, a 1:100,000 scale means 1 cm on the map equals 1 km in reality, while a 1:50,000 scale means 1 cm equals 500 m. Generally, smaller-scale maps offer higher precision. Here’s a sample conversion table: Map Scale | Real Distance (m) | Map Distance (cm) — 1:25,000 | 1,000 | 4 — 1:50,000 | 1,000 | 2 — 1:100,000 | 1,000 | 1
Basic Elements of a Contour Map
The map number is a unique identifier for each map, with different numbering systems assigned to maps of varying scales. These are based on latitude and longitude to ensure seamless alignment between adjacent maps.
Magnetic declination angle indicates the relationship and angular deviation between true north (Earth’s geographic North Pole), magnetic north (direction shown by a compass needle), and grid north (direction indicated by the map). The map also includes annual magnetic variation values, allowing you to quickly determine your location and the direction to your next point, as well as surrounding terrain changes, when using a compass.
The legend explains the meanings of various map symbols. Hikers typically pay attention to symbols representing triangulation points, cliffs, rivers, lakes, and slope gradients.
Contour Maps and Terrain Analysis
Types of Contour Lines
Upon close inspection of a contour map, you’ll notice two types of lines—thick and thin—designed for easier reading. Thick lines are called index contours and are labeled with elevation values, spaced approximately 0.2 cm apart. Thin lines are called intermediate contours, located between index contours to help analyze terrain. There are four intermediate contours between every two index contours, spaced about 0.04 cm apart.
The Blind Spot of Contour Lines
The higher the scale of a map, the lower its precision, because the actual distance between contour lines is too wide to clearly distinguish the terrain in that space, resulting in blind spots. For example, on a 1:50,000 scale map, the actual distance between each contour line is 20 meters (equivalent to the height of a seven-story building).
Slope
Slope is one of the easiest terrain features to identify on a contour map. By simply glancing at the map, we can understand the slope of various peaks. For instance: the narrower the spacing between contour lines, the steeper the slope; the wider the spacing, the gentler the slope. Uniform spacing of contour lines on a peak indicates an even slope. If the spacing above is smaller than that below, the slope is concave; if the spacing above is greater, it is convex. The calculation of concave and convex slopes is based on trigonometric formulas: tan⁻¹(vertical distance ÷ horizontal distance) = angle. Taking a 1:50,000 scale map as an example: the relationship between slope, actual distance, and contour line spacing is as follows. (Slope) θ = tan⁻¹(n/m). Table 2: Slope, slope condition, and walking difficulty. Slope | Slope Condition | Walking Difficulty 1°–5° | Gentle slope | Easy for vehicles 5°–15° | Mild slope | Easy to walk 15°–25° | Moderately steep slope | Walkable 25°–30° | Steep slope | Climable 35°–45° | Very steep slope | Climable with effort 45°–90° | Cliff or precipice | Requires climbing equipment
Drawing and Reading Contour Maps
When purchasing a contour map, make sure it fully covers your planned activity area. Often, you may need to buy and piece together two to four maps. Usually, we don’t carry the original maps into the wild. We: (1) prioritize photocopying and reassembling the map of the planned activity area, (2) carefully study the map to identify major and minor ridgelines (i.e., the lines connecting two peaks), streams, slopes, cliffs, and other terrain features, (3) use different colored highlighters to mark major ridgelines, streams, and to indicate the planned route and campsites, (4) seal the map with the planned itinerary using transparent tape to ensure it’s easy to carry and waterproof.
Conclusion: The role of maps in our activities is evident, and correctly choosing and using them directly affects the quality of our trips. As travelers, we must learn to properly use and leverage maps, allowing them to truly serve as guides before and during the trip. Additionally, even after completing a trip, we should not discard maps of a region casually. On one hand, they hold significant commemorative value, bearing witness to our experiences and evoking cherished memories. On the other hand, a map also reflects the development of a place during a specific period, thus carrying historical significance. When we revisit the area, we can compare changes and sense the passage of time. For these reasons, as travelers, we must also take care to preserve every map we’ve used.
Traveler's Tales Outdoor Network Equipment Knowledge (http://bbs.xzwyu.com )