Mapping the Sheltowee

Boyd · Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 9:17 am Post subject: Are you guys done?

How did the hiker challenge end and did anybody measure the length of the Trace?

chester · Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 1:27 pm Post subject:

I think they are finished. I saw from someone the length is 307 miles. I'm not sure if they were measuring with GPS or Pedometer or other device.

When I hiked it I got exactly 315 miles. I measured with my GPS but not by adding up my miles at the end of each day. Instead, I imported my tracks into a mapping program and deleted any spots where I stopped and had lunch or rested or got turned around. That deleted any extra milage. In the mapping program, I then randomly measured different points and compared them to the guidebook and they are right on target with the guidebook's measurements.

I also had my GPS on the most sensitive mode so the track I made would match every curve in the trail as much as possible. Before my thru hike I imported a few of my day hikes into the program and the track I made did not resemble the trail at all…they were sort of choppy, after some research I learned this was because my GPS wasn't sending signals as often as it could have…so that is why I put it on the most sensitive mode…it helped create a more accurate track. (You probably already know all this stuff, but I'm just adding it for someone else's sake who might not know).

So, I'm not sure why I got more miles… Question

If you would like a copy of my files, I'll be happy to send them to you…but they are huge so I'll probably need to write them to a CD.

Traildust · Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 12:13 pm Post subject:

Boyd,

The GPS guys (the primary was the one who died) did not finish their GPS tracking for distance so we are sticking with 307 for the moment. But if Chester has better data and it is 315 we would be interested in your verifying that data. At any rate, in 2014 the Morehead Reroute will go through and be done as will the further extension of the ST in the south at Big South Fork where we will get to the Burnt Mills Bridge area at the end of Honey Creek Loop.

For this year we are saying 307 and are printing decals with that number.

steve

Traildust · Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 12:30 pm Post subject: 2014 Hiker Challenge

Hey Boyd when you have a moment can you open a 2014 Hiker Challenge page for us? thanks. we begin again south to north the second and third weekends of Jan.

chester · Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 10:59 pm Post subject:

Hey, do you think there would be any interest in doing a weekday hiker challenge group?