GPS Stuff

[WL2]

Is there anyone who uses GPS while hiking in this group?  If so would you like to agree on some method for sharing tracks and waypoints.  For instance would it help to know the trailhead for Apache Canyon is at 29.26104 N   103.36934 W  or that the gravel road that leads to Cattail Falls trailhead is at 29.27703 N   103.32489 W?  How about the second lesser known hot springs at 29.18209 N   102.99245 W.  (All NAD83 Datum).  I suggest either OziExplorer or National Geographics TOPO as software standars for exchanging files, but other are available and would also be suitable.  Of course the first issue is how many in the group are interested.

[MarkB]

i think wildwestguy is a gps user... he will probably find his way over to this site eventually.

[RichardM]

Google has failed me in finding thewildwestguy's email.  He used to be a member of the MSN group BigBendAdventures, but it has been deleted.  Can't recall if he ever posted his email address on the old chat page.

[SHANEA]

Just upgraded after Christmas to the Garmin 60CS from the ETREX Vista and before that the GPS12.  Gotta love that color and it loves to eat batteries.  Yes, having GPS coordinates would be good.  Old Steam engine @ Black Gap WMA - N29 34.168 W102 46.554.  Or the Border Patrol checkpoint Charlie south of Marfa @ N30 15.107 W104 02.968.  As for format, it really doesn't matter to me, but I'm more familiar with the old standard.  hddd mm.mmm'.  Fortunately, with these dang computers it's pretty easy to convert back and forth - don't have to do it by hand like I did when I took military science orientering "a long time ago".  Long before GPS's were even declassified.  My hiking buddy searched and searched for this other hot spring on the recent trip, but he/we could not find it.  We searched north of the main hot spring along the river, but alas it was not to be found.  Looking at the topos with the coords that you provided, it looks to be SE of the main one???

[SHANEA]

]

[Terlingua Express]

I am messing around with the Google Map code on my website for tracking some of the areas I have visited in and around Big Bend.  I just added the one mentioned by “WL2” for Apache Canyon.  If any of you would like to send me your lat & longs , I will place them on this map for you.

Some of the code I am currently writing will eventually allow individuals to post their own.  I am also working on being able to draw poly lines, so you can also draw the trails in place.

You can check it out at: Big Bend Google Map Locations @ The Land Cruiser Zone.com

If any of you would like to send me your lats & longs, along with a brief description with a pic…..send them to ssabo@thelandcruiserzone.com.  When your info has been added, I will ping you back with an e-mail.

[Casa Grande]

yes, i use gps all the time to mark my pic locations

plus, i update the waypoints in my google earth application....the waypoints can be exported via text file to share, which should be able to be imported into most any gps program, SHOULD BE.....

Most all views on my website contain waypoint data along with the google earth satellite image of the exact location the panorama was shot.

[RichardM]

TopoZone.com is really good for getting data points as well as showing trails, etc.  I can't say how well it compares to GPS readings as I don't get to do enough hiking to justify buying new toys like GPS receivers.  I do like to have detailed maps when heading out to new territories.  I even broke out my old Boy Scout compass for our Apache Canyon hike.  TopoZone locates the trailhead at 29.2628°N, 103.3702°W (WGS84/NAD83):
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=13&n=3238202.99998958&e=658351.000003731&u=5&datum=nad83

For info on lots of landmarks, check out http://landmark.granbury.com/brewster.htm
It has links to TopoZone for each landmark so you don't even have to copy & paste.

[WL2]

Here is a picture of the second hot spring.  It is a little big, I am new to this, but the spring is behind all the reeds through the little hole.
http://www.bigbendgallery.com/uploads/files/HotSprings2.jpg

I took off the URL on purpose.  The picture is so large it overwhelms the page.  If you want to see it then do the old click routine.  I will size the next one smaller.

It looks like there is some interest in GPS coordinates so I will add a few more.  If you go to Apache Canyon after you get to the corral you have to cross two dry stream beds with lots the nasty pointy sharp stuff as one other member of this page says.  The best crossing for the first is at 29.268770 N  103.42181 W.  Then the second is at 29.27348 N  103.41968 W.  Then one trail into the canyon is at 29.27506 N  103.41994 W.

If you are over at Ernst Tinaja there is a very flat little rise to the right 29.25418 N  103.01500 W that has a lot of indications that native Americans may have camped there.  Some rock chips and rings of rocks.

I have found some memorable hikes by reading these chat pages and I hope we can get some more contributions of locations and things to see.  The park is so big and time is so limited that sharing our favorite places can be a benefit to all.

[RichardM]

Check out the Edit button on the upper right corner of your message.  You can go back and fix your original post.

The following part of this message was edited after I resized your pic using the Microsoft Windows XP PowerToy Image Resizer
see http://www.bigbendchat.com/portal/forum/index.php?topic=19.0

[BigBendHiker]

Thanks for sharing the information and pic.

Is the second hot springs just down stream from the main one? The reason I ask -- the book by Etta Koch "Lizards on the Mantel; Burros at the Door" references a second hot springs.  JO Langford had, of course, constructed the main bath house at the main springs (the ones we all hike to), but for those with "social diseases", he had setup a small bath house at the hot springs downstream of the main ones.

[WL2]

Yes, it is just downstream.  Hike the trail to Rio Grand Village and about 0.2 miles down it makes a turn to the left.  On the right is a rock pile to indicate the trail goes left.  Hop over the rock pile and head downhill to the reeds.  There are logs among the reeds to sit down on and I am told leave your clothes.  Then down to the hole in the reeds.  It is really small, less than two foot diameter.  Inside is the grotto and past users have left candles on flat rocks.

[BigBendHiker]

Thanks for the reply.   Is the water temperature at the second springs similar to that of the main springs?

[WL2]

It may be a little cooler but not much.

[Bobcat]

I pre-trip GPS water sources and GPS finds that are important to me or finds that I may want to reveal to someone else(like an entire fossil of a dino).