Large print map for my wall

[Aventura Mike]

I'm looking to see if anyone has any resources to how to get a large printed map with shaded contour with labels to hang on my wall. What I'd like to do is highlight what trails I've been on, draw triangles for where I've camped, and so on. Ideally, something large enough to fit Tahoe to Golden trout but maybe split into 2 so it can fit on a wall. Let me know! Thanks!!

[dougieb]

Raven maps makes a large laminated wall map (at least 4 feet tall I think) of California but not really a dedicated trail map. Ive seen some others out there but none are that pleasing. You could get a big bulletin board and tack up Tom Harrison maps in order to build your own.

I plan to make a big one myself but haven't figured out the best way yet. I tried to export a large file from caltopo but the resolution wasn't up to snuff. You could also export maps from caltopo, then stitch them together digitally like a panorama with photo editing software. I might try that next... Good luck!

[wildhiker]

If you are looking for a paper map, the Imus Sierra Nevada map may do: https://www.imusgeographics.com/sierra-nevada-map . It is at 1:500,000 scale (approximately 4 miles to the inch), uses shaded relief, and shows trails.

I maintain my own "virtual wall map" of all the hikes I have done using Caltopo (www.caltopo.com). I have a "pro" subscription, which lets me print sections up to about 3 by 4 feet. I made my own large paper map of trails our family has done in the Lake Tahoe to Yosemite section using Caltopo when I had access to a large format printer at work (retired now).

-Phil

[sctopdx]

Not sure if this is allowed but I can help. I'm the Prepress Manager for a large format printing company that can produce graphics up to 125" x any length on roll material ( paper, banner etc), or 60"x120" on any rigid material. If you provide the art we can produce it for you. I'd be happy to help you with the file setup in my spare time, but I am unsure of the pricing for the print. Shoot us an email and we might be the right fit for you. Website is: www.forgepdx.com and email is: info@forgepdx.com

Cheers,
Ian

[SSSdave]

I have stitched together USGS 7.5' maps for years using Photoshop. It isn't rocket science. In this era, easily done from caltopo after using the Windows Snipping Tool. The advantage of doing so yourself is one can learn how to easily get rid of annoying elements that distract visually like large red NO CAMPFIRES text or whatever. One does not need to print out large maps all at once but rather after printing tape them together. Having to use a large graphics printer to do so is always going to be way more expensive than say making say a 4 by 3 matrix of 7 by 10 inch individual maps one cuts out from 8.5x11 paper. Actually in this era I tend to use FEDEX to print from B size 11x17 size and then tape them together. And yes enthusiasts have been putting maps on walls for decades.

[bobby49]

I use the ancient program TOPO!GPS, and I have the set of about a dozen CD-ROM disks that contain all of the detailed topo data for California. The only problem is that this map data is about twenty years old. I can edit and save my own custom trail data to overlay that. Then I can copy it out to Photoshop to print. For most printing, I use a medium format inkjet printer on 13x19 inch paper, but larger paper is possible.

[Aventura Mike]

Thanks everybody these are some great resources. I like Phil's recommendation and I'll probably go with that.

[jfr]

I bought the big map at http://www.californiahikingmap.com/ and it's on the wall in my dining room. I like to stare at it while I eat breakfast.

It has no roads, just trails and streams and wilderness/park boundaries on it. The most obvious line on the map is the PCT.
It has inset sections for certain cities where there are lots of trails.

The author may have missed a few trails, but that's not surprising, really. And it's paper so you can highlight it any way you want.

[giantbrookie]

I don't know of an all-Sierra map. When I was a kid my dad bought a raised relief map of California (I'm thinking this was about 1965) and hung it on the family room wall. We'd put a red dot (fine felt tip marker) on each summit we climbed. On some space on the NV side we'd list our peaks by year. After each trip part of the ceremony for me and my dad was to locate our summit on the map (mostly of the summits were not marked) and put the red dot on it.

When I moved down to Fresno in 2005 I bought two copies of the John Muir Wilderness map because one of the maps is two-sided. I then had them laminated so they could adorn the wall of my living room. That is a room for some daydreaming. One side has my glassware cabinet with a huge variety of beer and wine glassware. Above the cabinet is a Sierra Nevada Brewing Company mirror.

[TahoeJeff]

I have the Imus Sierra Nevada 1:500,000 scale map and really like it.