Trail maps and who uses them

[Phil Andrews]

On the groundspeak forums in the NW board I've been talking about a bridge a friend built across a washout.
On Sunday, we went up there and were surprised to see around 35 local Explorer Search and Rescue out on exercises.
A lot of them were decked out in full gear. I imagine some had gpsr units on them. All loved the bridge.
Did any of them have your maps loaded? How many people even know about your maps?
I read the Seattle PI and the Seattle Times and there are articles all the time about people getting lost and all the volunteers that go out looking for these fools. When I am allowed to comment on these articles. I always mention Switchbacks.com and provide a link to the site. I have never gotten a comment back from anyone on those boards. Do you have download statistics? I'm just curious because your mapsets are the best.
As a former ESAR in the 70's I would have loved to have even just a static copy of all the local trails let alone a gpsr full of trails like now.
Have you promoted yourself Moun10bike to groups like this?

[Moun10Bike]

I've worked with the Thurston County 4x4 Sheriff's Patrol on a SAR map for the Capitol Forest and am currently working with King County SAR on a variety of maps for the county.  These are all hardcopy maps, though; I'm not sure how many are using the GPS maps (whether on Mapsource on the computer or loaded on the receiver).  The trail data is definitely getting to the people who need it the most, even if it is only slowly taking hold!

Speaking of promotion, I have put in an order of Switchbacks.com t-shirts and hats.  I wish I could afford to just give them out at events, but I need to at leat break even on them (and hopefully make a little to support the project with continued improvements).  They should be ready shortly and when they are I will post about availability here.  I figure that they will help with getting the word out about the site and Northwest Trails!

[GrnXnham]

Sweatshirts, too?

Sweatshirts might sell better than T-shirts around here but we will buy the T-shirts as well and I know that T-shirts cost less initially.

[Moun10Bike]

I had planned on sweatshirts and then dropped the idea because summer is coming, they are more expensive, and it seems like hoodies are all the rage while I'm still a crew neck kind of guy.   Would you prefer hoodies or crew necks?

[Phil Andrews]

Crew neck.

[GrnXnham]

Crew neck here. I wish hoodies would go away.

[marcusarelius]

On the groundspeak forums in the NW board I've been talking about a bridge a friend built across a washout.
On Sunday, we went up there and were surprised to see around 35 local Explorer Search and Rescue out on exercises.
A lot of them were decked out in full gear. I imagine some had gpsr units on them. All loved the bridge.
Did any of them have your maps loaded? How many people even know about your maps?
I read the Seattle PI and the Seattle Times and there are articles all the time about people getting lost and all the volunteers that go out looking for these fools. When I am allowed to comment on these articles. I always mention Switchbacks.com and provide a link to the site. I have never gotten a comment back from anyone on those boards. Do you have download statistics? I'm just curious because your mapsets are the best.
As a former ESAR in the 70's I would have loved to have even just a static copy of all the local trails let alone a gpsr full of trails like now.
Have you promoted yourself Moun10bike to groups like this?

Phil, I bet you were hiking around Camp Brinkley north of Monroe since that was one of our training weekends.  As a current ESAR member, recovering cacher, and NW trails contributor I can assure you that I have made SAR well aware of this very valuable resource!  I never go anywhere in the woods without my trusty 60Cx which always has the latest version of trail and topos loaded.  Many other members do the same (of course we all still carry sighting compasses and paper maps too).
 
Also, with Jon's premission I print up up static maps and hand them out at tailheads when we are patroling during the summer.  Thanks Jon!!!

P.S. the vast majority of people we get called for are not fools, most have leg injures that prevent them for getting out without assitance due to no fault of thier own.