Map F, Great North Mountain Gps Reconnaissance Mission

OVERVIEW

Team,

This weekend, we are going to Edinburg, VA. We have a GPS Surveying mission to complete. A squad of GPS Rangers from the Potomac Area Trail Club (PATC) has called for the assistance of 4 Outdoors Club members to help survey an unmarked area of the Great North Mountain known as “Map F” from Friday 11/7 to Saturday 11/8.

We are leaving Friday at 18:30 from the Outdoor Rec Center on Emmet St. at the latest to get to Edinburg, VA. That night, we will eat out with high class GPS Rangers that go into unmarked areas of the Potomac area equipped with cameras, maps, guidebooks, and other accessories that they will be lending to us to help map out the Great North Mountain of the George Washington/Jefferson National Forest.

Although we will be tenting outside, they very generously have granted us access to a cabin in the Lee District HQ of the Forest that is rigged with heat, a modern kitchen (sink, fridge, stove, and dishware), a meeting room, and nice indoor bathrooms and showers. We can spend much of our downtime with the rest of the Rangers in the meeting room. I’ll get us a 4 person tent for our squad but make sure to bring your own sleeping bag and pad. Bring warm clothes for the night and hiking Saturday along with sturdy shoes. We will also need to bring our own food; we can stop by Kroger Friday at 12:00 and load the car up then leave ready to go by 18:30. If I am able to leave earlier then I will update you guys with an email by Friday at 10:00 at the latest.

Just to be clear, the GPS Rangers of the PATC are lending us equipment to survey completely unmarked area. We will be using this equipment to provide accurate maps of trails to future backpackers, mountain bikers, and hikers that otherwise would not exist if it wasn’t for this job. This is a unique opportunity that will allow you to experience how maps are made alongside GPS Rangers that do this for a living. And you will have a trail that you marked that will be on maps for all future travelers just like us. Let’s build our own maps and use them.

Yours,
-Adrian