Reviews > Navigation and Map Gear > Maps > Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer Series > Karin Claus > Long Term Report

Long Term Report: DeLORME Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer™ 
Name: Karin Claus
Age: 45
Gender: Female
Height: 5’ 6” (167 cm)
Weight: 120 lb (54 kg) 
Email Address: KarinClaus@yahoo.com
Region: Evergreen, CO USA
Date: April 18, 2005

Backpacking Background: 
I live and play in the Colorado Rockies.  I have section hiked the entire Colorado Trail.  I through-hiked the Appalachian Trail in ’02 and the Pacific Crest Trail in '04.  I have been slowly and carefully updating my gear to lighter weight equipment.  I have been backpacking for the past twenty years. I have climbed 38 of Colorado’s highest peaks.  I enjoy getting out in the woods almost every weekend.  I'd rather suffer some discomfort than to carry extra weight in my pack.  I have used hammocks, tents and tarps.  I like to sleep under the stars in good weather.  I love long weekend loop hikes.  I go backpacking because I enjoy walking. Camping is just something I do because I am caught outside overnight.

Product Description:

The Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer™ will hereafter be called the Atlas.  

The cover is glossy paper.  The Atlas is held together by staples at the spine.  I opened the Atlas to the center of the book.  The staples are sticking up slightly from the paper.  The staples are thinner than I expected.  After looking at the center of the Atlas for a while, I noticed the Atlas does not fold completely flat.

The Atlas and the cover are printed in color.
The Atlas contains 92 quad maps.  Eighty of these are at a scale of 1:160,000.  The others are 1:320,000.  The smaller scale maps are of Eastern Colorado, where less detail is required.  There is a key map of the entire state on the middle two pages.

Each map coordinate is given in degrees/minutes/seconds and decimal degrees; e.g., 40°.35'.00" and 40.5833 degrees.  The World Geodetic System (WGS84) datum is used.

This is the seventh edition, copyright 2004.

There are 16 information categories also covered in the Atlas.  They are Biking, BLM Public Lands, Campgrounds, Fishing, 14ers, Hiking, Historic Sites/Museums, Hunting, Mountain Passes, National Lands, River Trips, Scenic Drives, Ski Areas, State Lands, Unique Natural Features, and Wild Trout Waters/Gold Medal Streams.

Web Site:
The web site shows that there are Atlases available for all 50 states.  The web site says that there is a 30-day guarantee.  It has an information/sample map - I picked "Colorado".  The web site then displays information about the Colorado Atlas.  It also displayed a small sample map.  There is a phone number for ordering by phone, and the website also lets you order online.  

There is also a support center web page.  From the support center page, there is a "Data Revisions" section, where you can suggest/correct data related issues in their products. 

Long Term  Report:

I have been using the Atlas at least weekly since I received it.  The Atlas travels between the car and my house.  I use it for planning while in my house, and refer to it while driving.

The Atlas is still in fine shape physically.  It is slightly beat up.  The bottom right corner is curled up.  The top right had corner is curled up.  This is normal wear and tear that I would expect from any book of this type.

I have been going to trailheads almost every weekend since the field report.  I have used the Atlas on most of these trips, for route finding for the driving portion of the trips.  I have used four of the grids which are closest to my home.  I have been using the Atlas in conjunction with more detailed topographic maps.

Today I visited two trailheads near the town of Bailey Colorado, and used the Atlas to find both of these trailheads.

I do need to use reading glasses to use the Atlas.

The page size is not conducive to my looking at the Atlas while driving.  I have tried placing the Atlas on the passenger seat, but the Atlas is too large to spread open (without having to hold it open), and have it easily read from the driver's seat.  Therefore, I stop the car and pull over, when wanting to consult the Atlas.

The Atlas has been very helpful for route finding while driving to trailheads.

I have not really used, and do not see a further need for anything except the topographic part of the Atlas.  I am really not interested in the campground, national lands, BLM public lands, state lands, unique natural features, river trips, 14ers, mountain passes, biking, ski areas, hiking, fishing, wild trout waters, hunting and historic sites/museums sections of the Atlas.  I generally gather the information like this from other more detailed books.

Location:
I have been using the Atlas in the house while planning trips, and in the car while getting to trailheads.  

Summary:
I have enjoyed using the Atlas, and will continue to use the Atlas.  This Atlas is a replacement for a previous version of the Atlas by the same company.  My previous Atlas had to be retired, because I had cut it up to use while backpacking the Colorado Trail.  

Likes: 
The Atlas is easy to use.
The information seems accurate.
The Atlas is affordable.

Dislikes:  
I would like to see heavier staples used, with the edges firmly crimped.
The Atlas is too large for me to look at while driving.  

Possible Changes:
Print the Atlas on smaller paper, so it will fit in my bookshelf, instead of on top.
Bind the Atlas differently, so it can be left open to a certain page.


Thank you for the opportunity to test this Atlas.

Reviews > Navigation and Map Gear > Maps > Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer Series > Karin Claus > Long Term Report