Find YOUR path
Our Mapping
See how we map Effort, Stress, and other features of Paths, Routes, and Trails​
Read how we rate, map, and describe the effort required to complete paths, trails, and routes.
Mapping Trail Accessibility & Stress
Read how we rate, map, and describe trail access-ibility and sources of stress.
Mapping Other Accessible Features
Read how we assess other accessible features of paths, trails, and routes.
Read how we rate, map, and describe Traffic Stress.
Mapping Effort
In a first phase, we generate a GPX file of the path, trail, or route generated using AllTrails, Google Maps, or our own GPS device (Garmin GPS Map 65s).
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We generate a text file using GPS Visualizer, which can also add tick points and elevations at 10' or 30' intervals using Digital Elevation Mapping (DEM).
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We scan the route for bridges and tunnels and manually correct grades.
Whenever effort ratings have been reported, estimates were generated using these techniques.
We generate a text file with Longitude, Latitude, and Elevation and add it to a custom Excel spreadsheet that can assign grades for each interval, flag those that exceed Universal Access Trail (UAT) standards, and perform other calculations .
DEMs are, however, inherently noisy, because the best have datapoints every 30m. This means that DEMs are likely to be generally accurate wherever a path, trail, or route follows the contours of gently sloping terrain. But DEMs lack the precision to accurate track elevation changes in steep terrain, or where a rail-trail rides through a cut. So in a second phase, we try to eliminate sources of error using one or more strategies.
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We might ride the route or path to identify sections that appear to have sections that begin to exceed UAT standards. We use a Digipass digital level attached to our bike rack (see right) and connected via bluetooth to a smartphone.
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Once we identify a section with grades exceeding 5%, we enter the grades into a spreadsheet (Smartsheet) that also adds location data. Back home, we match the sections in Smartsheet with the original file and manually correct grades.
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We ride the route or path to identify sections that appear to have sections that begin to exceed standards for Universal Access Trails. with grades and traigenerate a text file using GPS Visualizer, which can also add tick points and elevations at 10' or 30' intervals using Digital Elevation Mapping (DEM).
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We scan the route for bridges and tunnels and manually correct grades.
Mapping Trail Accessibility and Stress
Coming Soon
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Mapping Other Accessible Features
Coming Soon
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Mapping Traffic Stress
Coming Soon
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