3/20/2023 0 Comments Contour map![]() ![]() A saddle is illustrated by contour lines that typically looks like an hourglass.ĭepression: A depression is a low point on the ground. ![]() Saddle: A saddle is a low point between two areas of higher ground. The closed end of the contour line (U or V) always points upstream or toward high ground. Valleys are illustrated by contour lines forming U-shaped or V-shaped patterns. Valley: A valley is a stretched-out groove in the land, usually formed by a water feature, that has high ground on three sides. The inside of the smallest closed circle is the hilltop. Peaks are illustrated by contour lines forming concentric circles. From the top, the ground slopes down in all directions. Peak: A peak, or hill is an area of high ground. Learning to identify the distinct features of common contour line patterns will help you read topo maps quickly, and recognize the various terrain features they represent on in the real world. Where contour lines are far apart the elevation is changing slowly, indicating a gentle slope.Ĭontour lines also indicate the shape of the terrain. Major terrain features that you’ll find include Peaks, valleys, saddles, and depressions, and they each have characteristic contour lines that make it easy to pick them out in the landscape. Where they’re close together elevation is changing rapidly in a short distance, therefore the terrain is steep. Simply put contours indicate the steepness of terrain. You might be hanging from a cliff by your fingertips but you would never go up or down. If you were to trace the length of a contour line, each point would be the same height above sea level. If you were to walk the path of a contour line in real life, you would remain at the same elevation for the whole hike. What these unassuming lines do is plot the points of equal elevation on a map. The feature that makes this possible is contour lines: They give you the power to visualize three-dimensional terrain from a flat piece of paper. Topographic trail maps are useful for trip planning AND for navigation in the field. Have you ever looked closely at the squiggly lines scattered over your topo maps? Besides the obvious trails and rivers, the brown squiggly lines are contour lines. These fascinating lines represent the three-dimensional landscape of Earth within the two-dimensional space of a map. We just have to open our eyes to see that story. Your map can tell a richly detailed story about the area you’ll be exploring. Learning to interpret that paper topo map (short for topographic map) is every bit as essential. You probably already know that a compass and a paper map are part of the Ten Essentials. Look in the margin of your map to find out its contour interval.Understanding Contour Lines and Topo Maps This makes it easier to read the map - too many contour lines would be difficult to work with. If, for example, the general terrain is quite elevated, the map might run at 80- to even 100-foot (24- to 30-meter) intervals. Different maps use different intervals, depending on the topography. For example, if your map uses a 10-foot contour interval, you will see contour lines for every 10 feet (3 meters) of elevation - lines at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and so on. ![]() We call this spacing the contour interval. In order to keep things simple, topographic maps show lines for certain elevations only. The line you see will look like a contour line on a topographic map. Here's a cool way to understand how to interpret contour lines: Take an object like a ball or a pile of laundry, and shine a red laser pointer along the object's side. They're useful because they illustrate the shape of the land surface - its topography - on the map. Contour lines show elevation and the shape of the terrain. Contour lines are lines drawn on a map connecting points of equal elevation, meaning if you physically followed a contour line, elevation would remain constant. © HowStuffWorksĬontour lines are the greatest distinguishing feature of a topographic map. Contour lines help users to see points of equal elevation. ![]()
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