The trail Riders nightmare....
Bad maps! We have ridden in many strange places with maps we found out later were 50 years old.... every National Park needs updating of the maps. Most state park maps are poor to bad. But you should get one every time you ride if possible. I grab one and make corrections on it as I ride. Not to say that all maps are outdated or bad. It seems to be the most ridden areas have the best maps, and that makes sense. Just one more reason to use a GPS.
The one big thing we have found is that a map will not have all the updated roads, ( let alone names). Your map may tell you that the cross road or intersecton you are looking for is the second left hand turn, When in truth it may now be the 5th, due to added roads, We had this happen to us in two differant areas. Spent 9 1/2 hours getting back to camp, all because of a old map. at one place and other time we found a lady hiking in bear country, quite lost because of the map she had, the roads it showed were long overgrown. The ranger later told us the map was almost fifty years old.. We did get her home safe and sound.....
If you know how to use a topo map and can get one of the area you will be riding in, it will be a large help in those times you find your self, we don't use the LOST word but that is what it is..
