How to Read a Topo Map | Outside Watch

Knowing how to read a topo map is a skill you can use in nearly any backcountry adventure from a quick day hike or multi-day backpacking trip, to a backcountry ski tour or trail run. On most topographic maps, each contour line represents 40 vertical feet. So the closer the lines, the steeper the slope, and the more spaced out the contours, the flatter the slope.

Knowing this and common topo symbols will help you better understand your landscape while in the backcountry. In this video we show you the most important aspects of reading a topographic map.

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