Using Google Earth to map your Bug Out/In Trip

[Travis B]

I was recently playing around with Google Earth and realized you can mark pretty detailed routes with the "Add Path" button, which allows you to color the path, and it gives you an accurate distance reading down to the inch. My dad and I are planning a hike from our home to another property of ours, and I used Google Earth to map out the trek, using trails/dirt roads already available for our use. Looking over a determined area really makes it easy to map out a destination, and it's pretty cool to see how the area changes over the years.

Anyone else use Google Earth for similar tasks/have other uses for it?

[Cagemonkey]

I don't know if using Google to acquire a bugout map is a very smart thing, considering Google is cooperating very closely with various Govt agencies. Conspiracy type shit. Just food for thought.

[Travis B]

I don't know if using Google to acquire a bugout map is a very smart thing, considering Google is cooperating very closely with various Govt agencies. Conspiracy type shit. Just food for thought.

Yeah I was going to put that caveat in the OP but I didn't want to make this a gov't conspiracy/tin foil thread.

Discussing the topic on this forum and other places probably has us flagged already...

[The Cat]

I don't know if using Google to acquire a bugout map is a very smart thing, considering Google is cooperating very closely with various Govt agencies. Conspiracy type shit. Just food for thought.

Plot out a shitload of bogus maps and don't use your own computer.

[Grayling14]

I find it fun to use as a general recon of potential backpacking destinations, especially ones that I have read about in a trail guide. I have not used many of the functions that are available, but what I am acquainted with would not suffice as a subsitute for a topo. Also, I have found that depending upon the area being viewed the pictures can be 5+ years out of date. Additionally, it can give a general idea of the lay-of-the-land, but I have encountered terrain that was considerably more rugged in person than it appeared to be on the GoogleEarth. YMMV.