Please see the ‘Route Information and GPX Notes’ below for more information on these tracks and way points. We are always looking for more, please contact us! All of the GPX files can be freely downloaded from this map. Note that some tracks (especially alternative shortcuts) may be hidden by default. To turn these on, use the symbol on the left side that looks like discs stacked atop one another.
Route Information and GPX Notes
GPS tracks are often from 10 minute increments created by a satellite transponder used by Seth Wolpin during a 2014 crossing. In some cases we have more detailed tracks, and alternative routes. We recommend you download them from our file repository (new window) as the embedded maps will lead you to a GPS file limited to 25 way points and you will miss out on possible alternative tracks.
Please use files at your own risk and do not redistribute without permission. Note that many of the files cannot be used to approximate distance as you rarely walk in a straight line for 10 minutes in the Himalaya. Most locals will also refer to distance in hours walking. We found it helpful to ask them for two estimates – a fast walk and a slow walk. In a few cases we do substitute much more precise GPS measures/tracks because we either had plentiful battery power to run a GPS full time, or else we recorded tracks on another trip or someone passed them on to us. (We encourage readers to send their GPS tracks so we can add this info, we will thank you).
Many of the way points were collected by Robin Boustead from his explorations and he also collected many from different people (Shawn Forrey, Bob Rosenbaum, Jamie McGuinness, Richard Bull, and others). These are usually suffixed ‘RB’ in our files. Our tracks, and waypoints themselves are often suffixed ‘RFB’ for ‘Run for the Border’ which was our team name. Seth integrated these and removed duplicates, sometimes translated names from German, and otherwise cleaned things up and integrated into our tracks. For distance estimations, trail narrative and more precise planning, we refer you to Robin Boustead’s book.
If any of this is helpful, we ask that you make a small donation to www.wideopenvistas.org, or to your favorite Nepal focused charity and/or consider contracting with HAL for a basic support package if you are planning a thru-hike on the GHT.
GPS Baselayers
We recommend using Backcountry Navigator with OSM layers. This site looks interesting for commercial base layers for certain areas: http://www.nepalgpsmap.com/en/shop/garmin/
Paper Maps
We recommend carrying maps from the Himalayan Map House. Unfortunately, these are often 1:100,000 which makes them very difficult to use for fine navigating. We would appreciate notes from others on higher resolution maps they have been able to find.
Thanks
We owe a big debt to Doc McKerr who thru hiked in 2013 and was kind enough to give our 2014 team a GPX track automatically recorded by his satellite transponder every two hours of walking.