Notes on topographic maps, the places we map, and gift ideas for the people who love them.
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Black Hills peaks and places: a guide to our topo designs
From Black Elk Peak to Bear Butte and Terry Peak, a tour of the Black Hills peaks and places available as topographic contour gifts.
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USGS 3DEP elevation data, explained
What the USGS 3D Elevation Program collects, the elevation models it publishes, and how that data becomes the contour lines on a topo gift.
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What contour lines mean (and how to read them on a topo map gift)
Contour lines join points of equal elevation. Here is how to read spacing, intervals and shapes, so a topo design on a mug or print makes sense at a glance.