[Newt]

While I was trying to create an overlay of the old EvMC RR I, was using 2 different images saved from TOPO!. One was saved @ level 4 and one @ level 5. This is in the Monte Cristo area but a few spot checks state wide yielded the same results. Can you see what's different? Took me awhile but the calc. varified what I thought. Check em out. NN

Level 4

Level 5

[REJ]

Ok NN. What I am I missing? One map is based on the 1:100,000 scale USGS map and the contour elevations are in meters. The other is from the 7 1/2-min USGS map and the contours are in feet. One map is missing the Barlow Point Trail. Anything else?

[Newt]

You b missing nothing. It's the feet/meters thing. I was surprised. Having never looked at the 1:100,000 paper map was unaware it was in meters. Actually never paid that kind of attention in TOPO! either. NN

[REJ]

There was a time not long ago that the US was going to convert to the metric system. The USGS 1:100,000 scale maps were developed about that time and were to the first USGS map product prepared using the metric system. I guess the metric conversion never took hold in the US. What a shame.

[Newt]

I remember. the Feds made it mandatory that all states convert, at least for orginazations like I work in. WA state was ranked one of the better in compliance. Mass amounts of money were spent converting only to convert back. I think in 2K they dropped it as no one was doing anything. Looks like the feds fell short too or the whole lot of topos would have been metric. NN

[Malachai Constant]

The most recent Bellevue East and West as well as Seattle west and east are metric. I contributed a Issaquah Quad I had got at REI for $0.33 to scan to make their Cougar MT. map. It was the only way to get the contours to match up.

[MichaelW]

Some of the 1:24k quads maps in the East Coast are also done in meters as well. I can be a little confusing when you see one quad in feet and it's neighbor in meters.