Paper maps depict a seeming state of perfection. If only
I could live there, content on a page, with everything lining up. In reality, on the ground, life is different and anything but perfect.
We were testing a route I’d put together connecting trails from various paper and digital maps. It linked Williams Lake, British Columbia, to Squamish, crossing southwestern Canada’s Coast Mountains. It was intended to be bikepacked—think loaded bicycles with enough gear for four to five days. We had five people, three vehicles, three bikes, and six days at most to figure it out.
On paper, it looked somewhat confusing but feasible. The most convoluted portion was between the Churn Creek Protected Area of south-central British Columbia, lining the Fraser River, and Gold Bridge, a tiny hamlet next…