Maps

I have completely reworked the Web pages for maps on Mt. Rainier NP, starting with the introduction and adding both the latest generation of the USGS 7 1/2 minute (1:24,000) topographic maps along with their entire collection of historical maps.

I have removed the Web page for the DRG maps which are 2 versions old and rarely used anymore and created the Web page of historical maps which the USGS put on-line in 2014 along with the latest generation of topographic maps.

The last two versions (2011 and 2014) of the topographic maps were produced in multi-layer PDF files, which requires a PDF applications with the capability and tools to work with multiple layers, currently only available for laptop and desktop computers.

This means these files won't display correctly with any PDF application for smart phones or tablets as the PDF application are limited to single layer files. For mobile devices you limited to the last version of single layer PDF files, meaning any released before 2011.

Please let me know if you have problems with the Web pages or downloading maps, or have suggestions to improve the Web pages.

Publications

I've done considerable research into finding publications on Mount Rainier and Mount Rainier National Park, with an on-line bibilography, which includes many historical books, pamphlets, maps, brochures, articles, etc., almost all of which are in my library having found and purchased original edition versions, or copies articles from journals at local or university libraries.

Most of my research started before there were on-line used bookstores or used book service (Abebooks, Alibris, etc.) - now my main source - or on-line library catalogs, either through world catalog services or the university's own on-line catalog.

What I've learned is a lot about researching and identifying good buys, or at least sources which offer original edition versions for a reasonable or market value. What I've also learned is where not to buy from on-line sources, which is my point here, again.

DO NOT BUY "Print on Demand" books.

I say this because almost all of them are public domain publications, easily available for free with a little research, namely looking up the publisher, usually a government agency, a research or affiliate organization, or similar sources.

This is where Google, or your favorite seach engine, comes in handy where you can search for the source, and through their Website look for "publications", and likely find the same reports, articles, etc. to download for free.

In many of the cases of print on demand, the people at the source have done their research, downloaded and compiled the material into a single document, if it isn't already a single document, and the put it on the Web, usually for inflated prices.

In some case, such as historical documents which are available on-line, they're scanned them and the produced them into a single document. I've done this for many government documents for my own research to put on my iPad instead of carrying around lots of historical documents.

The only historical documents I've found that can't be found on-line are few, such a organization newsletters or publications not worth scanning for on-line access, but are available from their library, sadly always in person.

I've found this with the Mountaineers and their publications. I have a list of articles I want to make copies but are only available from copying the original volumes in the library in Seattle, which has limited days and hours for public (always with a person present).

It's on my to go list for Seattle some day to stop by and make copies along with their bookstore (am a member too). Outside of that there isn't anything I can't find through various resouces to purchase a real, original edition or find a free resource to download.

And yes, if you have some publications I don't have or have some you want to find, I'm always interested in finding new material or helping people find material.

Sun & Moon

I've updated the monthly Sun and Moon rise and set for 2015 (yeah, a wee bit late), which you can find here with additional information about sources of on-line data for the sunrise/set and moon rise/set times.

In addition there are some good iPhone and iPad apps (don't know Android or other smart phones or tablets) which I use regularly. There's Sun Seeker and Moon Seeker which are companions apps to display sun and moon information separately.

LightTrac is a good one for showing direction of the sun and moon at locations, either where you're at or other places stored in the list of places along with some information. A good app for the moon I found recently is Moon Calendar. 

And lastly there is the complete suite of tools and function with The Photographer's Ephemeris (TPE) which to me has become a lot in a small package, too much for the smaller iPhones (mine's a 5s), but works better with an iPad (mine's and iPad Air but a iPad mini would work).

There's the Web version of TPE which I stopped using. I found it too much and cumbersome for a Web application over the iPad version, and still am slightly upset he dropped the stand-alone Adobe Air version when he didn't have to by embedding a sunset date into the app. Cheap shot.

Another app is Helios which is also good with lots of tools and functions, but is made for the iPhone, not any of the iPads. That's what I keep on my iPhone and iPad. There are lots of them in the iTunes app store.

Personal Update

I wrote earlier this year I'm back, sorta' and kinda', and it's still true. I've been going through a series of medical test to determine what's wrong with my digestive system which, as of now, is an unindentifable bacteria infection or overgrowth.

This means all the tests to date for known (common) bacteria infections and overgrowths are negative, but the symptoms still clearly point (by the gastroenterologist own diagnosis) to likely an overgrowth.

But until they can establish the specific type of bacteria or its source, they won't prescribe any treatment, let alone any antibiotic, so I'm still undergoing tests for anything obviously physical or anything obvious in the digestive tract. And yes, it's those tests.

Anyway, it's fair to say it's frustrating and exasperating going through the tests and not beginning any treatment for something obvious, even a best guess would work for me, but that's the reality of specialists, and at least this one agrees there's a problem (the first one didn't and dismissed it and me).

I have a lot of drafts waiting to translate to computer files, and I'll get to those this month along with other updates.

Camp Muir

The Camp Muir Webcam is up for the season, see here or the NPS Web page. For your information, Mt. Adams is on the left and Mount St. Helens if (faintly) on the right of the image. The curvature is due to the lens with the camera in the ranger's hut at Camp Muir.

I'll put the two Web cams for Sunrise on-line when the NPS announces the cameras are operational for the season, which they announce on their Twitter account and the webcam Web page.