By Ania Savage
Web 2.0 comes to
the Colorado Mountain Club
The newest jargon on the Internet is “Web 2.0,” and one of
the most noticeable things about Web 2.0 is social networking through websites
such as Facebook and MySpace. The CMC is in step with this trend by offering
this summer for the first time electronic maps that hikers can use to learn
more about the terrain, comment on the route, and even attach and share photos
of their successful climbs and hikes.
The rollout of electronic maps of more than 2,000 hikes on
the CMC website’s on-line Activity Schedule began in February. It should be
completed by year’s end. The offering is a collaboration between the club and
Mapbuzz.com, a social networking mapping site. Hike leaders are using Mapbuzz.com
to develop electronic maps of the hikes they lead. The electronic route maps
are attached to the description of a hike. In addition, a leader can add visual
material such as lookouts along the route and list proposed rest stops along
the trail. After participating in a hike, CMC members can post comments about
the route, make observations about the terrain, and add photos.
Bill Smith, the CMC’s information technology specialist, is
overseeing the project. He thinks the use of electronic hiking maps will offer
hikers a better understanding of the terrain and route of a hike. “A leader’s
ability to add visual material to the trip route and the use of
satellite-generated maps will provide a much better understanding of the route
and enhance the description of the trip provided by the leader,” Smith said.
Besides enhancing hikers’ knowledge about a route,
electronic maps will make it easier to find the trailhead, especially in cases
when a hiker travels alone to the trailhead to join the group. Electronic maps
will also provide more accurate information about the distance of a hike and
the elevation gain or loss during a hike.
There are other benefits in the CMC’s decision to go
digital, Smith said. “As leaders save their trips to the catalogue, it will provide
a baseline map for leaders who want to do these hikes in the future. The CMC is
always looking for new ways to provide members with ways to make their
enjoyment of the outdoors better and safer,” Smith said.
The partnership between CMC and Mapbuzz.com makes the CMC
the first major hiking organization to offer electronic maps to its members.
“Online maps will foster the exchange of information between
both hikers and leaders,” said Charlie Savage, founder of Mapbuzz. “As with
other social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, the ability to
share information quickly and easily benefits members of the network.
MapBuzz-based maps will give hikers more information about what to expect on a particular hike and connect them more effectively with other members of the club.”
Leaders interested in integrating a map into their on-line
trip descriptions can contact Bill Smith at (303) 996-2743 or billsmith@cmc.org.
There is also “how-to” information available on the CMC website at www.cmc.org/leaders.