Trail Mapping with RunKeeper

Objective

Create a georeferenced trail map in Open Orienteering Mapper using Runkeeper to collect path data.

Example result:

Materials

Physical materials

A computer
A smartphone

Software downloads (free)

Reference

The Open Orienteering Mapper Manual

Instructions

Get out on the trails

Log in and start a workout such as a walk or run in Runkeeper. (Links here are tutorials on the Runkeeper blog.) Make sure your GPS is enabled and your timer is counting.

Walk or run trails!

Get your GPS trail onto your computer

Conclude your workout in Runkeeper, then use the share button to send the workout link to yourself (for access from your computer).

(Within "Share", make sure you're on the "Map" tab in order to see the share button.)

This is the email the app sent to me through the "share" function:

Click the link (you'll have to log in) to see your activity on your computer:

Scroll down to the bottom of this page and click "GPX" under the "Export" section:

This will download a .gpx file of the route you walked/ran.

Create a new map in Open Orienteering Mapper

If you already did the Face Mapping exercise, this will be very familiar.

Click "Create a new map..." in the upper left under Activities.

Leave the default scale of 1:10000, but –important!– change the Symbol Set to "ISOM2000_10000". Then click Create.

Tada! Now you have a brand new mapping canvas to work with.

Set up georeferencing in your map

Here, we're going to tell Open Orienteering Mapper that we're using UTM coordinates (a format of latitude and longitude) so that any GPS coordinates we take in the field will show up in the right place on the map.

In the "Map" menu, select "Georeferencing..."

This opens a dialog. In "Coordinate reference system", select "UTM", then press OK.

All right, now you'll have a blank, georeferenced canvas to work with.

Import georeferenced path into Open Orienteering Mapper

We're going to use our Runkeeper path as a template to draw paths.

In the "Templates" menu, select "Open template..."

Find and open the .gpx file you downloaded from Runkeeper.

It will ask you if you would like to import the template georeferenced or non-georeferenced. You want georeferenced! (That was the whole point.) Click "Georeferenced".