Firm Markets Washington Maps On Web Customers Can Search Database And Buy Variety Of Charts Online

A new Spokane-based online map service enables Washington hikers to save their energy for the trail.

Northwest Map & Travel Book Center has created a Web site that offers virtually any Washington map, including residential and county maps, topographic and raised relief maps, national forest, park and wilderness maps.

A needed map can be in the mail within 24 hours, as long as the purchaser has a computer, an Internet connection and a credit card.

The Web site, which debuted last month, is already expanding Northwest Maps’ market to a wide range of people and businesses, said Steve Mitrovich during a demonstration from his Northwest Maps store at 525 W. Sprague.

“Real estate agents can find city and county maps for anyplace in the state, and hunters going to a new area can find the exact map they need without leaving home,” he said.

Zip code maps and even the federal government’s new Columbia Basin Ecosystem map, which extends outside Washington’s boundaries, are available at the the click of a mouse.

Sophisticated search software that includes 35,000 geographic and cultural place names allows users to easily determine the maps they need, even if they don’t know the name of the particular map.

Search by place name: For example, type in “Steamboat Rock” and learn there are three landforms by that name in Washington. The list names the county, the latitude and longitude and the specific maps on which the landmark falls.

Click to see an index map that locates the point of interests and shows the surrounding maps.

Click to change scales, from the detailed 1:24,000 topo maps, to 1:100,000 and 1:250,000 scales. Or perhaps you’d rather have a map that identifies public lands managed by various state and federal agencies.

Search by category: For instance, enter “wilderness” and get 39 listings of places ranging from federal wilderness areas to Lake Wilderness Elementary School in King County.

Enter the word “caves” to get a listing of landmarks with that name in the title.

Oops! Even Mitrovich wasn’t aware of what would come up with that example - only a handful of listings. He checked further and learned that in 1988 Congress passed the National Cave Management Resources Act, which forbids release of information regarding the location of significant caves on public land.

You won’t see them listed on modern maps, either.

Should users have any trouble with the searches or service, Mitrovich promises help.

“We give our e-mail address and even an 800 number so people can call us for any reason,” he said.

The site is easy to use, however.

A tutorial on map basics explains everything from scales to definitions of symbols one might see on maps.

Although the store in downtown Spokane has maps and travel guidebooks for much of the world - and a good supply of Canada topographic maps - the online service is currently limited to maps for Washington.

“Service is important, and we don’t want to start out offering more than we can keep in stock for quick delivery,” Mitrovich said.

A typical 1/24,000 scale topo map costs $3.65. The handling charge is $4.75, regardless of whether the order is for one map or a dozen.

“Certainly it’s more cost effective if you’re ordering more than one map,” he said.

The site also links to other map sources, such as Canada map sales, and USGS, plus other regional outdoor sites.

When ordering CD-ROM map software, buyers can read reviews that compare the features of competing products and explain the preferences of the Northwest Maps staff.

“Consumers seem to really appreciate a clear listing of the specs on a software product as well what we think of it from using it here in the shop,” Mitrovich said.

This sidebar appeared with the story: ON THE WED Click for maps

A wide range of Washington maps can be purchased on the Northwest Maps web site at www.nwmaps.com.