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New map of Golden Ears park explores extensive trail routes

Mapmaker from Coquitlam turns his attention to Golden Ears provincial park.
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Steve Chapman took about 40 trips to Golden Ears to create his map. (CONTRIBUTED)

A mapmaker from Coquitlam hiked hundreds of kilometers through Golden Ears Provincial Park in Maple Ridge to create a detailed map of its trails, to help hikers and those who look for them when they get lost.

Steve Chapman, founder of Canadian Map Makers, took two years and approximately 40 trips to Maple Ridge in order to create his latest map that covers Golden Ears topography.

“To me, it was the next big area that didn’t have map coverage. Golden Ears is a hugely popular place for people to hike,” he said.

His inspiration came five years ago when he joined the Coquitlam Search and Rescue team and thought it could use a better map.

Chapman created a Tri-Cities map, which he donated to the Coquitlam Search and Rescue team, and has made it available to the public at a cost.

Chapman said the project’s success led him to reach out to the Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue team and draft a new map, which he donated to that team. He also sells it to the public.

Map-making is hard work, said Chapman.

But it’s his passion, and business.

“I have a passion for maps. I want to help people navigate trails safely, which is a concern for search and rescue. Lots of people use online services, which aren’t always accurate, so they get into trouble. Maps are easy to look at and they safely navigate trails.”

Rick Laing, manager of Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue, said Chapman’s maps are a good tool for members to carry.

“The map Steve put together is a very high quality map showing all trails throughout our area. We can give it to each team member so they have a good sized map to take with them out on task.”

Laing noted that the map is a broad collection of all the trails at Golden Ears and is made of a durable waterproof material.

“It’s always good to carry a hard copy map in a backpack. People tend to rely on electronic devices, such as phones and GPS. But what people find out is batteries fail, and once that happens, the device is no longer useful.”

Chapman hadn’t explored Golden Ears a ton prior to making the map, but called it a refreshing change.

“Some fantastic hiking in the area, some good workouts, some hikes with fantastic viewpoints. There’s lots of connecting trails so people wanting long distances can create pretty lengthy and interesting routes.”