Terrain Maps – Custom Physical Maps of Canada

Terrain Maps, also known as Physical Maps, are one of the three map styles a user can choose from for their custom map in MapSherpa. Terrain Maps portray the real world landscape in a manner that simulates a 3D view giving the user an immediate visual sense of the shape of the landscape on the map.

When to use a Terrain Map

Terrain maps are useful for many purposes of which a few are outlined here.

Maps in the Field

A custom Terrain Map provides an immediate visual connection between paper or screen and the real world you are experiencing. This effectively cuts out the process that would otherwise be required to interpret contour lines into land shapes, steepness, canyons, and other aspects of the flow of the land.

Terrain Maps contain the same information as a topographic map, but the emphasis is placed on showcasing the physical shape of the land in 3D approximation. For many situations, use of a terrain map in conjunction with a topographic map of the same area can give the map reader the best of both worlds.

• Get an immediate connection between map and landscape through the terrain map
• Complement this with clear representation of local features on the topo map

Planning Outdoor Adventures

When planning outdoor trips, a critical factor is often based on an assessment of the shape of the landscape. Hunters, Hikers, Canoeists, and people simply looking for a beautiful panorama can easily identify the perfect location through the immediate connection to the real world that MapSherpa terrain maps provide.

Map Your Cottage, Home or Favourite Excursion

MapSherpa terrain maps are stunningly beautiful and make a wonderful personalized gift for someone with a cottage or home in the moutains or hills. These personalized maps can also be a special momento of a favourite Canadian outdoor adventure.

About our Terrain Maps

Our terrain maps use what is know as shaded relief, or hill-shading, to simulate a 3D effect to help you better visualize terrain features.  The technique leverages your visual system to interpret shape from shading.  One of the challenges in creating shaded relief maps is deciding on the angle at which the shadow is cast.  Too shallow an angle will exaggerate the shadow while too steep an angle will eliminate the shadow.