For questions or comments about this web site or the book, “Ohio Backpacking Loops,” contact Jim Rahtz at youroldmanoutdoors@gmail.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is BackpackOhio.com?
BackpackOhio.com was created by Digital Cartographics, a small mapping company selling ready-to-use PowerPoint maps. It just so happens that the owner was an avid Ohio hiker and backpacker. Over time, the original owner left the state and was unable to keep the site updated. Near the end of 2021, the site was turned over to Jim Rahtz, an avid backpacker and author. Rahtz has hiked every backpack trail listed on the site and has updated the site, the BackpackOhio Trail Guides and also published a book on Ohio backpacking.
Why was BackpackOhio.com created?
In the beginning, what is now this web site started out as a project to write a book on Ohio’s backpack trails. The last book dedicated only to Ohio’s backpack trails was published decades ago, and needless to say, some of that information had become a little outdated. We wanted to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date resource covering all of Ohio’s backpacking destinations. Early on, instead of a book, BackpackOhio published PDF products which were guides to the individual backpack trails in the state. Since then, work has been completed on both updating these guides as well as compiling a book covering most of the information contained in the guides.
What are the BackpackOhio Trail Guides?
Each Trail Guide is a PDF based file that you download to your computer and print. Each file contains multiple pages of text describing each trail in detail through text descriptions and descriptions, or notes, based on trail mileage. Each guide product also contains at least one professionally designed topographic trail map as well as a comparative scorecard of the trail’s characteristics.
How is each Trail Guide product created?
With a GPS, a digital camera, a digital voice recorder and a lot of walking. We physically hike each trail and map it with a GPS, while at the same time taking pictures and digital voice notes of important points along the way. Important points could include a trail intersection, a sign, a road crossing, a point of interest, a possible point of confusion and so on. All of this information is taken back to our office and rectified so that the published text matches up with the trail map.
How do I use a BackpackOhio Trail Guide?
You can use as much or as little of the information as you want. You may suffer from information overload after reading one of our trail reports, but we would rather provide too much information than not enough and let you decide what items are important for your trip. Since the guide is downloaded to your computer as a PDF file, you have control over printing. If you want to read a trail’s text description on your computer screen and only printout the map to take with you, then the choice is yours. If you are hiking a trail for the first time and want to print and pack the map and the section highlighting important trail notes by mileage, you’ll have that flexibility as well.
Are BackpackOhio Trail Guides free products?
No. We have dedicated a great deal of time and effort into creating a unique, professionally designed product for Ohio’s backpack trails that you won’t find anywhere else. For that reason, we feel it is acceptable to charge a small fee for each guide. Some guides which are out of date will be offered at no charge, but once updated, the guides will start at $2.99 per download and will not exceed $4.99. To provide an example of the information you’ll receive with a new, updated BackpackOhio Trail Guide, the guide for the Scioto Grove Backpack Trail is available at no charge.
Can I link my web site to BackpackOhio.com?
Yes, by all means.
Can I use your information on my web site?
No. All information provided on our web site and contained in our BackpackOhio products is copyright protected. Our information can be licensed for use in other applications or publications. Please contact us to discuss.
How do I contact you?
Use the email address above. We are interested to hear how you feel about our site and our products. Plus, if you think we’ve made a mistake or have suggestions on how we can improve, we’d like to hear that as well.