Mountaineers Books
We are proud to announce that we have entered a distribution agreement with Green Trails Maps Inc., a 45-year-old publisher of wilderness maps for outdoor recreation. Beginning October 1, 2019, Mountaineers Books will be the exclusive distributor of Green Trails Maps to retail customers.
"I reached out to Mountaineers Books," said Alan Coburn, President and CEO, “because I see them as the best home for Green Trails. They have a strong reputation amongst outdoor enthusiasts, a proven track record of publishing high quality outdoor titles, and solid distribution relationships that will ensure that Green Trails Maps will flourish well into the future."
Green Trails was founded by Walter Locke in Seattle in 1973. Mocke was disappointed in the frequently inaccurate trail locations shown on USGS maps at the time, and became determined to make hiking maps that were more accurate and easier for outdoor enthusiasts to use.
I reached out to Mountaineers Books because I see them as the best home for Green Trails. They have a strong reputation amongst outdoor enthusiasts.
Today the company has 150 maps in print covering wilderness areas in many Western states. The maps are available both in a flat paper format and a folded plastic material, which is waterproof and tear resistant. Unlike USGS maps, which cover quadrants in a fixed-grid, Green Trails maps are designed around "hiker sheds," which is a group of trail heads and their trails included all on a single map. With USGS maps, a user might have to buy several maps when a trail crosses through more than one quadrant. Green Trails maps, which are updated regularly, also call out multiple activities that each map can guide users to.
"We have always tried to provide a good value for our customers," said Coburn. "One way we do that is by using professional mapping crews who understand how to get the most accurate GPS trail tracks. Then we lay those tracks over the many layers of GIS data that are combined in our topo art. Our motto is 'clear, current, compact, and convenient'."
Mountaineers Books, the publishing division of The Mountaineers, produces books for outdoor recreation, sustainable lifestyle, and conservation, and distributes them to a worldwide audience. Our first book, Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills — published in 1960 and now in its ninth edition — is considered the "bible" of climbing and is the all-time best-selling text on the sport.
"We are really excited to begin this adventure with Green Trails," said Helen Cherullo, Mountaineers Books publisher. "We’ve known Alan for many years and have always been a big admirer of Green Trails—so much so that we frequently call out the related map in our guidebook route descriptions. We’re confident that we can steward and build on the quality and care that Alan has brought to Green Trails. We’re grateful that he approached us with this opportunity."
