What type of person are you? Type A: Ok, nice bike tour, gladly again, 4 stars or type B: Formerly a poetry album, now a summit diary! If you are type B or - even better - want to give a gift to someone of this type, then the Alpine maps from Marmota could be just the thing. These huge info graphics depict the entire Alpine region from Rocher Garaux (the westernmost recorded peak in France) to the Exelberg near Vienna in the east. Depending on the map, there are 111 or 1001 marked peaks in between.
More information than a normal map
But the maps from the Hamburg-based publisher Marmota, which has also recently published a very nice "bicycle book"would not be complete if they only listed endless summits.
The two maps provide information on all these Alpine mountains in the form of a long list, which not only shows the altitude, but also their "prominence" and so-called "orometric dominance". Prominence is the "difference between the altitude of a peak and the highest point to which one must at least descend in order to reach a higher peak". The orometric dominance is a "measure of the independence of a mountain".
Marmota developed the selection of Alpine mountains with the Alpine researcher and mountain chronicler Eberhard Jurgalski. "We drew all 1001 mountains on the map by hand," says publisher Stefan Spiegel. The decisive element for the selection of the mountains was their prominence. All Alpine mountains with a prominence of at least 500 metres were included. That's 919 mountains and three high-altitude twins, including Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, the Grossglockner and the Zugspitze.
However, it is not only the geography that determines the impression of a mountain, but also its shape, the rock and the lines of sight to the mountain. For this reason, an additional 79 special Alpine mountains were selected which, despite their lesser prominence, have a special significance and characterise the Alps: Examples include the Eiger, Grosser Mythen (both Switzerland) and Hohe Weiße (Italy).
Famous hiking trails across the Alps
Selected and famous hiking trails are also marked and printed with further information. The large map of the 1001 peaks even includes a complete altitude profile - the smaller map is a little more symbolic with the highest and lowest points of the entire route. There are 20 long-distance hiking trails on each of the two Marmota maps.
The gimmick: stickers for the summit collection
As a gag or essential part of the maps, there are small colourful stickers that can be used to mark various things on the maps. The cycle tour to a summit, the breathtaking view, the unique alpine hut, the good food there... The sticker sheet with 97 stickers is available for 4 euros. This makes a complete longing package: Where have I already been? Where do I want to go next? But beware: the large map "1001 Alpine Mountains" is really big. At 1.40 metres wide and 1 metre high, it won't fit in every hobby room or living room!
Product data for the map "111 Mountains of the Alps"
- Size: 84 X 59.4 cm
- Paper: 250 g/m²
- Price: 25 Euro
Product data for the map "1001 Alpine mountains"
- Size: 1.40 x 1.00 m
- Paper: 200 g/m²
- Price: 60 Euro
Marc Strucken
Editor
