Introduction
GPS Tracker is a web based program that lets you automatically analyze tracks for distance, maximum and minimum elevation, and elevation gain and loss. Once a track is selected on the map you can generate an elevation profile or a printable copy of the track. If you have Google Earth installed on your computer you can use it to display the track. Also, you can generate a .gpx file which can be used to display the track in a mapping program such as Garmin's MapSource, or to upload the track to a GPS unit.
You select a track for analysis by clicking on trail segments on the map. As each trail segment is clicked, it's added to the end of the track to be analyzed. As a track is built up, the statistics area of the web page is updated to show the current distance and elevation information, and the track is highlighted on the map. Once the track has been chosen you can generate an elevation profile or a printer friendly version of the map, display the track in Google Earth, or generate a .gpx file by simply clicking on the appropriate buttons.
The segments on the map are generated from GPS data that has been collected "on the trail". It's this GPS data that's analyzed to calculate the distance and elevation data for a track. That also means that only those trails that have been collected with a GPS unit can be displayed on the map. The goal of this web site is to continue to collect GPS track data and make more trail segments available on the map. The current area of focus for the project is Shenandoah National Park and Massanutten Mountain, although other areas may be added as well. As more GPS tracks are collected in these areas, segments will be added to the map to fill the gaps in those areas.