Using existing tracks on course create map

Please bear with me, I feel like terminology may be part of why I've had trouble searching this topic.

I LOVE the feature in the Explore App that lets me use the base mapping to create a course and then follow it on my Epix. The tap interface to draw a route that snaps to trails is great. Best interface I've seen for this type of routing.

Only problem is a lot of my favorite places to hike are not mapped into Garmins Basemap.One local state park has a network of trails, and from one trip to the next I may want to mix and match trails to keep it interesting, since they loop and connect in various ways.

Well, I can make that not a problem, I just need a track. I can get tracks all day, either from my previous activites, or import KMZ.KML, GPX. I work in mapping so I know how to manipulate that data somewhat.

My issue, either ignorance on how to do it, or maybe this is a feature request, is I'd love for this user saved data to be visible in the course create editor so I can pick my own path in the app like you can for the base mapping. When I go into the interface to draw my snapped to trails course, I cannot see my saved data on that screen, just Garmin basemapping. And using Explore, filtering like just showing the desired collection would keep this from being a mess.

Now I can and have simply edited the data to make it a continuous track in the configuration I want, convert that to a course, and go. But it's kind of a pain to have to drag out the GIS software to edit the data in the configuration I want, when I know the interface in Explore is capable, if I could just trace over my existing tracks. That tap interface even lets you fix gaps, so it doesn't even need to be perfect.

Any ideas? Thank you.

  • I use Explore Web to trace a route over the top of a previous activity sometimes when I need to, then the route is visible on my android phone. As far as doing it all on the app, I am not sure that is possible if I am understanding you correctly.

  • Here this may help describe.

    This is the interface I like, create a course. This particular place has trail mapping.

    This is an area I have hiked and have trail map tracks loaded for.

    This is that area in course creation.

    Making a course from a track is easy if you have a track exactly of the route you want to do again. If you want to change it up, say use the connector and to a half loop, it's not really going to work in the app.

    But I am half posting it up because I've seen Garmin implement things thought would be cool before, so who knows.

  • Yep it would be very handy to have all of the features of Explore App and all the features of Explore Web bundled together then Explore would start to be impressive. For now I do most of my layout (including tracing of any activity, route or course) on the larger screen of my PC because it is much easier for old eyes and hands to work with.