Blog Entry #1: Interesting Maps

I copied this map from the official Mt. Baker website (http://www.mtbaker.us/1011/ski-area-info/trail-map/).  This is a trail map of the Mt. Baker ski resort for the 2010-11 ski season.  Mt. Baker is one of my favorite ski mountains in North America, and I think this trail map is interesting because it shows how unique the mountain is.  There are far fewer trails at Mt. Baker than at most well-established ski resorts, and everything inside the outer ski area boundary is open to skiers.  No closed areas or roped off tree zones, just a few signs that say "CLIFFS" and some of the most intense in-bounds skiing anywhere in the world.

I copied this map from the United States Geological Survey website (http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/PlateTectonics/Maps/map_plate_tectonics_world.html).  This is a map showing Earth's tectonic plate boundaries, as well as indicating active volcanoes and pointing out the "Ring of Fire," an area in the Pacific Ocean where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes take place.  I think this map is interesting because it shows the tectonic plates that make up our planet in a very clear manner, and it shows why plates should not be confused with continents because the boundaries are often quite different.  It is also very clear from looking at the map that almost all volcanic activity occurs along plate boundaries. 

I copied this map from a travel site called "EuropeUpClose" (http://www.europeupclose.com/article/paris-arrondissements-where-to-stay/).  The map shows the twenty arrondissements of Paris and a few famous attractions such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.  Paris is divided into these arrondissements, which start with "one" in the center before spiraling outwards clockwise until "twenty" and act as administrative boundaries in the city.  I think this map is interesting because it shows how Paris is divided into different sections in this strange spiral fashion.  I do not know of any other cities that are segmented in this way, and I think it is a unique and very useful method of organizing a city.  These arrondissements give Parisians a way to describe their locations in a more general fashion without always having to use specific streets or intersections, and are helpful for tourists trying to break down the city into more manageable sections.