Upper Valley Search & Rescue

Prepared by Darrell Monroe to assist SAR members in converting their Naches Ranger District map for use as a UMS reference.

DISCUSSION:

This 1993 edition two sided map is available for around $3.25 at the Naches Ranger District Office, 10061 Highway 12 in Naches, phone: (509) 653-2205. The map is a photo reduced composite of revised 7.5 minute USGS maps for the Naches Ranger District. The maps are at a scale of 1 inch to the mile. This allows the use of a 10th or 20th inch scale for calculating UMS coordinates.

These maps provide the best information going on US Forest Service road numbers and show other useful information applicable to our missions such as location of Heliports, Helispots, closed roads, and likely watering spots. The map also shows the Section, Township, and Range system which of course will facilitate staying oriented with field aids like the survey posts and the Pacific Power and Light Company (PP&L) pole tags.

The only significant drawbacks are the size of the map and that the photo reduction makes them difficult to read. I recommend using a magnifying lens if you plan on using it much. You must also be aware that whatever contour interval was on the base topographic maps are copied. Adjacent 7.5 minute segments frequently have different contour intervals (20', 40', and 80' contours which must be determined by looking at the spacing on the index contour lines).

Gridding this map to the UMS (Uniform Mapping System) is a fairly simple process. This increases their utility for search and rescue mission planning and general navigational. Once gridded it also serves as an index for selecting appropriate larger scale maps such as USGS7.5 minute Quadrangles.

UMS GRIDDING: Getting oriented The borders of the map shows the Latitude (Lat) and Longitude (Long) in 7.5 minute increments. This will get you close to the match line. With a little study and possibly a magnifying lens you can identify and extend the joints or match lines across the map. The match lines will show as a slight space, a color change, a slight mismatch on some of the contour lines, or even different contour intervals from one 7.5 minute segment to another.

It is advisable to mark the UMS neutral corners with a different symbol than the others. I usually place a cross at the neutral corner and neatly label it with the appropriate map number and letter designator in each quadrant of the cross.

GRIDDING: North Half Naches Ranger District The top tier does not depict full 15 minute areas. Please note that the degree symbol has converted to a subscrpt zero instead of a traditional degree symbol in the exponential position.

The first UMS neutral corner is at the intersection of Lat 47 00' 00" and Long 121 30' 00" which serves as the common corner for SEA 238 D, SEA 239 C, SEA 270 B and SEA 271 A (SEA 271 is the first complete 15' segment on the map).

Following the Lat 47 00' 00" line easterly past the 121 22' 30" intersection to the 121 15' 00" intersection. You can mark this as the UMS neutral corner for SEA 239 D, SEA 240 C and SEA 271 B, and SEA 272 A.

Continuing to follow the Lat 47 00' 00" line easterly past the 121 07' 30" intersection to the 121 00' 00" intersection. It is the UMS neutral corner for SEA 240 D, SEA 241 C and SEA 272 B, and SEA 273 A.

The next 15' jump eastward will take you past the 120 52' 30'' Long line to the unlabeled 120 45' 00" line. The upper portion is hidden by the map legend, but further down the map sheet you should be able to pick out the match line fairly easily. It is slightly over 1 inch westerly from the east border and there is significant color contrast. This junction serves as the UMS corners SEA 241 D, SEA 242 C, SEA 273 B, and SEA 274 A.

You can now drop down to the Lat 46 45' 00" line at its junction with Long 121 30' 00" and start across. This junction serves as the neutral corners for SEA 270 D, 271 C, SEA 302 B, AND SEA 303 A.

As before, this time following the Lat 46 45' 00" line easterly past the 121 22' 30" intersection to the 121 15' 00" intersection which serves as the UMS neutral corner for SEA 271 D, SEA 272 C, SEA 303 B, and SEA 304 A.

Continuing to follow the same Lat line easterly past the 121 07' 30" intersection to the 121 00' 00" intersection, the UMS neutral corner for SEA 272 D, SEA 273 C, SEA 304 B, and SEA 305 A.

The next 15' jump eastward will take you past the 120 52' 30'' Long line to the unlabeled 120 45' 00" line. As above, you should be able to pick out the match line fairly easily. It is slightly over 1 inch in from the east border and there is significant color contrast. This junction is UMS corners SEA 273 D, SEA 274 C, SEA 305 B, and SEA 306 A.

You have completed identifying the neutral corners for this side.

UMS GRIDDING: South Half Naches Ranger District The top tier does not depict full 15 minute areas. You will note that there is overlap with the bottom portion of the North half side.

The first UMS neutral corner is at the intersection of Lat 46 45' 00" and Long 121 30' 00" which serves as the common corner for SEA 270 D, 271 C, SEA 302 B, AND SEA 303 A (SEA 303 is the first complete 15' segment on the south side map).

As before, this time following the Lat 46 45' 00" line easterly past the 121 22' 30" intersection to the 121 15' 00" intersection which serves as the UMS neutral corner for SEA 271 D, SEA 272 C, SEA 303 B, and SEA 304 A.

Continuing to follow the same Lat line easterly past the 121 07' 30" intersection to the 121 00' 00" intersection, the UMS neutral corner for SEA 272 D, SEA 273 C, SEA 304 B, and SEA 305 A.

The next 15' jump eastward will take you past the 120 52' 30'' Long line to the unlabeled 120 45' 00" line. As with the north side, you should be able to pick out the match line fairly easily. It is slightly over 1 inch in from the east border and there is significant color contrast. This junction is UMS corners SEA 273 D, SEA 274 C, SEA 305 B, and SEA 306 A. You can now drop down to the Lat 460 30' 00" line at its junction with Long 1210 30' 00" and start across. This junction serves as the neutral corners for SEA 302 D, 303 C, SEA 334 B, AND SEA 335 A.

As before, this time following the Lat 46 30' 00" line easterly past the 121 22' 30" intersection to the 121 15' 00" intersection which serves as the UMS neutral corner for SEA 303 D, SEA 304 C, SEA 335 B, and SEA 336 A.

Continuing to follow the same Lat line easterly past the 121 07' 30" intersection to the 121 00' 00" intersection, the UMS neutral corner for SEA 304 D, SEA 305 C, SEA 336 B, and SEA 337 A.

The next 15' jump eastward will take you past the 120 52' 30'' Long line to the again unlabeled 120 45' 00" line. As above, you should be able to pick out the match line fairly easily. It is slightly over 1 inch westerly from the east border and there is significant color contrast. This junction is UMS corners SEA 305 D, SEA 306 C, SEA 337 B, and SEA 338 A.

You are now done with the second side.

The following is a UMS-USGS (Uniform Map System to United States Geologic Survey cross reference) representing a majority of the USGS topographic maps covered by the Naches Ranger District map. Quadrangle names are given.