Gear: Map

I've got this thing about maps. Always have. My parents can attest that I would spend countless hours growing up studying maps.  Road maps, topographic maps, geologic maps, maps in encyclopedias, in books or just stand alone.  So, while I was trying on my boots the other day, Gail found the rack of topographic maps and guess what?  There was a map specifically of Mount Rainier and the Wonderland Trail. 

A waterproof map should be part of every back country trip.  Although a GPS will tell you exactly where you are and a map, the batteries can wear out, it can be dropped and break, it can get wet and malfunction, any host of things.  So, for safety's sake, I got the map and now I get to waste plenty of time studying it.