It used to be that distance was calculated by eye using grids or with a pair of dividers. Now it's possible to use an online map to plot a route with height and distance calculated accurately. Three such websites are Open Street Maps, Graphhopper and Google maps.
https://www.openstreetmap.org
https://graphhopper.com/maps/
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.816 ... 9223299,8z
OSM and Graphhopper have maps that do not how all the features and are hard to read, tiny text, faded roads, information missing. Google maps are better in that they show vegetation, making it easier to see features.
All work to varying degrees when following tracks, but do not work for tracks that are not marked or off track routes.The Bogong High Plains is open terrain, and with some limits you can walk or ski anywhere. The route below is from just east of Cope Saddle Hut to Mount Bundara. Instead of going for a few minutes to the hut, Open Street maps has the route going via Falls Creek.
https://www.openstreetmap.org/direction ... 8/147.2707
Google maps are better, but still do not show the logical way, going west to Bundara from the track junction west of Ryders Huts.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/-36. ... m2!4m1!3e2
Google maps are compounded by recent pictures, snow.
Are there any maps that allow a user to plot a walk off track with vegetation on the map?