Patent ID: 8775069

Claim:
A method comprising the steps of: determining, using a processor associated with a navigation device, a present location based on a signal from a global positioning system (GPS); receiving, using the processor, an input corresponding to a user identified criteria to be avoided, the user identified criteria being a hazard category; analyzing, using the processor, off-road cartographic data between the present location and a destination waypoint to determine if a geographic condition associated with the hazard category to avoid is present; calculating, using the processor, an off-road route to the destination waypoint based on the off-road cartographic data with a preference for avoiding all areas between the present location and the destination waypoint associated with the hazard category; and if the calculated off-road route avoids the hazard category, alerting a user regarding the avoidance of the hazard category using the processor; wherein the off-road cartographic data includes terrain information and information associated with bodies of water; wherein the terrain information includes various grades associated with a geographic area; and wherein the input corresponding to a hazard category to avoid is a maximum grade for a route to the destination waypoint.