In response to the wildfires ravaging the country, we’ve made wildfire and air quality maps available and free for everyone on gaiagps.com (and soon to the mobile app, too). Now you can readily track the size of wildfires, new fires that have just popped up, and air quality index wherever you live or plan to travel.

Find and avoid wildfires using the Wildfires (Satellite Detections) layer in Gaia GPS. This overlay uses NASA satellites to detect thermal abnormalities around the globe. Pair it with your favorite map layer and the Wildfires (Current) layer to stay safe on your next adventure.

Wilderness ranger Mary Cochenour conquered her fear of solo backpacking, only to discover she was not alone after all. She was being stalked! Tune into the Out and Back podcast to hear Mary recount this thrilling tale. Mary reveals how this sketchy incident inspired her to keep backpacking solo. And she shares insight on how and why to face your fears.

Lighten your backpack with these top tips from ultralight backpacker and gear reviewer Adventure Alan. Read more about how he uses the “free three” technique to reduce his pack weight without spending a dime on expensive gear.

Take your adventure planning to the next level by learning to create routes like the pros. Join our Gaia GPS expert as he shows you step by step how to build a multi-day hiking route, save your plan, and share it with a friend for offline use.

The best ultralight backcountry food can be made right in your kitchen with dried ingredients bought from the local grocery store. Tune into our conversation with Aaron Owens Mayhew, a registered dietitian who founded Backcountry Foodie, a backpacking meal planning service. Owens Mayhew explains that the old rule of packing two pounds of food per day can be broken with careful and creative menu planning. Plus you won’t want to miss her break-down of macros, enlightening us to the perfect ratio of carbs, fats, and protein to carry us through those long days on the trail.

Learn how to photograph the night sky, including star trails and the brilliant Milky Way, with these five pro tips from landscape and action photographer Scott Sady. Sady covers the fine details of gear recommendations, how to find the best location, and editing tips, so you can get the best results.

Take your adventures off-road with the best maps for overlanding. This list includes favorites like USFS Roads and Trails and Motor Vehicle Use Maps, plus a few bonus maps you might not know about. Discover new trails, go further off the grid and always be prepared for what’s ahead with these key map sources.

The longest thru-hike in the US is currently being created and tested. Join American Perimeter Trail mastermind Rue McKenrick from a town stop in western Michigan on this episode of the Out and Back Podcast. McKenrick shares what inspired this 12,000-mile project, his vision for the trail, and his crazy encounters along the way.

Battery drain stinks, and often hits the hardest at the most inconvenient times. Countless factors can threaten the life of your phone battery, like cold or blazing hot temperatures, or even how many apps you’ve recently used. Whether you’re out for a 3-night backpacking trip, casual day hike, or a few hours on the slopes, there’s no escaping the inevitable drain. Whatever your adventure looks like, these tricks will help you save the juice in your phone and keep Gaia GPS up and running longer.

Quickly upload tracks, routes, waypoints, and areas with one click on gaiagps.com/map. Now when you find a route or file from another website or source, you can import them directly to your Gaia GPS account. Expand your adventures by importing obscure off-road routes, new hikes, or recommended adventures.

Get the inside scoop on Justin “Trauma” Lichter’s ground-breaking thru-hike adventures on Out and Back this week. Trauma delves into getting stalked by lions in Africa, hiking 2,000 miles across the Himalayas, and thru-hiking the PCT in winter. He shares his trove of knowledge about international resupply logistics, winter navigation, and finding what it takes to push your own limits.