Author

Mary Cochenour

Mary Cochenour worked on the marketing team at Gaia GPS from 2020 to 2022. She enjoys backpacking, skiing, and mountain biking in the mountains near her home in Montana.

Know Before You Go with the Avalanche Forecast Layer

by Mary Cochenour January 20, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Gaia GPS is proud to partner with the experts at Avalanche.org to bring you the Avalanche Forecast layer. Now, you can get official, up-to-date avalanche forecasts for mountain zones in the U.S. directly from the map on your phone.

Plan safer winter backcountry travel with quick and easy access to avalanche danger ratings from the National Avalanche Center and the American Avalanche Association. Link to complete avalanche reports from professional snow safety scientists in your region.

Whether you’re backcountry skiing the couloirs or snowmobiling into the back bowls, add this must-have feature to your avalanche safety toolkit. Updated every 30 minutes, this map is available online only. Be sure to check the map before you head out the door or leave cell service.

Avalanche Danger Ratings and Daily Forecasts

The Avalanche Forecast overlays on top of your favorite backcountry map to show you the color-coded North American Avalanche Danger Scale for your region. Crafted by avalanche forecasting experts, the danger scale spans five categories, from low to moderate and all the way through extreme danger, letting you know the risk of potential avalanches on your planned route.

Look for a time and date stamp on the map, showing exactly when the region’s danger rating expires. Tap the shaded areas on the map to access more information, including travel advice and a link to the official forecast from the snow safety scientists at the local avalanche center.

Regions with a daily forecast will show “no rating” until the forecasting center issues the rating for the day. Because winter backcountry conditions change constantly, this layer updates every 30 minutes and is available for online use only. This layer is only active during the avalanche forecast reporting season set by the avalanche centers in the mountain west.

Use the Avalanche Forecast Layer with your Favorite Maps

I computer monitor displaying the avalanche danger rating for an area on the topo map.

Add the Avalanche Forecast layer to your quiver of backcountry ski maps for a more complete picture of winter conditions in the backcountry. Use the layer in conjunction with the newly updated Gaia Topo, the USGS topo map, satellite imagery, Snow Stations (Daily), Snow Depth, and Snow Forecast layers to gather more information and make safer decisions in avalanche terrain.

How to Get the Avalanche Forecast Layer

The new Avalanche Forecast layer is available with a premium membership. To add the layer to your maps, open the Gaia GPS app, tap the layers icon, and select “Add map layers.” Go to “Feature/Weather Overlays” and select Avalanche Forecast.

This feature is available on the Gaia GPS website and both Android and iOS. Download the Gaia GPS app today and start planning your next winter trip to the backcountry.

January 20, 2021

A skier holds up his ski to the camera. He stands on a ski slope, and is wearing a helmet and googles.

Backcountry Skiing Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast User Profiles

The Best Backcountry Skiing Gear Recommendations

by Mary Cochenour January 19, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

If you’re wondering what kind of backcountry ski gear to buy this season, you’ll want to listen to this chat with big mountain skier Sophia Schwartz and Sean McCoy, editorial director of GearJunkie. Schwartz, a multiple top-ten World Cup finisher and the 2013 U.S. Freestyle champion, walks us through her journey from the mogul course to the backcountry glades and couloirs. She recalls how her gear was less than optimal on her first backcountry ski trip.

“I got invited on a trip with some friends when I was living in Steamboat,“ Schwartz says. ”I had no gear. So I went to the rental shop and I rented boots, skis, skins and an avalanche set up. My feet cramped so horrifically badly on the skin track that I was like, do I just like take my boots off and walk barefoot in the snow? Of course, I didn’t do that. But it was humbling.”

A skier stands at the top of an icy couloir.

Though an expert and professional skier (she lands double backflips), Schwartz says that the switch to backcountry skiing made her feel like a total “noob.” But skiing is skiing, and Schwartz says many of the skills she honed in competition transferred to off-piste zones. There was just one major exception. Schwartz has had to dial in her knowledge of avalanche terrain — and all the gear that comes with it.

Schwartz teams up with GearJunkie’s McCoy, an avid skier himself, to chat about what’s good in the world of backcountry ski gear. Everything from avalanche airbags to climbing skins, Schwartz and McCoy dive into their kits, discuss their favorite pieces of gear, and give tips for best uses along the way. Turns out that these two happen to be big fans of the same ski boot. Tune in to find out which boot they love to ski both at the resort and in the backcountry.

Check out GearJunkie’s review of backcountry ski bindings. Watch Sophia Schwartz’s new movie Jack of All Trades to see her master a double backflip, take on Jackson Hole’s super steep “Trifecta,” and shred the Grand Teton. You can also follow Schwartz on Instagram to get a sense of what’s going down in the backcountry around her hometown of Jackson, Wyoming.

A person walks barefoot across a stream with skis and a big pack on their back. They're wearing a t-shirt and shorts, and carrying poles.

Episode Highlights: Best Backcountry Gear

5:30: Sophia describes what drew her out of the mogul course to backcountry skiing. The two disciplines are so different, yet the same.
7:00: Even though she is an expert skier who can pull off backflips, Sophia’s first big trip to the backcountry was a total disaster, and the gear was a big part of the problem. But it was still worth it though and here’s why.
8:30: Sophia talks about how she executed the transition to backcountry skiing and big mountain skiing, and how it made her “heart flutter.“
13:00: Sophia talks about her movie Jack of All Trades.
14:20: Sophia’s bought her first backcountry setup off the classified ads for just $250, showing us that even the pros start with a basic set up.
18:10: Sophia describes the difference in fitness between resort skiing and backcountry skiing.
20:15: GearJunkie’s Editorial Director, Sean McCoy, joins the conversation. GearJunkie is a web-based publication that is an authority on outdoor and adventure news, gear, and culture.
25:00: McCoy advises to invest in avalanche education and how to build your first backcountry kit, given the fact that the gear goes in many different directions.
26:45. Sophia rattles off what she carries into the backcountry.
28:45: How to select the proper avalanche beacon.
30:35: Sophia and Sean discuss avalanche air bags, how much they cost, and when they might use one.
36:00: Alpine touring boots versus alpine boots. Find out which boot Sophia and Sean use both in the resort and in the backcountry.
44:00: Backcountry ski bindings are a good place to shave weight from your set up.
52:00: Glopping of skins can be frustrating; here are Sophia’s tips to avoid “glop.”
55:30: Find out what’s in Sophia’s repair kit.
59:00: How to manage carrying your cell phone and your avalanche beacon, so the two devices don’t interfere with each other.
1:05: Sean and Sophia impart their final tips on getting out in the backcountry for the first time.

Next Episode: Ski Mountaineer Luke Smithwick Brings Himalayan Skiing into Focus

Smithwick skis down a giant Himalayan slope with clouds and tall snowcapped peaks in the distance.

In the next episode of the Out and Back podcast, Shanty and Mary catch up with Luke Smithwick — one of the most prolific ski mountaineers and guides in the world. You may not have heard much about Smithwick. That’s because he’s been off the map so to speak and on a mission to ski 500 unique and beautiful lines in the most remote corners of the Himalayas. With more than 75 mountain expeditions to his name, Smithwick unravels the mystery of skiing in places like Tibet, India, and Nepal.

“It’s truly a Wild West. It’s just very remote. We take several flights to get out there from Katmandu and then we go with horses up to the snow line,” Smithwick says of his expeditions in the Himalaya. “The skiing starts at around 11,000 feet and goes up to 18,000 or 19,000 feet. The snow is really good. And I just love the people out there. It’s like a different world.”

Tune in to hear why the Himalayas could become the next, all-time backcountry ski destination. Find out what it takes to get on one of Smithwick’s guided Himalayan ski mountaineering trips, learn about his mission to ski 500 unique Himalayan descents, and get his take on the best zones in this colossal mountain region.

You can follow Smithwick on his personal Instagram page or his Himalaya 500 page. Check out all the 2021 skiing and climbing expeditions that Smithwick plans to offer through his company Himalaya Alpine Guides.

Last Episode: Bluebird Backcountry: A Ski Area without Lifts

A splitboarder rides down a slope with aspens in the background.

If the transition to backcountry skiing seems daunting, then you’ll want to go back and listen to the last Out and Back episode with Erik Lambert from Bluebird Backcountry. Bluebird Backcountry is a totally new concept — a ski area without lifts. That’s right, alpine touring only. Lambert says he started the Colorado resort as a way for skiers and splitboarders to feel comfortable in their transition from the resort to the backcountry.

“You could go take an avalanche course, but a lot of folks are not really ready for that. And that’s part of why Bluebird exists, is to bridge the gap between someone who’s curious about backcountry skiing and wanting to make that investment of time, money, etc, into an avalanche course,” Lambert says.

Tune in to learn more about what Bluebird offers — everything from top notch backcountry rental equipment, to avalanche courses, to guided backcountry skiing. Bluebird provides a prime spot to get started backcountry skiing and a fun adventure for experts, too.

Meet the Hosts

Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

In 2019, host Andrew Baldwin completed a southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. After five months on the trail, Baldwin returned home to pursue a career in voice acting. A friend of the Gaia GPS company, Baldwin was a natural choice for hosting the Out and Back podcast.

In each Out and Back episode, Shanty strives to bring you conversations with people who spend an extraordinary amount of time outdoors. Listen in as Shanty taps into each backcountry expert’s superpower so that you can take their knowledge and experience with you on your next adventure.

Mary Cochenour

Mary smiles while lying down and resting her head on a rock. She's wearing a purple jacket, gloves, and a black buff around her ears.

When she is not in the office, Mary works as a guide for Andrew Skurka Adventures in wild places around the west, like Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite, and the Brooks Range in Alaska. See some of Mary’s adventures on Instagram. Also, read her tips on how to plan your first solo backpacking trip and listen to her scary story about being stalked in the wilderness by a sketchy man.

January 19, 2021

Gaia GPS New Features New Maps

Identify Avalanche Terrain with the New High-Res, Worldwide Slope Angle Map

by Mary Cochenour January 5, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Identify avalanche terrain quicker and easier this winter with the Slope Angle map. We brought development of the slope angle overlay in house and tapped into the US Geological Survey’s 3D Elevation Program and NASA’s Digital Elevation Model. These sources allowed us to expand our coverage globally, integrate high-resolution data, and fine-tune color details. These improvements help make picking out steep, avalanche terrain on the map a snap.

Whether you’re backcountry skiing the bowls or snowmobiling deep into the forest, add the Slope Angle layer to your favorite base map to help plan a safer route through the backcountry. If you’ve downloaded slope angle maps in the mobile app before, you will see a notification at the top of the “Saved” tab that will let you update your old maps.

Graded Color Style for Finer Details

A continuous color ramp shows terrain changes in a graded fashion, making the change in terrain easier to read on the map.

The new layer emphasizes 30 to 45-degree zones in orange and red colors, recognizing and calling your attention to the fact that these slopes comprise the starting zone for most avalanches. Less steep terrain — in the 20 to 25-degree range — is highlighted in green. Slopes steeper than 45 degrees are shaded in greyscale colors to point out the steepest terrain on the map. The grey shading also helps people with red/green confusion color blindness see the map details.

High Resolution in the US and Worldwide Coverage

The new Slope Angle layer applies the most up-to-date data to deliver insanely crisp resolution for most areas within the United States. USGS 3D Elevation Program provides the best resolution for parts of the US with LiDAR data at 1 to 3 meters. This high-resolution coverage is expanding and will be updated as the USGS releases it. Other parts of the US are covered by 10 meters of resolution through USGS NED data.

Get 25-meter resolution in Western Europe with EU DEM and 30-meter resolution elsewhere around the globe with NASA’s Digital Elevation Model. The higher resolution shows smaller terrain features that would otherwise be hidden with lower resolution data.

Warning and Limitations

Avalanche forecasting uses many tools to analyze avalanche risk in the field. Slope shading is best used for a big picture overview of terrain. All slope angle maps, including the new Slope Angle layer, fail to show micro terrain such as small starting zones. Snow features like wind pillows and cornices will not be on the map. Be prepared to use an inclinometer and other on-the-ground assessments in the field in addition to the slope angle map. Change your plans accordingly if terrain does not match up to data depicted on the slope angle layer. Educate yourself about avalanche and snow safety before traveling in any areas prone to avalanches. For more information on how slope angle maps are made, see Jeff Deems’ presentation about how these map overlays are made from the 2019 Colorado Snow and Avalanche Workshop or the article “Digital Mapping: Do You Know What Your Map Knows?” in September 2020 issue of The Avalanche Review.

How to Get the Slope Angle Layer

The new Slope Angle layer is available with a Gaia GPS premium membership. To access the layer, visit the layers menu, and select the “Features/Weather Overlays” tab. Scroll down and tap “Slope Angle.” Tap the “Add Layer“ button. Learn how to add and manage overlays here.

Pair this map with other useful backcountry skiing maps available with a Premium membership on Gaia GPS. Read up on how to use maps, including the slope angle layer, to help avoid avalanche danger.

If you’ve downloaded slope angle maps in the mobile app before, you will see a notification at the top of the “Saved” tab that will let you update your old maps.

January 5, 2021

Four backcountry skiers walk up a snowy mountain.

Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast

Earn Your Turns: Learn How to Backcountry Ski at Bluebird Backcountry Ski Area

by Mary Cochenour January 4, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

If the transition to backcountry skiing seems daunting, then you won’t want to miss this Out and Back episode with Erik Lambert from Bluebird Backcountry. Bluebird Backcountry is a totally new concept — a ski area without lifts. That’s right, alpine touring only. Lambert says he founded the Colorado ski area as a way for skiers and splitboarders to feel comfortable in their transition from the resort to the backcountry.

“You could go take an avalanche course, but a lot of folks are not really ready for that. And that’s part of why Bluebird exists, is to bridge the gap between someone who’s curious about backcountry skiing and wanting to make that investment of time, money, etc, into an avalanche course,” Lambert says on the podcast.

With ski patrol and avalanche mitigation on site, the new ski area lets people focus on honing their backcountry skills instead of the risks associated with traveling in the wild during winter. Seven different up-hill tracks lead you to the top of the mountain. Ski down high-angle chutes or gentle aspen glades full of untracked powder. At the base you’ll find a lodge, offering a place to warm your toes and refuel with lunch options. But that’s not all, Bluebird brings an educational focus with the goal that one day you might venture outside the comforts of the area and into the untouched backcountry.

Lambert says that navigation is part of learning how to backcountry ski. The resort partnered with Gaia GPS to offer an official Bluebird Backcountry digital trail map so skiers and snowboarders can practice map reading and navigation skills. View the Bluebird Backcountry Gaia GPS digital resort map.

Tune in to learn more about what Bluebird offers — everything from top-notch backcountry rental equipment, to avalanche courses, to guided backcountry skiing. Bluebird provides a prime spot to get started backcountry skiing and a fun adventure for experts, too.

Check out Bluebird on its website, Instagram, and Facebook.

Episode Highlights

A splitboarder rides down an aspen glade.

3:45: What even is Bluebird Backcountry? Lambert says it’s a small ski area with zero chairlifts — a first of its kind.
5:30: The idea to create this educational, risk-controlled backcountry ski environment emerged when one of Bluebird’s partners took a family member on his first ski tour.
6:20: Bluebird Backcountry aims to tear down the barriers that can make learning to backcountry ski and splitboard feel insurmountable.
8:50: You only need to be an intermediate skier/snowboarder to enjoy all that Bluebird has to offer. But all levels of backcountry experience are welcome, from never-evers to experts looking for a chill, social backcountry setting.
10:30: Bluebird is located on private property on the Continental Divide, about 30 minutes outside Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
16:50: Bluebird’s mountain is mostly aspen glades plus a mix of steeper terrain and even some couloirs in mostly north and east-facing terrain, which hold snow.
19:00: You can hire a guide to take you outside of the ski area boundary.
20:00: There are seven skin tracks leading the way up — you don’t have to break trail! The whole mountain is un-groomed so you can learn how to ski in variable conditions, similar to what is found in the backcountry.
21:15: Get the breakdown on the percentage of types of terrain: green, blue, black, and, yes, even double black zones.
23:00: Bluebird backcountry offers educational courses in both backcountry skiing instruction and avalanche safety. Check out the introductory three-step courses, plus a women-specific Avalanche I course.
26:00: Get daily clinics and ski with a mentor to get you started in the backcountry.
28:20: Learn how Bluebird mitigates risks of avalanches inside the resort boundaries by managing terrain. Ski patrol also monitors the area for medical emergencies.
37:00: Get a free Gaia GPS premium membership when you buy a pass to Bluebird Backcountry, because “maps are an essential part of the kit” to your backcountry gear. Erik has been using Gaia GPS for his backcountry adventures for 10 years.
42:00: Bluebird limits visitor counts to 200 guests a day, and is naturally conducive to social distancing.
43:50: What does a day pass cost? And what do you get for that? Listen to find out!
45:00: “Part of our goal is to make sure people have a big friendly face on the mountain.”

Next Episode: Gear Junkie and Pro Skier Sophia Schwartz Highlight the Best Backcountry Ski Gear

A skier stands at the top of a narrow, steep couloir with vibrant blue ice pouring in from the sides.

Tune in to the next episode of Out and Back for a backcountry gear shakedown with U.S. Ski Team freestyle champ Sophia Schwartz and Sean McCoy, editorial director of GearJunkie. Schwartz, a multiple top-ten World Cup finisher and 2013 U.S. Freestyle champion, describes her journey from the mogul course to the backcountry glades and couloirs near her home of Jackson, Wyoming.

Though an expert at skiing (she can land double backflips), Schwartz says that the shift to the backcountry made her feel like a total “noob” in a sport she had mastered and practiced all her life. But skiing is skiing, and Schwartz says that many of the skills she honed in competition transferred outside the resort boundary. One major exception: she’s had to dial in her knowledge of avalanche terrain — and all the gear that comes with it.

Schwartz teams up with McCoy, an avid backcountry skier himself, to chat about what’s good in the world of backcountry ski gear. Everything from skins to avalanche beacons, Schwartz and McCoy discuss their favorite pieces of gear and give tips for best uses along the way. Turns out that these two both are big fans of the same ski boot. Tune in next time to find out which one they love!

Check out GearJunkie’s review of backcountry ski bindings. Watch Schwartz’s new movie Jack of All Trades and see her master a double backflip, take on Jackson Hole’s super steep trifecta, and ski the Grand Teton. Follow Schwartz on Instagram.

Previous Episode: Swept Away by an Avalanche

A skier crosses over the remnants of an avalanche slide.

If you missed it, go back to Out and Back’s previous episode to hear avalanche expert Bruce Tremper describe what it feels like to be swept away in an avalanche. Tremper rewinds the clock to 1978, when he was working on a chair lift construction crew at Bridger Bowl, Montana. His boss sent him up the chair to inspect the lift. On the ski down from the top station, Tremper knocked off a slab avalanche that “pulled the rug” out from under him.

“It just shoved snow everywhere. It goes up your nose, it goes underneath your eyelids, which I would never have imagined. It instantly rips off your hat, your mittens — all that is gone instantly. It goes down your neck. I was just getting an injection molded with all this snow. It’s going everywhere in my underwear, and then I’m tumbling and tumbling and I can’t breathe,” Tremper recounts on the podcast.

Tremper admits that this avalanche should have killed him. Surviving it changed his life. He vowed to learn everything he could about snow science and became an expert in avalanche forecasting — a career that spanned 40 years. Tremper’s written three books on the topic of snow science and avalanche safety. His most popular book, Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, opens with this famous avalanche accident at Bridger Bowl.

Tune in to the last episode to hear Tremper tell the story beyond the pages in the book. If you’re looking for more practical tips, go back to episode 20 where Tremper lays down his best practices for staying safe in the backcountry this winter. To learn more about avalanches visit avalanche.org or go to your local avalanche center for area forecasts. Check out Tremper’s “Know Before you Go” video on YouTube or Vimeo. Pick up his avalanche safety books at mountaineers.org.

Meet the Hosts

Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

Mary Cochenour

January 4, 2021

Gaia GPS

Gaia GPS Year in Review: CarPlay plus New Maps and Features for the Best Backcountry Navigation

by Mary Cochenour December 28, 2020

written by Mary Cochenour

Let’s face it, 2020 has been like a never-ending slog up a peak riddled with false summits. But as we round the ridge and see what’s on the other side of the pass, we’re reminded of how far we’ve come. Whether running on town trails or escaping for the weekend to the wilderness, Gaia GPS members recorded more tracks, downloaded more maps, and used the app to find their way in the backcountry more than ever before. Not even disrupted routines and cancelled plans stood in the way of exploring outside.

Our community’s collective energy, drive, and passion for the natural world motivated us to put our heads down and work harder to bring you new features and maps. From the little things, like making it easier to organize your saved routes, to bringing you more maps to stay safe during wildfire season, to the more technical feats of putting Gaia GPS on your dashboard screen with Apple CarPlay, we hope these advances brought you a little closer to the fresh air this year. Read on for a look at all the development highlights that you inspired us to create in 2020.

All-New Gaia Topo: Download Your Entire State Map

An iPhone screenshot of the Gaia Topo shows a swath of land ready to be downloaded. — *Gaia Topo is so compact and optimized so you can easily download huge swaths of land in a single map.*

Have you ever arrived at a trailhead only to realize that you forgot to download your digital maps to your phone? We now have a solution for you: Gaia Topo. We kicked off the year with a complete redesign of our worldwide flagship Gaia Topo, to bring you a map that is both easy to read and quick to download. In fact, it’s so fast that you can download your entire state— yes, the whole state — and never get caught without a topographic map again.

The new Gaia Topo is curated and constantly updated by our world class cartographer Lee France, who matched the map’s retooling and optimization with improvements in styling and design. The end result is an easy-to-read map that lets you download huge swaths of land in a snap — and without hogging up your phone’s precious storage space.

But that’s not all. Gaia Topo saw numerous additional improvements throughout the year. From introducing color-coded amenities symbols to making public lands easier to recognize, Gaia Topo is a living map that is consistently updated. In fact, you can expect an even newer version of this masterpiece in the months ahead.

Apple CarPlay: Navigate with Your Favorite Backcountry Maps on the Dashboard Screen

A car dashboard with Gaia GPS on Apple CarPlay shows turn-by-turn directions. — *Pair Gaia GPS with Apple CarPlay to get-turn-by-turn directions as you navigate the backcountry.*

No more squinting at your phone’s tiny screen when you navigate those bumpy backroads. We integrated Gaia GPS with Apple CarPlay this year to put trail maps right on your vehicle’s navigation screen. View all of your favorite Gaia GPS maps, from USFS Topo to MVUMs to National Geographic Trails Illustrated, with or without cell phone service. Plus, get turn-by-turn directions on off-grid adventures for any drivable, saved route.

Overlanders love CarPlay connectivity, which allows them to run Gaia GPS navigation on the dashboard screen alongside maps mounted to the dashboard with a tablet. CarPlay is useful to hikers and backpackers, too, for finding those lonely, out-of-the-way trailheads. Hook Gaia GPS up to CarPlay so you keep your eyes focused on the rugged road ahead.

New Maps: Check Out our Ever-Expanding Map Catalog

We love making new maps to help more people find their way outside. Okay, maybe this is a purely selfish endeavor. The Gaia GPS team likes to play in the backcountry, too. We’re a crew of day hikers, backpackers, trail runners, skiers, overlanders, hunters, bikepackers and climbers. Truth is, we like to make new maps so that we can use them ourselves. Some might say we went a little overboard with adding new maps this year during quarantine. Take a look at how we expanded our map catalog in 2020:

An iPhone screenshot shows a wildfire burning in the Wildfire (Satellite Detections) layer. — *The Wildfire (Satellite Detections) layer shows you where wildfires are actively burning.*

Wildfires Maps

Find wildfire hotspots with the new and free Wildfires (Satellite Detections) layer on Gaia GPS. This layer sources satellite data from NASA to show where wildfires are currently burning worldwide. Pair this layer with your favorite base map to plan re-routes around hot spots, predict likely trail closures, and stay safer during fire season. In response to the wildfires that ravaged the western US this summer and fall, we’re offering the Wildfire (Satellite Detections), Wildfire (Current) and Air Quality layers for free on both the app and on the web.

Avalanche Forecast Layer

We partnered with the experts at Avalanche.org to bring you the new Avalanche Forecast layer. Now you can get official, up-to-date avalanche forecasts for mountain zones in the U.S. directly from the map on your phone whenever you are online or connected to cell service. Get the avalanche danger rating and link to complete avalanche reports from professional snow safety scientists in your region. Whether you’re backcountry skiing the couloirs or snowmobiling into the back bowls, always check the complete avalanche forecast report before you head out the door. Available with a Premium membership.

Check out recent trail conditions using the FreshSat layers.

FreshSat

Examine trail conditions from the comfort of your couch using two new satellite imagery maps. FreshSat – Cloud Free shows mostly cloudless terrain. FreshSat – Recent shows as up-to-date imagery as possible. Both maps use satellite data from the Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 government satellites, and are updated at least every 14 days. Available with a Premium membership.

Updated National Parks Maps

Gaia GPS offers an expansive collection of National Park Service maps for 45 national parks and recreation areas throughout the United States. Skip the paper map at the park entrance and view all park amenities, trailheads, and must-see stops right on your phone. Available with a Premium membership.

Gaia Streets

Not all adventures happen off the grid. Get your bearings in cities, towns, and on the road with the new Gaia Streets map. This map features more points of interest and amenity labels with less clutter, making it easy to pinpoint the places you want to go on the road. Use this map as a go-to for navigation and wayfinding through city downtowns, national park centers, and anywhere else the road takes you. Available with a Premium membership.

A desktop screenshot shows the overlapping native territories on the Native Land Territories map. — *Discover which Indigenous nations call a place home using the Native Land Territories map.*

Native Lands and Territories

The Native Land Territories map lets you learn more about the land you live and recreate on, plus make land acknowledgments. Created by the Canadian non-profit Native Land Digital, the Native Land Territories map marks traditional Indigenous territories across the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, and, increasingly, worldwide. Deepen your knowledge of home and the places you visit with the new Native Land Territories map.

Native Lands Digital and the Native Governance Center explain why and how you can make a land acknowledgment. To find out how to use the Native Land Territories map and deepen your knowledge even further, read Native Land Digital’s Teachers Guide. This map is available for free in the Gaia GPS app and web map.

USFS Roads and Trails

Find the best trails for hiking, biking, trail running, horseback riding, and off-roading with the color-coded USFS Roads and Trails layer in Gaia GPS. Whether you are wondering where to ride your mountain bike or looking to avoid areas that allow bikes and motor vehicles, this layer makes it easy to find the right trail for your adventure. Available with a Premium membership.

Cell Phone Coverage

Track where you can find cell service anywhere in the United States including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico with the Cell Phone Coverage maps. You no longer need to worry about unexpectedly losing signal. These seven new overlays define where major cell phone carriers reach across the country. Available with a Premium membership.

Snow Stations (Daily)

No more trial-and-error in driving up to the trailhead to find the deepest and lightest powder. The new Snow Stations (Daily) map gives you up-to-date, 24-hour reports on snow conditions in remote areas around the western US and British Columbia. Check out the new map for real-time conditions on peaks and passes in your favorite backcountry zones. Available with a Premium membership.

Slope Angle

Identify avalanche terrain quicker and easier this winter with the new Slope Angle map. Designed in-house, this map expands our coverage globally and integrates high-resolution data to help make picking out steep slopes on the map a snap. Add the new slope angle layer to your favorite base map to help plan a safer route through the snow-bound backcountry. Available with a Premium membership.

Mines and Mineral Resources

Find over 300,000 mines, mills, and known mineral deposits with the new Mines and Mineral Resources map. Discover the history of old mining sites plus handy details about mine and mineral sites across the US and select regions around the world. Available with a Premium membership.

US Hydrography

Find water sources, identify river crossings, and get a better picture of any landscape with the new US Hydrography map. This layer shows more rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands than any other map on Gaia GPS. Level up your favorite maps by pairing them with US hydrography for more precise and expanded coverage of bodies of water across the US. Available with a Premium membership.

USGS Streamflow and Gaia Fishing

Find a new favorite fishing spot or plan the perfect trip with two all-new interactive map layers. Get up-to-date streamflow and water temperature information from the new USGS Streamflow map. Plus, the brand new Gaia Fishing Map dials you in with boat access information and known fish species for select waterways in Montana and Oklahoma. Available with a Premium membership.

Nat Geo Baja California

The new National Geographic Baja California Maps on Gaia GPS now provide coverage of the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur. Find the best spots for surfing and sightseeing along the coast, or reach rugged peaks by following remote backroads. Available with a Premium membership.

New Zealand Topo

For those keen on a multi-sport adventure in New Zealand, Gaia GPS now offers detailed New Zealand topo maps of the North and South Islands. Beyond shores, Australia/NZ Nautical Chart maps provide coverage of surrounding islands and oceans. Available with a Premium membership.

Web Updates: The Most Powerful Planning Tools To Date

A desktop screenshot shows a route mapped out in Gaia GPS with campgrounds and waypoints along the way. — *The new sidebar on gaiagps.com makes planning from your desktop a snap.*

Planning and organizing your data on gaiagps.com is easier than ever thanks to several rounds of improvements throughout the year. Now, when you find a route or file from another website or source, you can import them directly to your Gaia GPS account with a single click. A new side bar houses all your saved map data, including tracks, waypoints, and areas. Plus you can create and measure areas and polygons on the big map with a new tool on the desktop. These improvements follow a complete revamp of gaiagps.com in 2019, and you can expect to see more improvements in the year to come.

Android and iOS App Updates: Easy and Efficient to Use

A tablet screenshot of Gaia Topo shows the peaks, campsites, and trails in Mount Rainer National Park. — *Android users can now enjoy interactive map icons.*

In 2020, our Android team tackled many highly requested updates and delivered the next generation of Android for Gaia GPS. Android users experienced faster downloading, interactive map icons, the all new Gaia Topo, and automatic updates. The updates didn’t stop there. More improvements brought a refreshed stats bar, better deletion, improved tablet navigation, and an overall smoother experience when using an Android device.

*Save phone battery and see your maps at night using Dark Mode in the Gaia GPS app.*

Dark Mode on iOS

Navigate at night with Dark Mode in the Gaia GPS app on iOS. This new development, which rolled out in the first quarter of 2020, lets you plan routes, research hikes, and navigate after sundown without straining your eyes or wasting device battery. Dark Mode inverts the traditional iOS color scheme, showing you light-colored text and icons on a dark background. The result is a beautiful new aesthetic that produces less ambient light and is easier on the eyes in low light situations. Give it a try.

2020 Stat Rewind

If you’re wondering just how far you’ve come this year, check out your yearly totals with Gaia GPS stat rewind. If you’ve recorded tracks this year, this page will tally your total trips, elevation climbed, and total mileage. It may be lights out for 2020, but it’s not too late to start planning to beat your numbers from this year. All you have to do is press the record button on all your upcoming adventures in 2021.

We’re excited to see how far the Gaia GPS community will go in the next year.

December 28, 2020

A plume of snow from an avalanche rises into the sky on a snowy peak.

Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast

Buried Alive: Bruce Tremper Shares His Avalanche Story

by Mary Cochenour December 21, 2020

written by Mary Cochenour

Photo: Bruce Tremper has photographed some massive avalanches during his career, including this slide off Mt. Timpanogos, Utah, in 2005.

In 1978, Bruce Tremper nearly died in an avalanche. He recounts that harrowing tale on this episode of the Out and Back podcast. Tremper peels back the mystery and unpredictability of avalanches to connect listeners with this very real and imminent backcountry danger. This incident changed the trajectory of Tremper’s life, leading him to become one of the preeminent avalanche experts in the world.

“It just shoved snow everywhere. It goes up your nose, it goes underneath your eyelids, which I would never have imagined. It instantly rips off your hat, your mittens — all that is gone instantly and it goes down your neck. I was just getting an injection molded with all this snow. It’s going everywhere in my underwear, and then I’m tumbling and tumbling and I can’t breathe,” Tremper recounted on the Out and Back podcast.

Alone on the mountain that day, Tremper dug himself out. He vowed to learn everything he could about avalanches after that close brush with death. Tremper went on to study avalanches at Montana State University and worked on the snow safety team at two Montana ski areas. He landed his dream job as an avalanche forecaster in Alaska and then at the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center, where he spent 29 years in the director’s chair. He’s written three books on the topic of snow science and avalanche safety. Tremper’s most popular book, Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, opens with this avalanche accident.

Tune in to hear Tremper tell the story beyond the pages in the book. He gives a blow-by-blow account of what it felt like to have the “rug pulled out” from under his skis and rocket down the hill with a landslide of snow. Tremper shares how after this event, he made unlocking the mysteries of avalanches his number one goal in life.

Hold on tight as Tremper unpacks what should have been a life-ending experience. If you’re looking for more practical tips, go back to last episode where Tremper lays down his best measures for staying safe in the backcountry this winter.

To learn more about avalanches visit avalanche.org, or go to your local avalanche center for area forecasts. Check out Tremper’s “Know Before you Go” video. You can find his books at mountaineers.org.

Episode Highlights:

4:10: Tremper was almost literally born with skis on his feet.
5:15: Skiing is a religious experience for Tremper.
7:20: Tremper got a job in 1978 installing and building the Pierre’s Knob lift at Bridger Bowl, Montana.
9:15: Before the lift opened to the public, Bruce had to ski the line by himself and it was a stormy, snowy day.
10:20: This is the story of how “Tremper’s Run” at Bridger Bowl got its name.
11:00: Tremper made a terrible mistake, “oops I forgot.”
12:10: Tremper decided to cut across an avalanche chute. He thought he could outsmart the avalanche.
13:00: He put his skis on and went zooming across the top of the starting zone.
14:00: The snow fractured 40 feet above Tremper.
15:45: Tremper grabbed onto a tree as he was getting pounded by the avalanche, but lost his grip and went rocketing down the slope.
16:35: He went more than 1,000 feet and snow was everywhere. Tremper couldn’t breathe.
17:35: “I’m going to die.”
18:00: Bruce started swimming for the surface. He started slowing down.
19:20: It felt like concrete.
20:00: Both skis were completely broken.
20:30: This was a huge wake up call to Tremper.
21:44: Tremper was a cocky young kid and green with avalanches — a typical avalanche victim.
22:50: Tremper wanted to know everything about avalanches and he spent his life studying them.
23:45: Tremper is blown away by the overwhelming power of avalanches.
25:00: Avalanches have grabbed ahold of Tremper, and have never let him go.

Last Episode: Avalanche Safety Tips from Expert Bruce Tremper

Bruce Tremper writes in a notebook in a snow put. The tips of his skis and a shovel handle are visible on the bottom of the image.

Bruce Tremper also graced Out and Back with his presence and expertise for the last episode. Here, the renowned avalanche expert dives into the nitty gritty details of snow science and avalanche risk assessment. Author of Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain and Avalanche Essentials, Tremper gives his hard-won and masterful tips for avalanche safety.

Tremper draws on his 30-plus year career as an avalanche forecaster to give advice on everything from how to spot a weak layer in the snowpack to what to do if you’re caught in an avalanche. If you missed this first installment with Tremper, you’ll want to go back and listen.

Next Episode: Bluebird Backcountry — A Ski Area Without Lifts

Four backcountry skiers skin up a slope outside Steamboat Springs, CO.

In the next episode of the Out and Back podcast, Shanty and Mary catch up with Erik Lambert from Bluebird Backcountry Ski Area. Bluebird Backcountry is a totally new concept — a ski area without lifts. That’s right, alpine touring only. Lambert says he started the Colorado resort as a way for skiers and splitboarders to feel comfortable in their transition from the resort to the backcountry. With ski patrol and avalanche mitigation on site, the new ski area lets people focus on skiing instead of the risks associated with traveling in the wild during winter.

Tune in to the next episode to learn more about what Bluebird offers — everything from top notch backcountry rental equipment, to avalanche courses, to guided backcountry skiing. Bluebird provides a prime spot to get started backcountry skiing and a fun adventure for experts, too.

Meet the Hosts

the host of the podcast Andrew Baldwin wearing an orange hat and blue jacket with a frosty beard, smiling

Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

Mary Cochenour

December 21, 2020

Gaia GPS

Give Back to these Organizations Supporting a More Inclusive Outdoors

by Mary Cochenour December 1, 2020

written by Mary Cochenour

If you’re an outdoor lover, the holiday season is the perfect time to give a little extra love to the organizations that are supporting a more inclusive and accessible outdoors for everyone. Since 2012, millions of people around the globe have set aside the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and the weeks leading up to the new year for spreading kindness and generosity to the communities they love most. The outdoors have given us so much this year and this month is a great time for giving back.

Everyone has something to give — that’s the whole idea behind the worldwide Giving Tuesday generosity movement. Giving back can be as simple as sending a letter to your local search and rescue organization to let them know you appreciate their hard work, volunteering to pick up trash at your local park, or joining an outdoor organization whose mission aligns with your values.

If you’re looking for a place to give this holiday season, we invite you to join us in supporting the following organizations. Each one caught our eye this year for building community and supporting education for more folks to access the outdoors. Consider gracing these nonprofits with your kindness and generosity: spend a few minutes on their websites learning about their missions, make a donation of any size, or simply follow their social media pages to show your interest and support. In the spirit of GivingTuesday, any measure of generosity or kindness counts.

Outdoor Afro

A group of hikers sit and smile for the camera on a rocky desert feature.

“Outdoor Afro has become the nation’s leading, cutting edge network that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. We are a national not for profit organization with leadership networks around the country. With nearly 90 leaders in 30 states from around the country, we connect thousands of people to outdoor experiences, who are changing the face of conservation. So come out in nature with us, or be a partner to help us grow our work so that we can help lead the way for inclusion in outdoor recreation, nature, and conservation for all!”

Follow Outdoor Afro on Instagram.

Donate to Outdoor Afro

SheJumps

A backcountry skier and splitboarder make their way up a sunny, snowy slope.

“Outdoor play that transforms. SheJumps increases the participation of women and girls in outdoor activities. Partnering with nature, SheJumps creates safe, educational outdoor experiences for girls and women that nurture growth and transformation.”

Follow SheJumps on Instagram.

Donate to SheJumps

Greening Youth Foundation

A group of young people work in a forest.

“The Greening Youth Foundation’s (GYF) mission is to engage under-represented youth and young adults while connecting them to the outdoors and careers in conservation. GYF’s cultural-based environmental education program engages children from local communities and exposes them to healthy lifestyle choices in order to create an overall healthy community.”

Follow Greening Youth Foundation on Instagram.

Donate to Greening Youth Foundation

Indigenous Women Outdoors

Five people stand in a line in a forest and smile for the camera.

“Our mission is to hold space for Indigenous women to come together and feel safe on the land. We want Indigenous women* to be leaders in the outdoor industry and to be confident in sharing their knowledge and connection of the land with the greater public. Through guidance and mentorship, participants can choose to start getting their own training and certifications to feel safe out on the land, as well as lead other groups and women to get outside.

*Indigenous Women Outdoors is an inclusive community. Women* refers to gender expansive community members (cis women, trans women, non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender queer community members, and any women-identified community members.”

Follow Indigenous Women Outdoors on Instagram.

Donate to Indigenous Women Outdoors

LatinXhikers

A large group of hikers pose for the camera on top of a rocky outcropping. — *Photo credit: Cherisa Hawkins*

“LatinXhikers is a community dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoors through digital story-telling and community outreach. What began as an online platform in August 2017 to inspire more people of color to go outdoors has evolved into an ever-growing movement.”

Follow LatinXhikers on Instagram.

Donate to LatinXhikers

WTF Bikexplorers

Four bikepackers ride in a single file down a gravel road.

“WTF Bikexplorers was founded in the fall of 2017 when six friends were inspired to collaborate on a movement toward more connection, gender inclusivity, and racial equality within the bicycle adventure community. Our collective mission is to support, celebrate, and connect communities who identify as women, transgender, femme, and/or non-binary who use their bicycles to explore (be it the outdoors, themselves, each other, etc.)

WTF is shorthand for Womxn, Trans, Femme. By incorporating this acronym into our name, we are seeking to connect with people who self-identify with those identities or identify as non-binary. We acknowledge that letters and labels only go so far and that, above all, we seek to respect whatever words people use to describe themselves. We hope to engage in a conversation where we can learn more about our community as it relates to bikepacking and outside of cycling.”

Follow WTF Bikexplorers on Instagram.

Donate to WTF Bikexplorers

December 1, 2020

Two members of search and rescue wait on a mountain summit. A helicopter is flying behind them.

Backcountry Skiing Emergency Response Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast

The Best Winter Backcountry Tips from Search and Rescue

by Mary Cochenour November 23, 2020

written by Mary Cochenour

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Winter looms with promises of bluebird skies, powder stashes, and possibly record crowds in the backcountry this season. We’re excited to kick off the first episode of our winter backcountry series on the Out and Back podcast with Colorado’s Summit County Rescue Group Mission Coordinator Charles Pitman. In this episode, Pitman runs through some of his best winter safety tips. He also gives us the temperature of what the upcoming backcountry ski season looks like from a search-and-rescue perspective. Pitman says it might not be pretty.

“The backcountry retailers are selling out of gear already. There are some who said they have sold out for the year, both retailers and manufacturers. So that tells me this could be a rather interesting year for people going into the backcountry who really are probably not too prepared to do it.” Pitman says. “We want to try to get the message out on what they need to consider.”

Two rescue crew members rappel down a steep snow filled couloir in Colorado.

Pitman recaps the strain his organization felt when the ski areas shut down last spring due to the pandemic. He recalls jammed trailheads and skiers and snowboarders leaving the parking lots without crucial avalanche safety equipment. The backcountry continued to draw massive crowds through the summer and into fall, bringing with it an unprecedented number of rescues this year.

During one week in October alone, the Summit County Rescue Group assisted a lost mountain biker, an injured hiker, and a technical body recovery mission from one of the area’s 14,000-foot peaks. Pitman says the number of rescues are at an all-time high and far surpassing the 150 calls for service the team received last year.

“Certainly my antennas are going up about how we need to prepare. We’re starting to do our preparations as a team earlier. Of course, that’s more difficult now. We don’t have the same types of meetings we had before because we have to cope with the Covid restrictions and considerations that we take very, very seriously here,” Pitman says. “I’m a bit concerned about what’s going to happen this winter.”

Tune in to Learn Winter Safety Tips

Pitman enlightens us on what backcountry enthusiasts can do to stay safer this winter. He delivers practical advice, including how to recognize and avoid avalanche danger in backcountry travel, what to do if you need help, and what you should put in your backpack to be prepared in case something goes wrong. Backcountry skiers, winter hikers, climbers, and snowmobilers will not want to miss this behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming snow season and what rescue professionals are doing to prepare for the busy season ahead. Plus, hear a few of Pitman’s most harrowing rescue stories.

Make sure you are prepared this winter season. Learn more about avalanche safety at avalanche.org. Find and sign up for an avalanche education class with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education. Learn more about Summit Country Rescue Group and donate to your local search and rescue organization.

A helicopter hovers over a high mountain peak in Colorado and a search and rescue crew member waits on the mountain for pick up. — Summit County Search and Rescue crews carry out a mission earlier this year on one of Colorado’s high-altitude peaks.

Episode Highlights:

4:30: The pandemic made the backcountry around Denver busy this year and many skiers, snowboarders, and snowmobilers were ill-equipped for safety.
8:15: This year has been a record-setting rescue season in Summit County, Colorado.
12:00: Search and Rescue is preparing for a busy winter season.
13:15: Here’s how COVID 19 has changed search and rescue missions in Summit County.
17:00: Practice your avalanche transceiver skills at a beacon park.
18:15: More people are taking avalanche classes, but these classes are limited and filling up quickly this year.
19:00: Get search and rescue’s tips to avoid avalanches: get the avalanche forecast, check the weather, and stick to low-angle slopes if you aren’t sure about the danger.
25:25: Avalanche forecasting is not an exact science and sometimes you can do all the right things and still get into trouble.
26:15: A case study about five people who died in an avalanche: what went wrong?
27:00: Is technology giving people a false sense of security and too much confidence?
32:00: Colorado typically has a weaker snowpack and experiences more avalanches than other areas of the country.
36:00: A GPS mapping app on your phone, like Gaia GPS, would reduce the number of rescue calls because people could see exactly where they are on the map and easily find the trail if they get lost.
39:00: Two-way satellite communication devices help search and rescue crews to understand the help you need, plus Pitman tells us what happens when you press the SOS button.
42:00: Pitman says call for help sooner rather than later, it could save a life.
48:40: Make a plan for your backcountry adventure but don’t succumb to summit fever, be flexible and willing to adjust plans when you get out on the mountain because conditions may change rapidly.
53:00: Most search and rescue crews are volunteers and they do it for the heartwarming stories with uplifting endings.

Next Episode: Snow Safety Tips with Avalanche Expert and Author Bruce Tremper

Avalanche expert Bruce Tremper is standing in a snow pit and writing down his observation in a booklet. He is wearing a yellow jacket and snow hat.

If the solitude of the backcountry beckons to you this winter, you won’t want to miss the next episode of the Out and Back podcast with avalanche expert and author Bruce Tremper. Winter hikers, skiers, splitboarders, and snowmobilers will appreciate how Tremper breaks down his “low-risk travel ritual” to minimize avalanche exposure in the backcountry. Learn how to use his tips on your own trips to stay safer in the backcountry this winter season.

Tremper begins this conversation with a story from 1978 — a time when he wasn’t an expert at all. Tremper was working for Bridger Bowl Ski Area in Montana, installing the resort’s Pierre’s Knob lift. He ignored his supervisor’s warning to avoid crossing a slide path under the lift line. But Tremper thought hiking around the slide path was too much work. He skied across the steep starting zone, triggered an avalanche, and was swept away in a pre-season slide. This scene is the opener to Tremper’s critically acclaimed book on snow safety: Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain. In this interview, Tremper reflects on how surviving that avalanche sent him on a life-long trajectory to study snow science.

The cover of Tremper's snow safety book Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain. The cover shows a skier catching air off a cliff in steep terrain.

“That was a huge wake-up call for me … I should have died in that thing,“ Tremper said. “It changed my life and I went ‘whoa, I want to learn as much as I can about avalanches.’”

After the Bridger Bowl incident, Tremper earned a Master’s degree in geology and meteorology from the University of Montana, Bozeman. He studied under famed avalanche experts of the time, eventually becoming one himself. Tremper worked on snow safety teams for two Montana resorts before landing his “dream job” as an avalanche forecaster for the Alaska Avalanche Center. When the funding dried up in Alaska, Tremper took on the director role at Utah’s Avalanche Center. Then he literally wrote the book — actually three books — about avalanche safety.

Now enjoying the first years of retirement, Tremper gives us his insights into all he’s learned in his 40-year career in snow safety. Tune in to learn about Tremper’s personal routine for avalanche safety. Tremper emphasizes that his safety plan begins at home with gathering the right gear, checking the local avalanche forecast, and plotting out a safe route on the maps. He talks about the importance of picking the right partner for winter backcountry travel, watching for clues and observations on the way to the mountain, and guarding against the human factors that lead people to make mistakes in the backcountry.

To reap more of Tremper’s wisdom, check out his books Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, Avalanche Essentials, and Avalanche Pocket Guide (Mountaineers Books). And listen to the podcast to hear Tremper explain how to use each book in your progression about avalanche safety and snow science.

Last Episode: Endurance Superstar Courtney Dauwalter

Check back on our last episode to find out what drives the queen of ultra running Courtney Dauwalter to set seemingly impossible goals and what fuels her to succeed. Dauwalter is renowned in the ultra running community and beyond for her definitive wins at everything from the Moab 240-mile trail race, to the Western States 100 Endurance Run, to the 100-mile Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc.

In this episode, Shanty and Gaia GPS writer and professional ultra runner Abby Levene catch up with Dauwalter fresh off her win at Big’s Back Yard Ultra, perhaps the strangest running event of all. The ultimate test of the mind, athletes run 4.16-mile loops on the hour every hour until only one person remains. This year, that person was Dauwalter — 68 hours and 283 miles later.

A self-proclaimed lover of long-inseams (she exclusively runs in baggy, basketball-style shorts), candy, nachos, and beer, Dauwalter does not fit the mold of your typical spreadsheet-obsessed ultra runner. She shares how her unbridled passion for running outside for as long as possible allowed her to quit her day job as a high school science teacher and enter the world of professional endurance running. She also dives into the role her analytical-minded husband Kevin plays in her success, and how the duo’s strengths complement each other to form a fun, focused, and formidable team. Also, hear about how Dauwalter’s Colorado Trail FKT attempt this summer ended in the hospital.

Runners and non-runners alike won’t want to miss this episode to catch Dauwalter’s infectious optimism, learn what drives her to push barriers, and to pick up some tips on training your brain to endure when your body tells you to stop. Follow Dauwalter on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with her physical, phycological, and gustatory adventures.

Meet the Hosts

Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

Mary “Hiker Midnight” Cochenour

When she is not in the office, Mary works as a guide for Andrew Skurka Adventures in wild places around the west, like Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite, and the Brooks Range in Alaska. Follow Mary’s adventures on Instagram. Also, read her tips on how to plan your first solo backpacking trip and how to read a topo map.

November 23, 2020

Buzz runs past snow-capped peaks. He's wearing a jacket, baseball cap, gloves, and a pack.

Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast

2020 Fastest Known Time Round-Up with Buzz Burrell

by Mary Cochenour October 26, 2020

written by Mary Cochenour

The pandemic canceled nearly all the running races this year, but that didn’t stop athletes from taking down the “fastest known times” on the most famous and iconic routes around the globe. Pent up hikers and runners, all trained up and no where to compete, flooded the FKT scene this spring and summer, lighting up new speed records on everything from the Colorado Trail to the Jordan Trail in the Middle East. In fact, the keeper of such unofficial records, fastestknowntime.com reports that more than 50 FKTs are submitted to the website each day — amounting to as much as five times the number of FKTs reported from the previous year.

In this episode of the Out and Back podcast, Shanty and Mary review this year’s FKT round-up with Buzz Burrell, co-founder of fastestknowntime.com. Buzz takes us through the rise of the FKT, what makes a solid FKT route, and the allure of the solitary push to set speed records. He explains why the FKT has become so popular in this year of pandemic lockdowns, civil unrest, and wildfires.

A champion of many FKT records of his own, Buzz says it’s not necessarily the victory that drives people to move fast on their feet. There’s a certain element of adventure and a feeling of competing against yourself, which offers a unique thrill that is completely different than racing in an organized event with hundreds of other racers and spectators nearby.

“For me, it’s just seeing what’s around the corner. I’ll go out and say I’ve got two hours to do something. I’m sure I’ll go somewhere I’ve never been before. I’m looking at the watch and I start pressing,” Buzz says. “I start pressing because, somehow, I have this insatiable urge to see what’s next.”

Widely known as the “father of the FKT,“ Buzz winds back to his speed records on the John Muir Trail and Colorado Trail. He also reminisces about the records he set on Yosemite’s signature and scary Half Dome cables route, the 100-kilometer “O” Circuit in Chile’s Torres Del Paine National Park, and Zion’s Angel’s Landing. But records are meant to be broken, and now Buzz dedicates his time to keeping track of all the latest speed records around the world.

Buzz walks across a log suspension bridge over a raging river.

Buzz gets deep in this interview, uncovering the effects aging has had on his speed. Having just turned 69, Buzz reminds us that no one can stop the clock and that everyone grows long in the tooth. But don’t expect any graceful wisdom from Buzz about how gray hair makes you more distinguished.

“I’m not aging gracefully. I’m sort of going down kicking and screaming,” Buzz says. “And so I’m really a lousy role model and you should edit this out of the podcast. You know, you want someone who’s nice and calm and relaxed and makes people feel good about themselves. But I’m telling you that aging is pretty hard.”

You won’t want to miss this episode as Buzz delivers his four tips for pushing on as the years pile up. Also, get the skinny on the top FKT’s of the year from Buzz’s perspective. Plus, you’ll never guess what indoor activity Buzz has mastered, proving that Buzz is so much more than a mountain athlete.

Learn more about Buzz Burrell and FKT records at fastestknowntime.com. Listen every Friday to the Fastest Known Time podcast, featuring the rising stars in speed records around the globe.

Buzz runs down a snow slope in a white-out. He's carrying an ice ax, shouldering a cord of rope, and wearing a backpack.

Episode Highlights

4:15: Buzz defines “fastest known time“ and how that term became popular over time.
6:40: Buzz talks about some of his own FKTs on John Muir Trail and the Colorado Trail.
13:00: Fastest known time action is off the hook this year, filling a hole for cancelled races due to COVID.
15:00: FKT doesn’t have a leader board, only the winners of the FKT gets a mention on the website.
16:15: FKTs of the season, including Jeff “Legend” Garmire’s unsupported FKT of the Colorado Trail.
31:00: The Wind River High Route created by Buzz and Andrew Skurka has been a popular FKT objective in the last couple of years for both men and women.
34:00: FKT’s has gender categories recently added non-binary. But there are no age categories for FKT and a 20-year-old competes against a 60-year-old.
37:10: You have to submit a GPS track to verify your fastest known time.
39:30: Top athletes pursue FKTs to push themselves beyond organized races and to put their backcountry skills to the test.
45:15: FKT’s are not just about mountains, fastest known time routes exist in the deserts, across states, and on paved roads.
50:10: Nobody has tried to lay down a speed record on the Continental Divide Trial, and Buzz explains why.
55:05: Learn about the FKT’s that got away from Buzz over the years.
1:01:00: Buzz’s favorite route crosses the three districts of the Canyonlands National Parks: Maze, Needles, Island in the Sky.
1:03:00 You can do Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim like most people on the Kaibab trail, or you can take the obscure Bass Trail and swim across the river like Buzz did when he was 65 years old.
1:06:10: Don’t try using your Therm-a-Rest Neo Air as a packraft — it doesn’t work.
1:09:25: Buzz has the engine at age 69, but the parts have worn out.
1:11:05: Buzz is mad about aging and going down kicking and screaming.
1:11:15: Learn Buzz’s 4-step program for dealing with the effects of aging.
1:15:00: Buzz is a multi-sport athlete. He competes in ballroom dancing and likes swing dancing for its athleticism. “The body is born to move!”
1:25:00: What’s on tap for Buzz, the FKT podcast and website.

Last Episode: Meet Grizzly Bear 399 and Her four Cubs: the Most Famous Bear in the World

Check out our last episode about the famed Grizzly Bear 399. Hailing from Grand Teton National Park, Griz 399 has stolen the hearts of many who have come to visit her from around the world. She’s had multiple sets of cubs over the years and has raised them center stage in front of park rangers, tourists, and professional photographers.

This year, at the ripe age of 24, Griz 399 boosted her celebrity status by emerging from her den with four tiny cubs. In this episode, find out why she sticks close to the road and how this giant mama bear provides hope and joy to so many people who come to see her in the park. Hear about Griz 399’s personality from conservationist and wildlife photographer Tom Mangelsen and journalist Todd Wilkinson, who teamed up to publish a book about Griz 399’s extraordinary life. And get the blow-by-blow from the man who Griz 399 attacked when he inadvertently walked into her space when she and her cubs were feeding on an elk carcass. Wildlife watcher Maureen Matsen describes what it’s like to finally lay eyes on this beautiful specimen. As loveable as she is, Griz 399 is indeed a wild animal who needs to be respected and given lots of space.

Learn more about Griz 399 on her Wikipedia page. Follow her on Instagram, and “connect” with her on Facebook. Check out Tom Mangelsen’s website, and follow him on Instagram to see his latest captures of Griz 399, her cubs, and other wildlife in the Greater Yellowstone and Grand Teton area.

Photo Credit: Tom Mangelsen of Mangelsen Photography in Jackson, Wyoming.

Next Episode: Ultra Runner Courtney Dauwalter, from Science Teacher to Endurance Superstar

Courtney smiles and waves as she runs down a lush trail near Lake Tahoe during the Western States 100 Endurance Run. She's wearing long blue shorts, a white t shirt, reflective sunglasses, and a hydration pack.

In the next episode, Shanty joins up with professional runner and Gaia GPS writer Abby Levene for a chat with mega-athlete Courtney Dauwalter. In 2017, Courtney was teaching high school science when she stormed onto the ultra-ultra endurance running scene by taking first overall at the Moab 240-mile trail race. In an event where first and second place are separated by one or two hours at the most, Courtney won by over 10 hours.

This victory sent Courtney into the elite class of ultrarunning. She backed up her Moab 240 performance with wins at the two most prestigious 100-mile races in the world: Western States 100 Endurance Run and Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc. But in this conversation, you’ll see that Courtney seems as far from elite as anyone can be. A self-proclaimed lover of long-inseams (she exclusively runs in baggy, basketball-style shorts), candy, nachos, and beer, Courtney is like talking to your next door neighbor. In this conversation, Courtney reveals how such a kind, laid-back spirit can bring so much tenacity and grit to competition. And she delves into how she developed the mental fortitude needed to excel at exceedingly long running events.

Courtney also provides the inside scoop on her Colorado Trail FKT attempt this summer, and her recent win at perhaps the strangest running event of all: Big’s Backyard Ultra. The ultimate test of the mind, athletes run 4.16-mile loops on the hour every hour until only one person remains. This year, that was Courtney — 68 hours and 283 miles later.

Runners and non-runners alike won’t want to miss this episode to catch Courtney’s infectious optimism, learn what drives her to push barriers, and to pick up some tips on training your brain to endure some of the most treacherous and painful miles ahead.

Follow Courtney on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with her physical, psychological, and gustatory adventures.

Meet the Hosts

Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

Mary Cochenour

Mary is the Out and Back podcast producer and a writer and editor at Gaia GPS. Before joining Gaia GPS, Mary worked as a lawyer, newspaper journalist, ski patroller, Grand Canyon river guide, and USFS wilderness ranger. Mary holds a degree in journalism and business as well as a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Montana. Mary is licensed to practice law in Montana and Nevada.

When she is not in the office, Mary works as a guide for Andrew Skurka Adventures in wild places around the west, like Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite, and the Brooks Range in Alaska. Learn more about Mary on Instagram. Also, read her tips on how to plan your first solo backpacking trip and listen to her scary story about being stalked in the wilderness by a sketchy man.

October 26, 2020

Fidgit and Neon smile for the camera outside of a turquoise building in Mexico. Their bikes are leaning against the wall and are laden down with gear.

Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast

Her Odyssey: An Adventure Across the Americas

by Mary Cochenour September 16, 2020

written by Mary Cochenour

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This week, we catch up with world adventurers Bethany “Fidgit” Hughes and Lauren “Neon” Reed for an update on their journey across the Americas. Hughes and Reed have spent the last five years backpacking, biking, and paddling their way across South and Central America, Mexico, and the United States on their non-motorized tour of the American continents. The long-distance hikers are now hunkered down in the States waiting for Covid to subside before finishing off their adventure in the northernmost part of North America.

Fidgit (left) and Neon (right) smile for the camera with their backpacking gear. They're standing in front of a forest. — Hughes (left) and Reed (right). Photo credit: Fede Cabrera.

Hughes and Reed met during their Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike in 2010, where they earned their trail names Fidgit and Neon, respectively. After Hughes completed her PCT thru-hike, she took a stab at conventional city life. She lived in a house, got a car, and landed a management position in an accounting office. But the pull of adventure tugged hard at her heartstrings.

While sitting in a traffic jam, she became inspired by the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. From that, Hughes imagined “a human-powered traverse of the Americas, connecting the stories of the land and its inhabitants.” She dubbed the adventure “Her Odyssey.”

A map of the Her Odyssey route to date shows the path Fidgit and Neon took to backpack, bike-pack, and kayak across South and Central America and the US. — A map of the route to date. Red: backpacking. Orange: bike-packing. Blue: kayaking.

Hughes enlisted Reed to join on the trek, acknowledging that their different personalities complement one another. Reed agrees and describes their personalities with a Venn diagram.

“I usually lean towards the logical side,” Reed says. “And Fidgit is usually leaning towards the emotional side. We pull each other towards the center in a lot of ways.”

In this episode, Hughes and Reed discuss how they traveled through the wilderness in foreign countries, their incredible and heartwarming interactions with locals they met along the way, and some tips for treading lightly through indigenous regions and cultures. We also hear about their safety plans and how their contrasting personalities serve their expedition mission in unique ways. Don’t miss this episode if you want to learn about getting off the tourist path in South and Central America.

Learn more about Hughes, Reed, and Her Odyssey on their website. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook. Support their mission, or just simply buy them a meal, on Patreon.

Fidgit, laded down with her backpacking gear, interviews two Quechua women. — Hughes interviews two Quechua women.

1:00: Fidgit and Neon started their journey over five years ago.
5:25: The duo met on the PCT in 2010.
8:25: The idea for Her Odyssey came to Fidgit on a drive home from work in Kansas City.
10:50: Fidgit’s belief system led to her reach out to Neon to be her travel partner.
14:30: Fidgit and Neon pull each other towards the center of emotion and logic.
19:50: Fidgit spent three years planning this trip.
22:30: Accepting that they didn’t know what they were doing proved essential.
23:30: Neon uses her power of observation to help them navigate.
25:00: Fidgit and Neon tell an illuminating story about getting lost.
27:00: How sharing knowledge about routes and trails differs in Latin America and the US.
30:00: Learning some of the local language is an important display of good will and respect.
34:00: Fidgit and Neon share pointers for interacting with locals and being respectful of local culture.
41:40: Gaging threats and avoiding dangerous situations internationally.
45:35: Self-defense strategies for staying safe overseas.
52:00: Women’s bodies were found cut up in bags while they were in South America.
59:50: How Fidgit and Neon dealt with drinking water in South America. (Their strategy didn’t always work!)
1:05:50: Fidgit and Neon go separate ways for part of their journey.
1:12:00: When a region got too “murdery,” they moved on.
1:21:10: How COVID has impacted their travels.
1:29:30: Fidgit and Neon are currently focusing on the storytelling and community building components of their journey.
1:30:20: The ultimate goal of their trip is to reach the Arctic Ocean within the next two years.
1:33:00: How they balance structure and letting the journey unfold.
1:33:30: Advice to those looking to go on their own odyssey.
1:36:30: The grossest things Fidgit and Neon have eaten on their trip.
1:43:00: The one luxury item Fidgit and Neon can’t travel without. (You will never guess!)
1:49:00: How Neon and Fidgit got their trail names.

Next Episode: Get the Most out of Your National Park Trip with Guide Book Author Scott Turner

Scott Turner smiles for the camera while sitting on a rock with his arms crossed on his knees. Red and gold canyons loom in the background.

Next week, Shanty and Mary sit down with hiker, guidebook author and licensed therapist Scott Turner. Turner has written guide books to five national parks, as well as his home of San Diego county. He shares insight on how to get the most out of a one-day visit to a national park, including insider tips for getting off the beaten path at Sequoia, Zion, and Joshua Tree National Parks.

Turner explains why he believes early morning wake-ups are worth it to maximize your adventure. And he runs through what you should pack for a day hike to ensure you have fun and stay safe. Turner almost always hikes in trail running shoes, and he shares why he prefers them to hiking boots, plus why he brings the “10 essentials” you need to survive an unplanned night outside. You’ll also hear about Turner’s favorite National Park, and how hiking helps him be better at his day job as a therapist. Last but not least, Shanty and Turner break down the best hiking Pop Tart flavors.

You can learn more about Turner and find his guidebooks his website. Follow Turner’s adventures on Instagram, and connect with him on Facebook.

Last Episode: Solo Backpacking with a Stalker

Mary smiles for the camera while backpacking through the alpine.

When Mary Cochenour became a wilderness ranger, she was forced to conquer her fear of solo backpacking. It took some time but with a lot of practice, Mary eventually grew comfortable camping alone in the woods. That is, until she realized she wasn’t alone after all. A man had been stalking Mary even in the farthest corners of the wilderness.

Tune in last week’s episode of the Out and Back podcast as Mary tells a thrilling tale about her early days as a wilderness ranger in Desolation Wilderness in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Hear about her first night spent alone in the wilderness and what happened months later when she discovered that a man had been following her around the backcountry.

Mary reveals how this sketchy incident inspired her to keep backpacking solo and how she drew on this experience when working with victims as a violent crimes prosecutor in Montana. This story, although gripping at times, reminds us that sometimes you have to face your fears head on to finally overcome them.

We are excited to introduce you to Mary because she is the Out and Back podcast producer and a writer and editor at Gaia GPS. When she is not in the office, Mary works as a guide for Andrew Skurka Adventures in wild places around the west, like Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite, and the Brooks Range in Alaska.

Learn more about Mary on Instagram. Read Mary’s bio on Gaia GPS’s team page and view her hiking credentials on Andrew Skurka’s guide roster. Also, read her tips on how to plan your first solo backpacking trip.

Tell Us Your Story: Have You Ever Been Lost?

Two people pour over a paper map in the backcountry.

Have a great story about getting lost in the woods? Shoot us an email at media@gaiagps.com for a chance to be featured on the Out and Back podcast.

Tell us in 500 words or less how and where you got lost and what you did to get yourself out of trouble. Bonus points for humorous narratives and tales with surprise endings.

In addition to a podcast interview, the winner will receive Gaia GPS swag and a free Gaia GPS membership to help keep them from getting lost on the next adventure.

Meet the Hosts

Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

Mary Cochenour

Mary is the Out and Back podcast producer and a writer and editor at Gaia GPS. Before joining Gaia GPS, Mary worked as a lawyer, newspaper journalist, ski patroller, Grand Canyon river guide, and USFS wilderness ranger. Mary holds degrees in journalism and business as well as a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Montana. Mary is licensed to practice law in Montana and Nevada.

When she is not in the office, Mary works as a guide for Andrew Skurka Adventures in wild places around the west, like Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite, and the Brooks Range in Alaska. Learn more about Mary on Instagram. Also, read her tips on how to plan your first solo backpacking trip.

September 16, 2020

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