Adventures

7 Ways to Use Your Smartphone to Plan the Ultimate Backcountry Ski Trip

by Angela Crampton February 7, 2018

written by Angela Crampton

Smartphones may be the best piece of outdoor gear you can take with you into the backcountry. In this article, learn how to use mobile apps both online and off to plan an unforgettable backcountry ski trip this winter.

Start the planning process by determining the best location to backcountry ski based on weather, avalanche forecasts, and navigation.

In the wild, use your smartphone to track your route, take field notes, and capture photos of your adventure.

1. Weather and avalanche forecasts

Photo by Nicolas Cool

Winter backcountry travel requires extra research than other seasons. Why? Because snow and avalanche danger add unstable risk. Temperatures and precipitation forecasts start the planning process but more conditions come into play.

Be informed on the weather

Source: weather.gov

Track weather daily since the snowpack will depend on snow, wind, rain, and snow levels (or freezing levels). Temperatures hovering around freezing level can warm the snow throughout the day but freeze the layer at night causing icy ski conditions until the snow softens up again or new snow falls. Learn more about snow versus freezing levels.

Wind gusts can remove light snow off the windward side and deposit the snow to the leeward side of the mountain. Windward aspects of the mountain may show scoured snow and form a cornice at steep ridgelines. Strong winds in the winter can also make it downright unpleasant for the skier.

Most skiers don’t want to see rain in the forecast. Similar to temperatures hovering around freezing, the rain melts the top layer of the snow and creates a hard rain crust not optimal to ski. Monitor the snow levels in order to know what elevation will have snow to ski.

Avalanche conditions

Source: nwac.us

Different regions have avalanche field reporters assessing the snowpack. Use local avalanche forecasts to help decide whether you earn your turns or go to a resort.

Avalanche forecasts provide ratings such as low, moderate, considerable, high, and extreme and evaluate below treeline, near treeline, above treeline. In addition to the ratings, forecasts indicate predictions on what slopes may slide and what type of avalanche you may see (i.e. wind slabs and storm slabs).

Take an AIARE (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education) class to learn about snow stability and how to read forecasts.

Note: Smartphones can interfere with avalanche transceivers, or beacons, and should be kept far from each other when in avalanche terrain.

2. Navigation

Navigation starts when you step out your front door. Drive to the trailhead or starting point of your trip using road maps. Minutes before you leave, check local webcams on highways or ski resorts for current conditions and gain a sense if the weather forecasts are accurate.

Plan your route

After reviewing the weather and avalanche forecasts, use Gaia GPS map layers to find the right route. Summer trails may be hard to find under the snow but can be used as a starting point when planning your route.

Avalanches occur most commonly at 30 to 45-degrees. Use Gaia GPS Slope shading overlay to help determine the best slopes to stay safe on the mountain. If the conditions aren’t favorable, it is crucial to select safer terrain. Reference the satellite map layer to see if the terrain is passable‒look at tree coverage and areas for obvious cliffs to avoid.

Go to gaiagps.com to sign up for a free account and start planning your next route today at gaiagps.com/map.

View your route and maps offline

You planned a route and want to use it to navigate offline to save battery. Select the download offline map function and set a box around the terrain you wish to explore. Consider saving areas that look promising for back-up plans.

Learn more on how to download maps for offline use here.

3. Tracking your route

Tracking with a GPS is valuable especially as a beginner. If you plotted a route on the map, you can check your phone at junctions or every 30 minutes to stay on course.

Monitor your pace, distance, and elevation to maximize the short winter daylight hours. Calculate your average moving speed for the elevation to mile ratio and plan how long your outings will take.

In addition to tracking, add waypoints to the trip. Waypoints add points of interest or landmarks during the outing: where you parked the car, where you dug a snowpit, or where you transitioned from touring to ski mode.

4. Field notes

Avalanche classes teach backcountry skiers to write down the predicted conditions while trip planning, along with taking notes in the field, especially when plans change. Instead of carrying a little blue field book, consider entering notes into the smartphone in your pack.

Plan your trip

You have researched various areas to ski over the weekend, so writing notes come in handy for remembering the exact forecasts and details when offline. Start the note with the date and the location you plan on skiing. Next, record the avalanche forecast and weather conditions, along with any snowpack concerns. It can be as simple as taking a screenshot image on your phone to reference. Add the travel plans for the day with alternative routes and look up the emergency response phone numbers for the area.

In the field

Make note of any deviations from the original plan. Observe the sky (clouds and precipitation), temperature, wind, and snow. How do the conditions differ from the forecasts? If you plan on returning to an area, consider taking a photo of slopes to ski or write down the area’s terrain (trees, bowls, ridgelines, etc.).
Debrief the day

Traveling solo or as a group, reflect on the conditions of the day and make any notes on what you learnt or observed. The notes can come in handy for future planning or sharing your trip reports, or beta, with friends.

5. Photography

Everyone can be a photographer: just add a smartphone. Not to mention ski poles make a good selfie stick with the right attachments. Below are a few tips to keep in mind when photographing your adventure.

Landscapes

The reason why you go out in nature is the sweeping beauty and remote possibilities. Shooting pictures of landscapes doesn’t take much effort but avoid placing the focus of the image dead center. Use the rule-of-thirds and place the object off-center.

Tap the screen where you want the lens to focus on and allow it to adjust for the exposure or lighting of the photo. If the photo looks dark, consider focusing on a dark area to brighten the image. Most smartphones automatically adjust the photo while processing with a HDR (high-dynamic-range) setting.

Action shots

Smartphone cameras have many settings, including burst modes to capture action shots. It takes time to perfect action shots for skiing but burst mode allows you to take many photos and choose the best one later

Position yourself downhill from your friend, or subject, and ask him or her to ski close to you at a fast pace. Choosing the slope with no tracks makes it more appealing and shows the remoteness of the excursion.

Focus on the skier to get the right exposure and let the phone burst to capture the sequence. Don’t forget that practice makes perfect. It takes time to know how close the skier should be and the best angles. Once you figure out the distance, throw a snowball where you want to skier to turn and communicate your vision.

6. Music

Nature can be hauntingly silent where your thoughts can interrupt focus. Music can drown out the silence or keep you motivated to keep a steady pace.

Enjoy the outdoors how you want but please consider others when outside or keep the music to yourself with earbuds. Download music offline to listen in the car, at camp, or a backcountry hut.

7. Emergency contact

Almost everyone carries a smartphone these days and has a hard time leaving it at home. Being connected allows skiers to share their plans with friends. Tell a friend your plans: start time, end time, and where you’re going. Check in with said friend after your day ends.

Cell service networks reach more remote areas than they have in the past. Send your planning notes to a friend that is a reliable source.

Final thoughts

Your smartphone can be the ultimate backcountry tool – but remember to plan smart. Preserve phone battery life by keeping it in a warm jacket pocket and always bring back up maps and other essential equipment.

Most importantly, always travel with companions, practice safe skiing techniques, and have fun!

February 7, 2018

Adventures Featured Gaia GPS User Profiles

Adventurer Emma Walker Goes Off-Trail with Gaia GPS

by Maggie Wallace December 1, 2016

written by Maggie Wallace

Gaia GPS user and self-proclaimed professional camper Emma Walker hates crowds. “You couldn’t walk 20 yards without stumbling into somebody’s campsite,” Walker said of her hike in the James Peak Wilderness this summer, “So we opened up the app, found the nearest lake without a trail leading to it, and made our way there.”

Walker scrambled through downed trees, swamps, and dense brush, following her position on the screen of her phone. “I’m a pretty confident navigator, but it would’ve been tough to manage with a paper map and compass,” said Walker. Her persistence paid off; after a mile and a half, she found prime camping at an alpine lake, surrounded by wildflowers instead of tents.

Walker and her husband climbing Byron Glacier in Alaska.

Alaskan Odyssey

Walker grew up in Colorado but spent her graduate school years in the less developed frontier of Alaska, pursuing what she calls a “degree in camping,” a master of science in outdoor and environmental education. While getting that degree, Walker created a travel blog known as My Alaskan Odyssey where she continues to chronicle her backcountry adventures. She received her wilderness first responder and avalanche level 2 certifications, and “spent weeks at a time in remote mountain ranges and on glaciers,” eventually returning home to lead volunteers in the stewardship of public lands for Denver-based nonprofit Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado.

Walker climbing at Smith Rock State Park, Oregon.

From Map to App

After growing up using a map and compass for navigation, Walker said it took her a long time to get used to a device. She first learned about Gaia GPS two years ago from instructors at the Alaska Avalanche School. “Now I’m rarely in the backcountry without it.”

When it comes to the outdoors, Walker always chases the authentic experience. She spent weeks a time in the remote mountain ranges of Alaska, and her bucket list includes paddling the Yukon River and ski mountaineering in the far reaches of Mongolia. Currently she’s training to get more comfortable with class 3 climbs like Washington’s Mt. Rainier and fostering stewardship and conservation.

Walker primarily uses Gaia to track her elevation change and distance on-trail and to plot her own routes in the remote backcountry, where Gaia’s overlays are a big asset. “Connecting tracks and routes to photos and multiple map layers gives such a better sense of what a place actually looks and feels like.” Many of the places that Walker explores are off the beaten path, so existing trip information isn’t plentiful.

Walker pack pack rafting the Colorado River in Moab, Utah.

“I love that Gaia creates a really three-dimensional navigating experience,” she said, referring to Gaia’s multiple features and overlays. Recently, she started using GaiaPro for tide information provided by NEXRAD weather overlays and NOAA nautical charts. She hasn’t used the feature in landlocked Colorado, “but it sure made a difference as we were hiking across Waipi’o Valley and sea kayaking in Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island.”

The Great Unknown

Walker will go to any lengths for privacy. On her latest adventure, an overnight hike into Waimanu Valley on Hawaii’s Big Island, she said “a local guidebook promised we’d be more likely to run into feral pigs than other backpackers.” A downpour and subsequent flooding ensured her her husband’s privacy and also put Gaia’s tide charts to good use.

For Walker, Gaia GPS is a way to catalogue and define the unknown. It offers more than navigation; it provides a map without borders, an adventure without a trail, and a campsite with the night sky for her only companion.

Walker on Big Island, Hawaii.

Read more about Emma Walker’s adventures in Alaska and beyond on her blog, My Alaskan Odyssey.

December 1, 2016

Adventures Emergency Response Featured Gaia GPS User Profiles

Gaia GPS Assists in Backcountry Rescue

by Ruthie Irvin October 11, 2016

written by Ruthie Irvin

Wood River Fire & Rescue execute a rescue mission using Gaia GPS

From Dispatch to Planning

On June 13, 2016, three fire departments responded to a technical rescue in the Wood River Fire & Rescue service area in Idaho. The patient had tendon damage from falling, as well as some broken leg bones. The injury happened in the backcountry, but Wood River’s extraction team knew the general area—west flank of Kelly Mountain—and headed out immediately.

The victim’s spouse shared a set of GPS coordinates, but the team received them on the road, with no access to the internet for planning. Fortunately, two people on the initial rescue team had the Gaia GPS app on their devices, with downloaded maps for recreational backcountry skiing in the area. After inputting the coordinates, they could study the maps in Gaia to answer questions like, “How close can we get by road?” and “What’s the best approach for access?”

On their way to the location, the Hasty team (first group sent on a rescue, to determine patient’s condition and plan the overall rescue) received a set of updated coordinates, which they then mapped in Gaia GPS. The update didn’t add up—the new location added 10 minutes of flight time to the rescue, which indicated a drastic error. “We know these aren’t the right coordinates because I can see this isn’t anywhere near where these people said they were,” Bass Sears said of the erroneous points.

Since the hikers frequently adventured in the area, the team knew to stick with the initial Kelly Mountain spot. Review of the dispatch calls later revealed that a simple switch between Degrees Decimal Minutes and Decimal Degrees coordinates accounted for the issue.

The rescue team knew something seemed wrong with an “updated” set of coordinates (Shown on Gaia Topo in feet)

The Rescue

Stokes litter: a stretcher designed specially for use around obstacles

Once the Wood River team reached the injured patient, they established a need to carry them via a Stokes litter, and descend 1500 vertical feet to the nearest dirt road that was accessible by air transport. The silence of their initial ascent quickly filled with tons of chatter about the terrain, the maneuvers required to successfully complete the rescue, and radio traffic.

A team of 12-14 people assigned to the rescue on foot, only 2 of them paid full-time employees, worked together to deliver the patient to safety. Sears said that even an hour or two planning for the rescue would have eliminated airlift assistance that day, but using coordinates and Gaia GPS to develop their plan meant the difference. After 6-8 hours of transport, and four helicopter loads of rescue equipment and personnel dropped at the staging area, they safely delivered the patient to the air ambulance.

Emergency responders rest after a job well done

The Power of Preparation

GPS technology changed emergency response work forever, but SAR and Fire departments can’t provide expensive standalone GPS units to the thousands of volunteers across the country—that’s where Gaia GPS comes in. At the end of last year, Gaia GPS started a pilot program to share the app and GaiaPro subscriptions free to emergency volunteers, like wildland firefighters and search & rescue responders. In the last 10 months, over 1,000 people have received this powerful navigation tool at no cost, and gone on to use it in their lifesaving work.

Sears cautions that GPS technology also serves a major purpose for the victim of an accident saying, “If you know where you are when you need to get rescued, it’s going to happen a lot faster.”

If you have questions about how Gaia GPS can help keep you safe in the backcountry, write to us at support@gaiagps.com for more information.

October 11, 2016

Adventures Company News Gaia GPS How-To New Features

Use Snap-to-Trail with Gaia GPS v10.9 for iOS

by Ashli Baldwin August 25, 2016

written by Ashli Baldwin

Gaia GPS version 10.9 for iOS, now available in the App Store. Make snap-to-trail routes from your device, and download maps along the way with an entirely redesigned routing UI. Click here for a full list of 10.9 updates and fixes.

Similar to the Snap-to-Trail feature on gaiagps.com, toggle between Hiking, Cycling, Driving and Straight line routing. Use snap-to-trail in the app whenever you have WiFi or cellular service.

View and interact with the elevation profile as you build your route.

After saving your route – get taken to a new download screen that lets you customize an offline map.

In the next few weeks, snap-to-trail routing will get introduced to the Android version of Gaia GPS, too.

Feel free to email support@gaiagps.com with any questions or comments.

August 25, 2016

Adventures Gaia GPS

Maps and Tracks for the Entire Appalachian Trail

by Ashli Baldwin April 11, 2016

written by Ashli Baldwin

Download a full dataset of maps and tracks for the Appalachian Trail on gaiagps.com. The organized folders include official trail and waypoint data from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Sync the folders to your Gaia GPS app or download in GPX or KML format to your desktop, and help aggregate data by becoming a contributor.

Disclaimer: This data has not been updated since 2016 so may be incorrect where trail relocations have taken place.

Maps for the Appalachian Trail — Appalachian Trail on gaiagps.com. Map Source: Terrain by Stamen Design, under CC BY 3.0. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Well-Organized, Comprehensive, and Authoritative

Add the entire trail to your account on gaiagps.com, or choose by state. Individual state folders include the Official ATC track and data for important POI categories like shelters and parking areas.

Folders include convenient, pre-selected OpenHikingMap downloads to match the tracks— for use with the Gaia GPS app.

Adding to Your Gaia GPS Account

Data for the entire Appalachian Trail — Track and waypoints for the Appalachian Trail

Visit the Appalachian Trail folder on gaiagps.com
Select “+ Add to My Folders” to add the data-set, or select a sub-folder for a specific state
Sync the added data directly to your device
Resume map downloads over WiFi before heading out on the trail

New National Geographic Appalachian Trail (AT) base map available

Available now (May 2018), the NatGeo Appalachian Trail premium base map includes detailed topographic information, marked trails, camping areas and shelters, and navigational aids. Learn more on how to add the NatGeo Appalachian Trail map to Gaia GPS as you plan your AT hike.

NatGeo Appalachian Trail map Gaia GPS layer of Mount Katahdin

View all of the maps, tracks, and waypoints for the Appalachian Trail here.

Or view by State:

How you can contribute to this project

Email ashli@gaiagps.com with additions, errors, or feedback of any kind.

To contribute, consider sending us waypoint descriptions, pictures, vistas or water sources and send us a link to your waypoint on gaiagps.com.

April 11, 2016

Adventures Gaia GPS

Appalachian Trail Trip Report

by Ruthie Irvin November 1, 2015

written by Ruthie Irvin

I had a chance to log some miles with Ashli on the Appalachian Trail a few weeks ago after we attended the ALDHA annual gathering in Shippensburg, PA. I thought it would be useful to talk about how we used Gaia GPS to plan and navigate, and I can’t help but also recount a few details and photos—the autumnal forest of the AT entranced me.

Ruthie and Ashli hiking after the ALDHA gathering

Planning our Trip

Ashli pre-planned our route along the Sunset Rocks loop, which promised sweeping overlooks across the forested Appalachian Mountains. I added her route to my gaiagps.com account, then synced to my iPhone 5c.

Using the route, we each downloaded maps of the area so we could locate ourselves easily in the wilderness. The maps came in handy, less than 10 minutes into the hike, when we needed to discern which fork of the trail to follow.

We recorded our tracks and took tons of photos along the way.

White “blazes” signal the way on the Appalachian Trail

Ashli shows off her perfectly plotted route

Sunset Rocks Loop

The rich colors of our surroundings stood out like the thin, intentional strokes of an impressionist painting. Steep and often rocky conditions of the trail kept my gaze primarily toward my feet, but each eyeful of the forest differed from the last one, right down to the plump, white, fuzzy caterpillars with black horns.

Just shy of halfway through our Sunset Rocks journey, Ashli spotted a steep off-shoot of the trail that looked well-traveled. We dropped our packs and found a tremendous, unobstructed view of the forested Appalachian Mountains. Ladybugs flitted back and forth along the rocks at the overlook. Their red, orange, and yellow wings a perfect compliment to the leaves changing in front of our very eyes.

First hints of fall across the Appalachian Mountains

Before this trip, my only experience with rock climbing involved multi-colored Play-doh blobs bolted to a wall in the gym. We came across only one “choice” on the Sunset Rocks loop—climb over boulders, or bypass them. We chose to summit the rocks. The pine needles crunched under my shoes. The massive rocks felt like a mix between cold stone and sandpaper. Soon after, we finished our 4.5-mile tromp at the intersection of Sunset Rocks and the AT.

Notice the blue blaze on the boulder indicating a spur trail branching off of the AT

The Campsite

We met a few late season south-bound (sobo) thru-hikers from Wisconsin at the trail shelter. They shared their campfire and we shared our candy.

The camp site offered a host of modern conveniences, including a privy. A short stroll from our tent ran an ice-cold spring with a “faucet” installed (pvc pipe planted from upstream so the water funneled straight out). Metal poles with hooks for keeping packs and food off the ground at night flanked either side of the shelter.

Can’t help but try and turn the faucet off

First, we filled our Sawyer Squeeze water filtration bags in nature’s sink. The air chilled as the sun set, so we threw on some extra layers and got to work pitching our tent. While our Mountain House Beef Stew and Turkey Tetrazzini cooked on the camp stove (pro-tip: cook the turkey tet with a little less water than directed to avoid a soupy consistency), we played some cards and chatted, then retired to our mansion among the trees.

Mansion among the trees

Return on the AT

Ashli boiled water for our Starbucks Via instant coffee packets and we munched on Nature Valley Almond Sweet & Salty bars for breakfast. After packing up our campsite, we followed the white blazes for day 2 of the hike.

Gorgeous, hand-crafted wooden mid-point sign on the trail

Unlike hiking the predictable, clay-packed trails near my home in Texas, my foot placement required attention. I don’t know how anyone backpacks through the wet leaves and jagged rocks of the AT without trekking poles. The trail spat us out near the Pine Grove Furnace General Store, home of the “Half-Gallon Challenge” (Ashli informs me that many thru-hikers successfully complete it). Delighted we met and hiked together at last, we snapped an AT selfie and headed home.

Share your favorite hikes with us on Facebook and Twitter. @gaiagps

November 1, 2015

Adventures

New Appalachian Trail Unsupported Record

by Ashli Baldwin September 25, 2015

written by Ashli Baldwin

Yesterday, Heather “Anish” Anderson completed her southbound hike of the Appalachian Trail, and set the unsupported speed record. The trail spans 2,189 miles, which Anderson covered in 54 days, 7 hours and 48 minutes, averaging 42 miles per day.

Anderson as the finish Line on Spring Mountain in Georgia

Anderson is currently the PCT unsupported record holder as well, and is the first person to ever hold both records at the same time. Matthew Kirk set the previous unsupported record, completing the hike in less than 59 days.

Another hiker, Scott Jurek, set the “supported” thru-hike record last month. A supported hiker doesn’t carry much gear, and receives assistance along the way. An unsupported, or self-supported, hiker carries their own equipment for the entire length of the trail.

You can read more about Anish’s historic hike at AppalachianTrials.com. Fans followed her journey on the Anish Hikes Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AnishHikes/photos_stream

September 25, 2015

Adventures Company News Gaia GPS

Four Gaia Babies Last Year

by Ruthie Irvin January 6, 2015

written by Ruthie Irvin

In 2014, the Gaia GPS team changed quite a bit. More people joined the company last year than were previously on the team! Co-founders Anna and Andrew, and software engineer Jesse, welcomed an additional software engineer, Josh B., and a whole new support staff, Josh S., Dave, and me, Ruthie.

As exciting as it is that our staff and user-base are growing, we’re most excited to share that in addition to the employee increase, Gaia GPS experienced a population increase as well: Four Gaia Babies!

Anna and Andrew welcomed their second child, Calliope, in April. Then, for three months at the end of the year, we had a cascade of new babies. Jesse’s first child, Elkin, joined the world in September, Josh B. became a father for the second time to Elaine in October, and I had Hazel, my first baby, Calliope’s 10th cousin, in November.

In the order they were introduced, here are our Four Gaia Babies:

We hope they love the woods as much as we do!

January 6, 2015

Adventures Gaia GPS

Bear leads a chase in Alaska, Gaia GPS shows the way home

by Staff Reports September 24, 2014

written by Staff Reports

We got an epic email into support today. We’re glad Gaia GPS helped in this precarious situation!

My buddy and I were doing a bear hunt in south-central Alaska. We were in pretty extreme mountainous terrain than involved a horrendously thick multi-hour bushwhack to access. Basically, we pursued a brown bear much longer than we should have.

It began to get dark before we even began our descent back into the mandatory bush-whack. It wasn’t long before it became pitch black, and we became lost and disoriented in the thick alders and spruce forests. My friend, being a “traditionalist,” didn’t believe in using such tools as a GPS. I did not think we would be hunting in this exact area, but I pre-downloaded some maps on the Gaia GPS app before we left in the morning.

Knowing we were completely lost and running out of energy (we also didn’t bring our tent as we expected to be back before dark and wanted to travel light) I opened up the app hoping that our location was somewhere on the fringes of one of the maps I had downloaded. After receiving a few “GPS returned bad coordinate” messages, I tried one more time and our position showed up! We were in a completely wrong place, but with the Gaia GPS app in hand, I was able to guide us out of there.

We made a lot of bad decisions that night, but having the Gaia GPS app saved us from a long, cold night; or worse. $20 is a small price to pay for something that can save your life.

September 24, 2014

Adventures Gaia GPS

Lost in the woods and found by Gaia GPS

by Staff Reports April 1, 2014

written by Staff Reports

We get a lot of interesting reports back from people using Gaia GPS in the wild, everything from tracking wolves, to research in Mongolia, to climbing Everest. One email we received today made me really remember why we started this whole thing in the first place.

Like these folks, I’d found myself lost in the woods, even with a map. And no one came by to guide me out with Gaia GPS:

…the hikers we encountered up there were indeed totally lost and headed into very difficult and dangerous terrain. Steep cliffs with thousand foot drops were less than a few hundred yards ahead of them. Our jaws dropped when we heard them say where they thought they were. Seriously.

By showing them the little arrow on Gaia on an iPad Mini, which PROVED where they were, and PROVED without a doubt as no map could ever do. They were NOT where they thought they were, GAIA helped convince them we were correct and they were not. They were lost, if temporarily so, and on dangerous ground. Like a cat going up a tree, it was way harder going down than up.

I use caps sparingly, but wanted to be clear how GAIA was better at that moment in the field, than a map. One of our patrolmen then gave them his own expensive land map, as well wisely as his cell phone number, as you shall see, and we pointed them out. They quickly became lost again, even with a land map, and wisely called us back on their cell, and I went back down and led them out to the proper trail.

April 1, 2014

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