Cool temps and active wildlife make fall popular among both hikers and hunters—and the prospect of crossing paths with a loaded firearm leaves plenty of hikers with concerns. The good news is that, nowadays, hiking during hunting season is pretty safe. Most hunters are conscientious, and incidents are becoming almost non-existent. Pennsylvania, for example, saw… Read More »
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… Read More »
Hiking in the winter demands proper attire to avoid both overheating and hypothermia. Learning how to layer the right clothing and materials can make or break a trip. Using the wrong layers can even result in dangerous consequences. As you hike, your body naturally wants to sweat. Your sweat quickly cools your body and can… Read More »
Mobile apps like Gaia GPS make it possible for everyone to have a high-end navigation tool in their pocket for a fraction of the price. Avid hikers and backpackers download maps to access them offline and use GPS to show their location anywhere in the world. Printed maps offer a super lightweight backup mechanism for… Read More »
Many National Forests across the United States allow free dispersed camping. This post will show you how to use Gaia GPS to find free camping spots before heading out and navigate when you get there. Dispersed camping refers to camping outside of established campgrounds, typically with no amenities like bathrooms or running water. Sites vary… Read More »
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… Read More »
As he drove home from a rock climbing adventure earlier this year, backcountry guide and SAR volunteer Jonathan Preuss received an emergency call for a hiker lost on Devil’s Bedstead East. “I … saw the search come in, pulled up my Gaia app, made sure I had that map saved, and turned around and went… Read More »
We’ve made it easier than ever to use your Gaia GPS tracks to update OpenStreetMap (OSM). Sending missing trails to OSM previously involved multiple steps. Now, you can push a track from gaiagps.com to OpenStreetMap.org by clicking on a menu option that appears on the details page for tracks and routes. Go to gaiagps.com,… Read More »
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… Read More »
