Gaia GPS

How to Plan a Hike with Gaia GPS

by Abby Levene May 19, 2021

written by Abby Levene

The best — and safest — hikes start before you reach the trailhead. Like cooking a delicious meal, going on a delightful hike requires some advanced preparation. Taking a little time to scout out the area and map out a route can save you far more time and stress once you actually head out the door.

Gaia GPS offers powerful planning tools to help you make that game plan. Find and create your hike at home. Download your maps onto your phone. Then navigate to the trailhead and follow your route with ease, even if you go out of cell service.

In this tutorial, Gaia GPS expert Ryan walks through how to plan a hike at home using gaiagps.com. You’ll learn how to:

Search and maneuver around the map to find the location you’re looking for.
Add waypoints to flag your starting location, finish, and key stops on the way.
Use Gaia GPS’s snap-to-trail planning tool to quickly and accurately map out the route.
Scout out the area using additional map layers.
View the map in 3D to get a better sense of the terrain.
Check out the elevation profile so you know what to expect on your hike.

Before you head out for your hike, check out more tips for planning your trip, including how to choose your destination, what to pack, and the hazards you might encounter along the way. For more tutorials on using the Gaia GPS app, visit the Help Center.

To access the entire Gaia GPS map collection, download your maps for offline use, and save your routes, get a Gaia GPS Premium Membership.

May 19, 2021

A backpacker looks at his phone. A satellite communication device is attached to the front of his backpack.

Emergency Response Gaia GPS

Satellite Communication Devices Plus a Field Review of ZOLEO

by Mary Cochenour May 18, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

A few years ago, I was on a weekend backpacking trip in Montana’s remote Crazy Mountains when I rounded the bend on a rough patch of trail and found a solo backpacker lying in the dirt. A quick assessment revealed that the man had an obvious broken leg with a bulging deformity a few inches above his boot cuff. He was starting to go into shock and needed a medical evacuation as soon as possible.

We were tucked up in a canyon, far beyond the reach of cell service. I had been carrying around a satellite communication device for years, using it to text home and to grab weather reports in the backcountry. But now the time had come to use the device for its true and intended purpose — to call for help. I unlocked the SOS button, took a deep breath, and gave it a long, hard press. Within a couple of hours, a search and rescue helicopter plucked the injured hiker off the trail and delivered him to the nearest hospital for immediate reconstructive surgery.

Satellite communication can make backcountry rescue, like this one, quick and easy. This article tackles how satellite communication devices work, their value for peace of mind, and how I’ve used satellite communication in my personal outdoor adventures and in my work as a backpacking guide. Check out the growing list of top brands of devices, a comparison of retail prices and service plans, and an on-the-ground review of ZOLEO — one of the newer units to hit the satellite communication devices scene.

A search and rescue person sits on a rocky alpine field. A helicopter circles overhead. — *Summit County Search and Rescue team waits for a helicopter pick up during a rescue mission on one of Colorado’s high altitude peaks.* Photo Credit: Summit County Search and Rescue

How Satellite Communication Devices Work

Satellite communication devices allow you to send and receive text messages even when you’re out of range of cell service. Compact and lightweight, these devices send your message to a satellite in orbit and bounce that message back to earth, namely a phone number or email of your choosing. Most devices use Bluetooth to link up to your phone, making the out-of-this-world messaging experience feel and operate like ordinary texting.

Without question, satellite communication devices have changed the backcountry experience. They give you the ability to reach out from the deepest corners of the wilderness and connect with the civilized world. They bring a sense of security and peace of mind that was impossible to gain before the advent of two-way messaging without mobile service.

Best Uses for Satellite Communication Devices

Over the years, I have found myself relying on these devices in the following ways:

When settling down in camp for the night, I’ll often send a text message home to let my family know my location. I know they are relieved to get my message that I’ve had another safe day in the backcountry.
I always bring my satellite communication device when driving through remote places with little to no cell service, like Yellowstone National Park. This brings me a sense of security knowing that I can always call for help in case of an accident or car trouble on the highway.
When I am on a long backcountry trip and the weather changes unexpectedly, I pull up a current weather report to get a picture of what conditions are headed my way.
When trying to meet up with a shuttle driver (or bush plane in Alaska), I’ll send a message with my location to let them know that my group is ready for pick up.
I carry the device on the outside of my backpack and within reach to push the SOS button in case of an emergency. Though I have only pressed the SOS button once, it is the primary reason I carry the device.

Whether out on a day hike or a multi-week adventure to wild places like Alaska or the Wind River High Route, I use Gaia GPS for all my mapping and navigation needs. The app lets me know my exact location in the backcountry, plus it has all the US Geological Survey’s quadrangle maps — my go-to map source for backcountry route planning and navigation. I also carry a two-way satellite communication device to share my location with other backpacking guides, family, and emergency services if that need arises.

Satellite Communication Device Review

Today, many brands of satellite communication devices have entered the market, including Bivy Stick, Somewear, ZOLEO, Garmin, SPOT, and more. Competition has been good for the consumer, drilling down prices and bringing better, easier-to-use technology. The devices come in all shapes and sizes, and with different service plans and prices. Here’s a snapshot of what’s out there.

A chart compares five satellite communication devices: Garmin inReach Mini, ZOLEO, Bivystick Blue, SPOT X, and Somewhere Global Hotspot. — Prices as of December, 2020.

Mary’s ZOLEO Review

I’ve tested the ZOLEO unit while guiding backpacking trips for Andrew Skurka Adventures in the Brooks Range in Alaska and Yosemite National Park. One of my clients have carried a ZOLEO unit on one of my trips. We put our ZOLEO devices to the test, sending messages from places without cell service, like Tuolumne Meadows Campground and places far off the trail.

ZOLEO offered all the features I was used to having on my old Delorme inReach SE and Garmin satellite communication devices. ZOLEO connects to the Iridium satellite network and pulls weather from Dark Sky forecasting service, the same systems used by Garmin.

ZOLEO’s two-way messaging on the unlimited plan was seamless and reliable. The battery was well suited for backcountry travel with 200 hours of use available. The device was sturdy and small enough to hang on my backpack without being annoying, although I’ll admit I’m an ounce-counter and would like to see the device lose a little bit of weight and size.

What stood out about the ZOLEO unit was the seamless messaging between satellite, cell phone, and wi-fi communication. ZOLEO detects which communication is available and selects the most efficient, cost-effective method to use. ZOLEO offers each account a dedicated phone number and email, making it easy to share your contact information with friends. I found the ZOLEO app’s interface easy and intuitive to set up and use.

Best of all, ZOLEO knocks it out of the park on affordability with a $199 suggested retail price for the device. Its service plans are generous too. While the lowest service plan is a few bucks more per month than some of the other plans out there, ZOLEO’s plan offers substantial messaging for its price with 25 satellite messages per month. ZOLEO’s mid-price “In Touch” plan is robust with a whopping 250 satellite messages per month, making me believe there is little reason to purchase the more expensive, unlimited monthly plan.

What Happens When You Press the SOS Button

To activate the SOS button on ZOLEO, press and hold the SOS button on the device for 3 seconds. As an added safety feature, this button works even when you have the device powered off. You can also activate the SOS button from the ZOLEO app on your phone by selecting the SOS tab and pressing the SOS button on your phone’s screen.

Once the SOS is activated, a 10-second countdown begins and it feels a little bit like a rocket launch at Cape Canaveral. This countdown gives you time to cancel the SOS alert in case of an unintended push of the button. Yes, this actually happened to me once. I accidentally sat on my inReach SE at Trail Camp below the summit of Mount Whitney in California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range. I leaned up against my backpack to take a break and thought, ‘where is that siren coming from?’ I realized my mistake and jumped up to cancel the SOS alert before the message was sent.

If you don’t cancel the SOS message, the device will send the SOS alert with your location to the GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) in Texas. GEOS IERCC coordinates response worldwide and is linked to the SOS button on all the satellite communication devices listed in this article. Once GEOS receives the SOS message, they will start a conversation with you by text and exchange information about your emergency. Local first responder crews will be dispatched to your location accordingly.

If you have a ZOLEO unit, you can schedule a test SOS alert to experience this process first hand.

Who Pays for Rescue

Sending an SOS alert is part of your paid service plan with these devices. Rescue, especially if it involves a helicopter, can be costly, or it could cost nothing at all. The cost depends on the location of the rescue. Check with the national park or public lands agency you plan to visit to determine who responds in the event of an emergency and if there is a cost for search and rescue within the agency’s jurisdiction. If the financial risks seem high, consider purchasing an insurance policy like the one offered by GEOS.

To Connect or Not to Connect, That is the Question

I always carry a satellite communicator when I am traveling in an area without cell service, and sometimes I’ve taken heat for it. After all, the whole point of going into the backcountry is to get away from technology and communication with the outside world. I agree wholeheartedly. But I think it’s up to you to decide how much contact to have with the world back home. If you have the will power, you can bring a satellite communicator and only rely upon it in the event of an emergency. Or you can decide to bring your texting addictions with you. Ultimately, the choice is yours.

May 18, 2021

Featured Gaia GPS New Maps

Quickly Find Campgrounds and Trails with the USFS Recreation Sites Map

by Corey Buhay May 17, 2021

written by Corey Buhay

Plan trips faster with the USFS Recreation Sites overlay in Gaia GPS. This map layer clearly marks U.S. Forest Service campgrounds, trailheads, visitor centers, and other points of interest at high zoom levels, letting you view your options across an entire national forest. You can tap on a site to learn about fees, access restrictions, and more.

The USFS Recreation Sites layer receives constant updates as the USFS adds more sites to the dataset. The clear, intuitive icons stand out on just about any base map and scale as you zoom. So whether you’re trying to pinpoint a trailhead within a densely vegetated satellite image, or looking for campsites during the first stages of trip planning, this layer will help speed up your search.

National Forests Lands: Your Best Bet for Dispersed Camping

The U.S. Forest Service manages around 193 million acres of the United States as national forests and grasslands. These areas serve a wide-reaching mission statement, which encompasses conservation and research, as well as multiple-use recreation. That makes USFS land ideal for hiking, camping, trail running, skiing, and climbing, as well as fishing, hunting, and motorized vehicle use.

Dispersed camping is more likely to be permitted on USFS land than in other, more stringently protected areas. And unlike most national parks, national forests and grasslands are typically pet-friendly.

How to Use the USFS Recreation Sites Layer

The USFS Recreation Sites Layer is available with a Premium Membership across all platforms: iOS, Android, and on gaiagps.com. Add the USFS Recreation Site map by tapping the layers icon. Scroll down and select “Feature/Weather Overlays.” Select the “USFS Recreation Sites” map and tap the “Add” button.

Use the USFS Recreation Sites overlay in conjunction with the USFS Visitor map. The USFS Recreation Sites layer is more up-to-date. However, it’s a work in progress, so there may be some sites currently visible on USFS Visitor map that aren’t yet available on the USFS Recreation Sites overlay.

USFS Recreation Sites and USFS Roads and USFS Roads and Tr ails make another great pairing. The combination gives you a complete look at Forest Service infrastructure that you can overlay on top of any base map.

*The USFS Recreation Sites overlay, paired with the USFS Roads and Trails overlay and the Satellite base map.*

May 17, 2021

Desktop screenshot of Wild and Scenic Rivers map.

Gaia GPS New Maps

Find Beautiful Boating Destinations with New Wild and Scenic Rivers Map

by Abby Levene May 12, 2021

written by Abby Levene

Find the best waterways in the US with the new Wild and Scenic Rivers map. Use this map on top of your favorite basemap to see all of the congressionally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers across America.

Wild and Scenic rivers offer some of the best fishing, boating, hiking, and scenery anywhere in the country. Dams block about 600,000 miles of river in the US. Use this map to find sections of free-flowing river as you plan your next kayaking, packrafting, or fishing trip.

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Layer

The Wild and Scenic Rivers map shows the 208 rivers that Congress protects. Scientists who use Gaia GPS to help record data while out in the field requested this map. And you, too, can use this layer:

Check to see if your favorite river is protected.
Scout out some of the most breathtaking places in the country to explore on your next trip, such as the Allagash River in Maine.
Find free-flowing sections of river as you plan your next boating or fishing trip.
Discover the country’s most prolific salmon runs, such as the Klamath River in California.

Add this layer and see each river or section of river that has been designated as Wild and Scenic. Tap on the river icon to learn more about that river, including its name, classification as Wild, Scenic, or Recreational, and the state in which its located. Plus, you’ll see the river’s water quality for drinking, swimming, and fishing.

What is a Wild and Scenic River?

Screenshot of Wild and Scenic Rivers on a phone shows multiple rivers on the west coast.

Rivers remain critical resources not only for recreation, but also for clean drinking water, biodiversity, and even flood protection. Just over 50 years ago, Congress recognized that the vitality of American rivers was at stake. So it created the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in 1968 (Public Law 90- 542; 16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.) to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition.

Wild and Scenic Rivers have one or more special features. These may include:

Pristine water
Beauty and scenery
River recreation
Flora and Fauna fecundity
Importance to the country’s history and culture

Of the 2.9 million miles of rivers in the US, only 12,709 of those miles are protected as Wild and Scenic. Yet this fraction of one percent of rivers are spread out around the country. Some Wild and Scenic Rivers are remote and ideal for a multi-day float trip, such as Idaho’s Salmon and Selway rivers. Others are more developed with roads and bridges and close to population centers, such as New York’s Upper Delaware. Take a day trip to escape the city and enjoy the soothing tranquility of the rushing water.

Often, only sections of a river are designated as Wild and Scenic. Other parts of the river may have dams or other development. Such is the case with the White Salmon River in Washington. The Condit Dam was intentionally breached in 2011, allowing this river to flow unimpeded for the first time in nearly a century. Now, these 27.7 miles of protected river are home to exhilarating Class III and IV rapids.

How to get the Wild and Scenic Rivers Map

Access the Wild and Scenic Rivers Map with a Premium Membership. Add this map by clicking the layers icon, selecting Add Map Layer, tapping Nautical/Aviation Overlays, scrolling down and adding the Wild and Scenic Rivers layer.

Layer the Wild and Scenic Rivers map on top of Gaia Topo or use it with your favorite base map. Boaters and fishers may also want to use Wild and Scenic Rivers in conjunction with the USGS Streamflows map, where they can get current streamflow in cubic feet per second (cfs) and status rankings against historical daily means. For tips on adding the Wild and Scenic Rivers layer and any other layer on Gaia GPS, visit this help center article.

May 12, 2021

Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast

How Tragedy Turned Luc Mehl into a Packrafting Expert

by Mary Cochenour May 6, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Adventurer Luc Mehl has spent decades exploring Alaska in the most creative ways. He’s skied from Haines to Juneau; ice-skated a 100+ mile route on frozen lakes and seashores above the Arctic Circle, and bikepacked portions of the Iditarod Trail. In 2006, he discovered a much more efficient way to cover miles in the mountains: packrafting. He’s taken floating down Alaskan rivers to a new level ever since.

Don’t miss episode 31 of the Out and Back podcast as Luc takes us on his incredible Alaskan journey. His story starts with growing up in a tiny, landlocked village. Yet it took moving to the city for Luc to find joy playing outside in Alaska’s great expanses.

Luc’s adventures on foot, bike, ice skates, skis, and packraft can seem extreme to most people. But he swears he’s not in it for the thrill. Taking on new sports is just Luc’s way to keep growing.

“Part of what I am after is the learning curve,” Luc says on the podcast. “Every day I go out and I’m a little better than I was yesterday. I’ve done that with all these sports: skiing, biking, packrafting. As soon as the learning curve flattens out, I start to get a little restless. I’ll embrace learning even if it means giving up being an expert and I’ll pick up something new.”

Luc used the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic — a punishing adventure challenge across 100+ miles of rugged terrain — to test his limits and learn new things. The Wilderness Classic felt like a safe place for Luc to experiment with his gear, food, and sleep deprivation. Sometimes he stayed up all night to rack up extra miles.

Luc’s goal in the Wilderness Classic was to see just how minimally he could survive. Until one day, cutting corners resulted in tragedy.

In 2014, Luc’s friend drowned in a packrafting accident in the middle of the race course. Though Luc was not on the scene, the loss of his friend changed his perspective on decision-making in the mountains. Suddenly, his history of many close calls came into sharp focus.

Book jacket of Luc's book, "The Packraft Handbook."

Looking at his skill level through the lens of tragedy, Luc realized he was boating on water way over his head. It was a tough pill to swallow, but he dialed back and started learning the sport all over again. The result seven years later is Luc’s brand new book, “The Packraft Handbook.”

Due out at the end of May, “The Packraft Handbook” captures Luc’s knowledge about backcountry river travel. Everything from reading water to river hazards, packraft gear and safety equipment, “The Packraft Handbook” reaches both beginners and expert paddlers.

Learn more about Luc Mehl and his Alaskan adventures on his website. Follow him on Instagram. And pick up a copy of “The Packraft Handbook” to get the best tips for staying safe on moving water. Pre-orders are available now and will be shipped in June.

Last Episode: The Pacific Crest Trail with Barney “Scout” Mann

Barney at his computer, with book cases on either side. His back is to the camera.

Tune in to the last episode of Out and Back podcast for a chat with Barney “Scout” Mann. Since 2006, Scout and his wife “Frodo” have been hosting Pacific Crest Trail hikers at their suburban San Diego home.

The ultimate trail angles, the Manns offer to pick up arriving PCT hikers from the airport, bring them to their five-bedroom house, feed them dinner, entertain them with music, and teach them the ways of the trail. The next morning, the Manns shuttle the hopeful thru-hikers some 60 miles to the Mexico border. With a hug and a smile, they send their new hiking friends off to Canada. The Manns don’t charge a penny for their services.

In this episode, Scout describes how running their famous hiker hostel kept Scout and Frodo connected to the PCT even after their own thru-hike in 2007. Scout reflects on how the pandemic forced them to close up shop in 2020, and why they decided not to host PCT hikers in 2021. Listen through to the very end to hear why Scout and Frodo will consider hosting in 2022.

Find out about the release of Scout’s new book, Journeys North, which chronicles his own PCT thru-hike with Frodo. Give Scout a follow on Instagram — he’s on the Arizona Trail right now and posting pictures of his trip along the way. Learn more about Scout and Frodo’s hiker hostel on the Mann’s website.

May 6, 2021

A screenshot of Gaia GPS on the web shows adding an overlanding route to a folder.

Gaia GPS New Features

New Folder Organization on gaiagps.com

by Abby Levene April 22, 2021

written by Abby Levene

If you’ve built complex overlanding routes with countless waypionts or recorded hundreds of hiking tracks, you can now keep all of that data organized and easy to find thanks to Gaia GPS’s new and improved folders on the web. Folders are now intuitive to build, find, and edit right from the Saved Items sidebar on gaiagps.com. This update also makes it a snap to declutter your map: simply hide folders (and the contents inside them) from view.

Read on to learn about filing all of your info for a specific trip, from waypoints to photos to the route itself, together in one folder. Plus, see how you can nestle folders into other folders for ultimate organization. And discover how searching for certain folders or the contents inside them is easy with intuitive filtering and sorting capabilities.

Create and Manage Folders in the Sidebar

When you build a detailed overlanding route filled with waypoints, or create separate routes for each section of your thru-hike, you can now easily file all of those trip details into one folder right from the sidebar. Just click the Folder icon to get started.

Rename and Edit Folders in One Click
If you want to rename a folder, you can do so in one click. Tap the three dots at the top of the folder in the sidebar. Quickly delete folders, routes, waypoints, and other data you no longer want by selecting those items in bulk and deleting them all at once.

Nest Folders for Ultimate Organization
Easily file folders together by nesting them into their own parent folder. This tree-branch folder structure lets you organize a bunch of folders that all pertain to backpacking trips in a certain geographic location, or do you have a list of overlanding routes that you want to classify together. Add even more organization by creating subfolders, similar to how you might build them in iOS or Windows.

Declutter your Map with the Visibility Button

Once you’ve created a lot of routes or saved many tracks in one geographic area, the map can become cluttered and hard to read. This can be tedious if you’re trying to build a new route, or examine a zone for prime camping spots. Plus, looking at a spider web of tracks might make it difficult to follow one particular route while you’re out in the backcountry. There’s a quick fix for this confusion — hide your saved items!

Filing your routes, tracks, waypoints, and other saved items into folders makes it quick and easy to hide those items in bulk. Click the blank space just to the left of the select button for that folder. An eye with a line through it will appear, indicating that all of the routes in that folder are no longer visible on your Gaia GPS map.

Easily Find Saved Items with Search, Sort, and Filter Functions

A screenshot of Gaia GPS on the web shows how to filter for items within folders.

If you have lots of trail running routes, backpacking tracks, off-roading waypoints, or saved areas to sift through, no sweat. Searching, sorting, and filtering functions make it easy to find the item you are looking for.

Search
When you remember the name of that backcountry ski folder or prime fishing spot waypoint that you’re trying to find, the search bar makes this easy. Just type the name or the keyword right into the search bar in the Folders sidebar. All items with that word in the title will pop right up.

Sort
You can choose whether to sort by metrics including distance, elevation, time created, and alphabetically. To sort items in the Saved Items sidebar, click the arrow pointing down at the top. You can also change the direction in which items are sorted, from newest to oldest or vice versa.

Filter
If you want to search through a smaller assortment of saved items, you can filter what appears in the sidebar. Just click the Filter button on the top. This lets you filter items by item type, and also by whether it’s visible or hidden on the map.

Folders are Available to Everyone

All Gaia GPS users can create routes, areas, and waypoints, as well as organize, backup, and share data. This includes the capability to create and manage folders. Get started with Gaia GPS at gaiagps.com and download the app for free on iOS and Android.

Get a Premium Membership to fully take advantage of Gaia GPS’s powerful route finding and navigation tools. Access all the best maps, including the entire catalog of National Geographic Trails Illustrated, public lands, elevation shading, weather overlays, and many more. Print your maps so you always have a backup, layer maps together to get the best sense of an area, and download maps for offline use so you can stay found.

April 22, 2021

A group of Indigenous Women Outdoors members stand in a line in a forest.

Adventures Gaia GPS

Moving Beyond the Map with Indigenous Women Outdoors

by Myia Antone April 22, 2021

written by Myia Antone

Myia Antone is a youth from the Squamish Nation, based in Squamish, BC. She is a Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language learner and teacher, and a land-based education lover.

Sandy Ward is from the Líl̓wat Nation, based in Whistler, BC. She is an avid snowboarder and splitboarder, a coach, and language learner.

Together, they make up the Indigenous Women Outdoors team. Indigenous Women Outdoors is a nonprofit organization based in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor of BC. They offer outdoor programming for Indigenous women and nonbinary folx to connect with the land, each other, and themselves.

Where Skiing and Snowboarding Take Us

Skiing and snowboarding have allowed us, as Indigenous women, to travel to places in our traditional territories that we haven’t traveled to before. They are places our ancestors would go to for ceremony, to hunt, or to just be. They are places of dirt, rocks, mountains, and water that once spoke the same languages as us. To get to see these places is to go back in time. We are transported to a safe space where it is okay to be who we are, unapologetically and proudly. We walk in the same footsteps as our ancestors, and we get to glide down mountains while we giggle together.

Skiing and snowboarding not only bring us to these magical places, but also connect us with magical people. We come from different Nations, cultures, and languages, but together we are stronger. We share information and stories, transmitting knowledge from one generation to the next, just like our ancestors did. When we are on our own territories, we share what knowledge we possess with our comrades. When we travel to new places, we learn about those places before we go. Who was here since time immemorial? What names do they call these mountains? We learn how to respectfully visit someone else’s territory and honor their ancestors.

Learning the Traditional Names of the Land

One way to respectfully visit a new place is to learn the traditional names of the lands you are on. What is in a place name? A lot of mountains, valleys and lakes have easy enough English names to pronounce; usually an “explorer” who may or may not have travelled through the land named that place. But so many places have names from long before settlers came into these areas. These traditional names reflect much more than just someone who settled on the land or mapped the area.

Our traditional place names hold stories of creation, mark boundaries in our territories, and tell us of dangers or of safe passage. Sure, they may be a bit harder to pronounce for some people, but they are an important part of history that should not be forgotten.

For example, Duffey Lake here in BC, Canada is named after James Duffey, allegedly the first person to navigate the area in search of safe passage through the mountains. Was he the first person to navigate the area? No, definitely not. The Lil̓wat people have been traveling through this area for 13,000 years. The whole alpine valley is known as Nlháxten, which effectively translates to “big dish place,” as this was a great area for gathering food and medicine. The lake itself is known as Teq, which indicates the log jam at the far end of the lake. These names have stories behind them that include ancient teachings and lessons.

Back before maps, we used stories to navigate our lands. Place names were actual features in the land such as rock slides, big rapids or even a plant that grew in abundance in that area. Another example of how our Lil̓wat stories helped us map our territories is the story of the Copper Canoe. By listening to the story, we are able to safely travel the 270 kilometers on the Lillooet River from its headwaters all the way to Harrison Lake. Our stories include landmarks, and advice on how to travel our lands and waters and return home. These stories are important. And they are everywhere. We invite you to look up the Indigenous stories in your area and find those place names and start using them.

Learning the Land with the Native Lands Map

One resource we use while we are traveling on someone else’s territory is Native Land. Native Land is an online map and educational resource that works to represent traditional territories of Indigenous Nations, while also providing a teacher’s guide, territory acknowledgment guide, and a blog with many tips and stories. Gaia GPS added the Native Lands layer for all Gaia GPS users.

While these maps and boundaries may not be perfect, they are a great starting point to learning whose land you are on, as well as a step in the right direction to forming a relationship with those communities. An awesome feature of the Native Lands map is being able to click/tap the territory to view website links where you can learn more about the Indigenous communities. This is an important feature because learning more about the peoples, cultures, and languages of the local Indigenous community or communities is just as important as knowing whose land it is.

How Indigenous Women Outdoors Supports Healing in the Mountains

At Indigenous Women Outdoors, we support Indigenous women (cisgender & trans women, non-binary and gender-nonconforming members) in accessing the land in various ways. We believe that getting outside is one way to help our community members on their healing journeys. This support comes in many forms including gear, transportation, safety, knowledge, and a safe space to try a new outdoor activity.

While many barriers exist in a physical sense, mental barriers also hinder accessing the outdoors. We offer a space where Indigenous folx can not only exist, but thrive. It’s a space where we help each other up when we fall, and celebrate the small victories of learning knots, making it down a ski run and even just showing up. We foster leadership, and encourage knowledge sharing between people and cultures.

This year, we launched our Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding Mentorship Program. This program supported six self-identified women, from different walks of life, as well as different cultures, to learn backcountry skiing and snowboarding. We provided gear, workshops, and avalanche safety training certification. While the love for skiing and snowboarding is there, the love to be in an Indigenous-only space is what drives this program forward. These sports brought us together, and the relationships between participants and learning more about the territories where we do these sports is what makes this program successful in our eyes.

Skiing and snowboarding have become a vessel of healing for our peoples. Making sure that we are safe while we are out, as well as knowing where we are is an important piece of backcountry skiing. Our ancestors knew these lands inside and out, and we will continue using modern technology and evolve the same way they did. Maps can allow us to see the bigger picture. We can see our whole route, trip, and ski line with the click of a button. However, being on the land allows us to think beyond any map. Sometimes it can be just as important to focus on what you see in the moment — which if you’re lucky enough, might be a beautiful ski or snowboard line that was protected by Indigenous ancestors who knew how to protect those lands best.

Huy chayap a (Thank you all in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim, Squamish Language)

Kukwstumkacw (Thank you in Ucwalmicwts, Liĺwat language)

Myia Antone and Sandy Ward

April 22, 2021

Barney and Scout stand with their arms around each other's shoulders at the pole signifying the southern terminus of the PCT.

Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast

Meet Scout and Frodo: the Ultimate PCT Trail Angels

by Mary Cochenour April 22, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

The next morning, the Manns shuttle the hopeful thru-hikers some 60 miles to the Mexico border. With a hug and a smile, they send their new hiking friends off to Canada, rested and well prepared for the miles ahead.

A large group of thru-hikers sit in a big circle in Scout's backyward.

Hosting hikers — sometimes 40 per night — gets expensive and takes a lot of time and energy. Yet the Manns don’t charge a penny for their hospitality. Helping hikers start their long, arduous PCT journey is their ultimate joy in life.

Tune in to the next episode of Out and Back for a chat with Barney “Scout” Mann. A triple crown hiker himself, Scout describes how running their famous hiker hostel kept them connected to the PCT even after their own thru-hike in 2007. Learn about the changes Scout has seen as the PCT grew in popularity after the release of Cheryl Strayed’s book Wild.

Cover of Scout's book, "Journey's North: The Pacific Crest Trail." Cover image is a watercolor of a lake with mountains in the background.

Mann discusses the release of his new book, Journeys North, which chronicles the PCT thru-hike he did with Sandy (trail name Frodo). Plus, find out what it’s like to hang out in the Manns’ hostel as hikers prepare for the first miles of their PCT trek.

Scout reflects on how the pandemic forced them to close up shop in 2020 and why they decided not to host PCT hikers in 2021. Listen through to the very end to hear why Scout and Frodo will consider hosting in 2022.

Give Scout a follow on Instagram — he’s on the Arizona Trail right now and posting pictures of his trip along the way. Learn more about Scout and Frodo’s hiker hostel on the Mann’s website. Stay tuned for their announcement about whether they will host hikers in 2022.

Next Episode: How Tragedy Turned Luc Mehl into a Packrafting Expert

Luc smiles for the camera in a portrait.

Adventurer Luc Mehl has spent decades exploring Alaska in the most creative ways. He’s skied from Haines to Juneau; ice-skated a hundred-mile route on frozen lakes and seashores above the Arctic Circle, and bikepacked portions of the Iditarod Trail. In 2006, he discovered a much more efficient way to click off miles in mountains: packrafting. He’s taken floating down Alaskan rivers to a new level ever since.

Don’t miss episode 31 of the Out and Back podcast as Luc takes us on his incredible Alaskan journey, from growing up in a tiny, landlocked village to discovering the freedom of the outdoors later in his life. While Luc’s adventures on foot, bike, ice skates, skis, and packraft, can seem extreme to most people, he rejects being labeled a “thrill seeker.” Taking on new sports is just a way for Luc to master a new craft, and to keep climbing the learning curve.

Luc has used the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic — a punishing adventure race across 100+ miles of rugged terrain — to test his limits and hone his wilderness skills. The race has always felt like a safe place for Luc to experiment with his food choices and sleep deprivation, sometimes staying up all night to make extra miles. The goal was to see just how minimally he could live out there.

Until one day, cutting corners resulted in tragedy.

In 2014, Luc’s friend drowned in a packrafting accident in the middle of the race. Though Luc was not on the scene, the loss of his friend changed his perspective on decision-making in the mountains. Suddenly, his history of many close came into focus.

Looking at his skill level through the lens of tragedy, Luc realized that he was boating on water that was way over his head. It was a tough pill to swallow but he dialed back, and started learning the sport all over again — this time from the very beginning. Seven years later, the result is the release of Luc’s brand new book: The Packraft Handbook — “the definitive instructional resource for packrafting.”

Learn more about Luc Mehl and his Alaskan adventures on his website. Follow him on Instagram. And pick up a copy of The Packraft Handbook to get the best tips for staying safe on moving water.

Last Episode: Ninjasticking Through the Backcountry with Vasu Sojitra

Vasu Sojitra is one of the most accomplished adaptive athletes on Earth. He’s notched first independent adaptive ascents and descents on everything from the Grand Teton in Grand Teton National Park to Tuckerman’s Ravine on Mount Washington in New Hampshire. This winter, he summited Wyoming’s formidable Mount Moran and skied its infamous Skillet Glacier.

He’s done all of this with one leg.

But focusing on Vasu’s leg difference, though, doesn’t do him justice. Rather, Vasu has leveraged his disability to cultivate courage, resiliency, and compassion.

“That’s the thing about disability culture — we are one of the most resilient communities on this [expletive] planet, which is awesome to be a part of,” Vasu recounts on Out and Back. “People think we’re fragile. People think you have to tiptoe around our disability. You don’t. We’re still here. We’re still kicking ass and we’re still making sure our voices are heard no matter what our voices are.”

Go back and listen to the last episode of Out and Back as Vasu recounts going from feeling like an outsider as a kid growing up in Glastonbury, CT and Gujarat, India, to finding belonging on the ski slopes. As Indian immigrants, Vasu’s parents were not entirely sold on their two sons’ newfound passion — or the price to entry. Adaptive ski equipment is particularly expensive. But Vasu and his brother (and number one supporter) Amir found their way to the bunny slopes of CT, and later, the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Appalachians, and beyond.

Vasu’s accomplishments in the mountains are extraordinary. But his story is really one of finding strength within yourself. He’s on a mission to make the outdoors accessible to all, so everyone can experience the liberation of moving their bodies through the landscape.

Follow Vasu on Instagram. Read first-hand accounts of Vasu’s adventures on his website, and watch his film Out on the Limb.

April 22, 2021

A runner smiles while running down a trail through a burn path.

Gaia GPS How-To

How to Start Trail Running

by Abby Levene April 14, 2021

written by Abby Levene

Photo credit: Ashleigh Thompson

Trail running is like hiking’s high-octane cousin. The two activities accomplish a similar objective: travel along a beautiful singletrack trail, often in the wilderness, on two legs. But by moving lighter and faster, running allows you to cover more territory in less time. And thanks to its sustained aerobic component, running transforms even city parks into rewarding adventures. Whether you want to cover a multi-day backpacking route in one day, efficiently train for a thru-hike, or simply discover a rejuvenating exercise regime, trail running can enhance a hiker’s life.

Professional runner and coach Sandi Nypaver sees how hikers can benefit from adding trail running to their repertoire.

“There’s a lot of beauty in hiking and taking a little more time to see everything around you,” Nypaver says. “But it can also be satisfying and enjoyable to cover more ground and see more views or be able to get more miles of trail time in on days you’re short on time.”

Here’s what you need to know to make the leap.

Hiking vs. Trail Running: Similar but Different

Before you lace up some trail running shoes and hit the trail, it’s useful to keep in mind that trail running differs from hiking. Hikers possess a strong aerobic base, durable joints, and wilderness skills essential to thrive as a trail runner. While hiking and running use the same cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, the two movements use those systems in different ways.

Walking and running require distinct gaits. Think back to when you started hiking. While you probably didn’t get sore walking around your neighborhood, your whole body might have ached after climbing a mountain. The switch to trail running feels similar. Hiking primarily engages your quads, while trail running uses your glutes, feet, quads, calves, and even biceps.

Running is faster than walking. Your muscles need to contract harder with each step. They also get less time to recover between steps, making you fatigue faster. Plus running is higher impact, placing more stress on muscles, bones, and joints. Running’s added strain on the body increases your chance of injury if you’re not careful, professional runner and coach Sage Canaday warns.

How to Start Trail Running

a runner passes by mountains with a touch of fall color. — *Photo credit: Adam Edwards*

Pick a Trail
Pick a route that’s on the shorter side when you’re starting out. Just like with hiking, you want be cognizant of the vertical gain—climbing will require more energy and time. Consider dedicating some days to flatter trails, and even gravel roads and bike paths, to work on your running efficiency. Good running form translates from the flats to the mountains. Intersperse flatter days with more climbing days to give your body time to recover. Your calves will be sore at first!
You can, of course, combine hills and flats into one run. In fact, Nypaver suggests picking a trail with rolling hills so you can let the terrain help ease you into the sport.

“You could hike the uphills and then run the downhills, focusing on good form and listening to your feet as they hit the ground to make sure you’re not landing too hard.”

Let the course dictate when to run and when to walk, and you will start to acclimate without even realizing it.

Know Where to Go with Gaia GPS
Just like with hiking, use Gaia GPS to discover trails and routes. Map out a route of your choosing, and look at the elevation profile and trail surfaces to get a sense of how long the run may take. Several maps prove particularly useful:

Gaia Topo Map

Gaia Topo shows trails, paths, and hidden unmaintained roads that are perfect for running. This recently updated map makes it easy to find and plan out routes ahead of time. You can even tap on a trailhead or landmark to find suggested routes in the area.

Best yet, this vector-based map is tiny and fast to download for off-line use. The map takes up very little storage on your phone so you can download huge swaths of land, even your entire state, in minutes.

Nat Geo Trails Illustrated

This gorgeous set of maps provides incredibly detailed data on many trails and national parks across the US. Zoom in to see quick tips written on the map, like fording slippery streams, and how many miles until the next water source. National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps show mileage markers between sections of trail, trailheads, amenities, and parking areas.

Satellite with Labels

Topo maps prove invaluable, but sometimes you need a birds-eye view of the terrain to get a sense of what a place actually looks like. Use this satellite imagery layer to see if a trail winds through the trees or over an open plain, for example. Such information helps you decide if you should bring a visor for the sun, or a jacket for a windswept mountain top.

Gaia Streets

A beauty of trail running is that, contrary to its name, it can be done pretty much anywhere. Don’t be afraid to run on surfaces other than trails. Switching up your routine will only make you better at running. The Gaia Streets layer allows you to navigate urban areas with ease. Find city staircases to practice running hills, discover obscure paths through parks, and map out routes that optimize quiet sidewalks and minimize traffic light stops.

USFS Roads and Trails

This is Gaia GPS’s most frequently updated map layer, so it often contains roads and trails that are not available on any other map. This layer also highlights the surface and condition of the trail or road, so you won’t have to guess if you’ll be running on two-track, single track, pavement or dirt.

USGS Topo

The official map of the US Geological Survey, the USGS Topo quilts together all the USGS quadrangle maps for the contiguous United States. These maps are large-scaled to 1:24,000, bringing the character of the landscape into sharp focus if you’re skilled at reading topographic maps. Check out this article if you need to brush up on your topo map-reading skills.

You can use the web map on gaiagps.com to find routes and trails, and plan your run on the big screen. Log into your Gaia GPS account on your computer, and any routes you map out on the web will automatically synch to your Gaia GPS app. Just make sure you “show” the route on the map in the app.

Tip: download maps for the region you will be running through so that you can still access them if you lose cell service. At the start of your run, start recording your track so that you can easily retrace your steps if needed. Plus recording your track will allow to you visualize your run afterward and to repeat the route again.

Start Short and Easy

Sandi and Sage power hike up a mountain. They both are using trekking poles and are wearing hydration vests. — Sandi Nypaver and Sage Canaday in Colorado’s Sawatch mountains.

Start with short distances to stay healthy. While you may be in incredible shape from hiking, your body still needs ample time to adjust to running. Don’t be afraid to throw in walking or hiking breaks as needed. In fact, the best trail runners in the world still hike steep and technical climbs. Listen to your body when it tells you to walk.

Intersperse running days with rest, hiking, or other cross training days like cycling or swimming. In the beginning, aim for running two to three days a week, with at least one day off in between. This cadence will give your body enough time to recover between sessions, while also providing enough stimulus to allow your body to adapt and improve. After a couple of weeks, you can start working your way up to more runs each week.

Listen to Your Body, Not Your Watch
Try not to worry too much about your pace. Setting an arbitrary pace objective isn’t productive. And the pace you will run on smooth surfaces versus rocks and roots, flat terrain versus hills, will wildly vary. Again, practice listening to your body. As running grows more comfortable, try incorporating some fartlek-style runs. Fartlek, or “speed play” in Swedish, refers to adding unstructured intervals to your run. Pick a landmark down the path and run hard to it, then recover for a few minutes while running easy, and do it again. Mixing up the speed within your runs will help you grow faster and stronger.

Trail Running Gear

General rule of thumb — you need less gear than you think. Here are the essentials:

Phone: Download your maps for offline use beforehand so you can navigate as needed. Plus, having a phone on you provides an insurance blanket for emergencies when you have cell service.
Trail Shoes: Find a pair of trail shoes that work for you. Everyone’s feet are different, so relying on reviews can only get you so far. “Try on different pairs to see what feel you like and works with your running form,” Canaday recommends. Go to your local running store and test out some options to see what you like. Also consider the terrain you will be running over. The wet, rocky, root-laden trails of the White Mountains require a shoe with more grip and protection than the buttery mountain bike trails of the Marin Headlands. If you anticipate running over a lot of rocks, look for a shoe with a solid rock plate to protect your feet.
Waist Belt: Optional, but super useful to hold your cell phone and keys. Items like the Naked Band or Ultimate Direction Utility Belt can hold a surprising amount of things without bouncing or falling off.
Anti-Chafe Product: Sweating plus friction leads to painful showers. Prevent chafing with something like Squirrel’s Nut Butter or another anti-chafe product.
Traction: If you plan on running through a snowy or icy winter, traction will help save you from slipping. Nano spikes usually suffice for roads. Micro spikes open up a window of possibility for running over snowy, icy trails. Kahtoola and Black Diamond make durable and effective options for both.

Once you graduate to longer runs, especially in the mountains, a few more items prove useful:

Hydration Pack: A lightweight, running-specific pack lets you carry fluids, snacks, and additional layers you may need for longer or especially hot outings. Try on a few options, if possible, to see what fits best on you.
Soft Flasks: For fluids. These will typically come with a hydration pack.
Water Filter: If you know you will pass by running water, consider carrying less water and filling up along the way. To do this, you should invest in a water filter.The Katadyn BeFree is an efficient and effective option.
Hiking Poles: If you already love your hiking poles, don’t worry — they still prove useful for big mountain runs.

Apparel
While you can run in whatever you like, you may want to consider investing in a few comfortable, functional pieces of running apparel:

Lightweight and wicking shirt: Will keep you cool in the heat and warm in the cold.
Shorts: Or tights that allow full range of motion without bogging you down with extra fabric.
Socks: While it might seem superfluous, well fitting, wicking socks can make the difference between finishing a run with intact feet or blistered feet.
Windbreaker and Gloves: a light windbreaker that folds into itself for easy storage and a light pair of gloves re useful for mountain summits. Canaday points out that while you will stay warmer running than hiking, you may also sweat more. So if the weather changes as it often does in the mountains, having a layer to keep you warm is still important.

Fueling and Hydration
Just like with hiking, you need to properly hydrate and fuel to keep going. “You need a lot more calories and hydration drink mixes than you think!” Canaday says. On longer runs or hot days, consider adding some electrolytes to your water, or bring salt pills. Since you lose both water and electrolytes when you sweat, you need to replace both to keep your body and mind functioning. Eating on the run can prove tricky at first. But the more you practice, the more comfortable it will feel. Experiment with foods to see what your stomach and mind can tolerate. Drink mixes, gels, chews, gummies, and candy bars are a sugary albeit relatively safe place to start. Tail Wind, Skratch Labs, SiS, and Maurten make some of the most tasty and digestible endurance fuels on the market. Peanut butter pretzels provide a savory and relatively digestible sustained source of sustenance. Aim to DTYPC (drink ‘til you pee clear) and consume 200 to 300 calories an hour.

Find a Community

Whether virtual or in-person, finding a group of runners can be an effective way to learn, have fun, and find motivation. Join running groups on Facebook or other social networks to get new route ideas from people in your area and to find running buddies. You can also find local running groups by checking in with your local running store. Nypaver suggests that womxn look into their local Trail Sisters chapter.

Play to Your Hiking Strengths

As a hiker, you’re already strong at walking up hill. Lean into that! Use your trail intuition, and listen to physical and psychological queues to determine when you should slow down, and when you can push a bit harder if you like. Have fun practicing hoping over rocks and roots on the descents. It may feel foreign and slow-going at first, but you improve immensely with practice. And most importantly, remember why you’re out there: to have fun.

“Whenever you’re learning something new, leave the self-judgment at home,” Nypaver says. “Find your inner kid-like joy to help you along.”

April 14, 2021

Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast

“Ninjasticking” Through the Backcountry with Vasu Sojitra

by Abby Levene April 8, 2021

written by Abby Levene

He’s done all of this with one leg — as Vasu says,”ninjasticking” with special forearm crutches.

Reducing Vasu to his leg difference, though, doesn’t do him justice. Rather, Vasu has leveraged his disability to cultivate courage, resiliency, and compassion.

“That’s the thing about disability culture — we are one of the most resilient communities on this [expletive] planet, which is awesome to be a part of,” Vasu recounts on Out and Back. “People think we’re fragile. People think you have to tiptoe around our disability. You don’t. We’re still here. We’re still kicking ass and we’re still making sure our voices are heard no matter what our voices are.”

In this episode of Out and Back, Vasu recounts going from feeling like an outsider as a kid growing up in Glastonbury, CT and Gujarat, India, to finding belonging on the ski slopes. As Indian immigrants, Vasu’s parents were not entirely sold on their two sons’ newfound passion — or the price to entry. Adaptive ski equipment is particularly expensive. But Vasu and his brother (and number one supporter) Amir found their way to the bunny slopes of CT, and later the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Appalachians even further north.

At the University of Vermont, Vasu capitalized on his mechanical engineering studies and worked with a team to build a special set of outriggers, or ski crutches, that enable him to access the backcountry. These “ninjasticks” changed the trajectory of his life. Suddenly, Vasu was skiing at and above the level of his two-legged friends. Rather than pursue engineering after college, Vasu applied those problem-solving skills to finding ways to enable others with disabilities to experience the freedom and joy of outdoor recreation, first at Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports and then at Eagle Mount in his new hometown of Bozeman, Montana.

As Vasu racked up accomplishments on ski and foot, he started earning attention from sponsors and media. He became the first athlete with a disability on the North Face’s prestigious athlete team. But the more praise he garnered, the more Vasu strove to highlight and lift up others. Looking at his own life through an intersectional framework, Vasu started noticing how his disability and skin color interact and compound in unique ways. He realized he could advocate for inclusion for both people with disabilities and people of color and others at the margins.

Vasu’s accomplishments on the trails are extraordinary. But his story is really one of finding strength within yourself. He’s on a mission to make the outdoors accessible to all, so everyone can experience the liberation of moving their bodies through the landscape.

As a community organizer and diversity, equity, and inclusion strategist, Vasu is also not afraid to correct and dismantle our preconceptions and biases. But he’s just as willing to learn along with his audience — follow him on Instagram. Read first-hand accounts of Vasu’s adventures on his website, and watch his film Out on the Limb.

Next episode: Meet the Ultimate PCT Trail Angles: Scout and Frodo

Scout and his wife Sandy stand in front of a sign post for the southern terminus of the PCT. They have their arms around each other and are smiling.

Since 2006, thousands of Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers have started their 2,660-mile journey from Barney and Sandy Mann’s suburban San Diego home. The ultimate trail angles, the Manns offer to pick up arriving PCT hikers from San Diego’s airport or train depot, bring them to their five-bedroom house, feed, entertain, and teach them the ways of the trail.

The next morning, the Manns shuttle the hopeful PCT thru-hikers some 60 miles to the Mexico border. With a hug and a smile, they send their new hiking friends off to Canada, rested and well prepared for the miles ahead.

Hosting hikers — sometimes 40 per night — gets expensive and takes a lot of time and energy. Yet the Manns don’t charge a penny for their hospitality. Helping thru-hikers is their joy in life.

Tune in to the next episode of Out and Back for a chat with Barney “Scout” Mann. A triple crown hiker himself, Scout describes how running their famous hiker hostel fueled their own PCT dreams.

Mann discusses the release of his new book Journeys North, about the PCT thru-hike he did with Sandy (trail name Frodo) in 2007. Plus find out what it’s like to hang out in the Manns’ hostel as hikers prepare for the first miles of their PCT trek.

Scout reflects on how the pandemic forced them to close up shop in 2020 and why they decided not to host PCT hikers in 2021. Listen through to the very end to learn whether Scout and Frodo will consider hosting in 2022.

Last episode: Backcountry Fitness

A group of backpackers walk single file along a trail with mountains ahead.

The days are getting longer and warmer — it’s time to gear up for summer adventures!

Personal trainer Billy Gawron of Backcountry Fitness is here to get us in shape. On the last episode of Out and Back, Shanty and Abby picked Billy’s brain about training for hiking, backpacking, and thru-hiking season.

Billy shares the number one thing we should all start working on right now and gives us the key to balancing strength work with endurance training. He breaks down some pervasive myths about training, including if you actually need to train at all.

Billy answers the most pressing hiker questions, like how to train your feet and ankles to withstand long days with a heavy pack, how to prevent pesky and debilitating knee pain, and how to prepare for altitude while at sea level.

If you’re dreaming up some big plans for the summer, you won’t want to miss this episode. In the meantime, check out Backcountry Fitness on the web, where you can find free training plans and can hire Billy as a coach, and follow Backcountry on Instagram for daily training tips.

April 8, 2021

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