Gaia GPS

An Apple Watch is visible on a backcountry skier's wrist. It shows how far they are into a route (0.9 miles), pace (4'53'') and total time (1:02). Snowy trees and mountains are visible in the background.

Gaia GPS Brings Backcountry Navigation to your Apple Watch

by Mary Cochenour March 2, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Record a track, drop waypoints, and get turn-by-turn directions using Gaia GPS on your Apple Watch. The totally redesigned Gaia GPS Apple Watch app turns your watch into a convenient backcountry navigation tool that works offline and independently of your phone. Use your Apple Watch to experience Gaia GPS’s signature navigation features even when you’re off the grid and far beyond the reach of cell service.

With Gaia GPS on your Apple Watch you can also collect trip details and health stats without having to interact with your phone. The watch will record your moving speed, elevation gain, distance travelled, and more when you use Gaia GPS to record your track. Gaia GPS also integrates with Apple Health to keep tabs on your heart rate, steps, and how many calories you burned on your latest adventure.

Whether heading out on a long trek or squeezing in an afternoon trail run, use your Apple Watch to navigate and record your adventure with Gaia GPS conveniently on your wrist.

Get Turn-by-Turn Navigation on Saved Routes in Apple Watch

No more constantly checking in on your phone to see if you’re staying on-route during your trail runs. Keep your phone tucked away in a pocket or inside your hydration pack and let the watch guide you along the trail. The watch will give you turn-by-turn directions anywhere in the world when you follow a saved route.

Saved routes will automatically download and display Gaia Topo on the watch face, so you can navigate with the map even when you are offline. The watch will vibrate to notify you of upcoming turns on your route or, more importantly, if you’ve strayed off your planned course. The vibrations grab your attention to let you know when you need to check in with the watch, helping you stay focused on the trail instead of always looking at the watch to see if you’re on track.

When you follow a route, the watch will record a track too. Save the track at the end of the trip to see how fast and how far you travelled. Link it all up with Apple Health to see your fitness metrics. Learn more about how to get started with turn-by-turn directions in this article from the Gaia GPS help center.

View Gaia Topo on Apple Watch with Saved Routes

Gaia Topo automatically downloads to your Apple Watch when you send a saved route from the Gaia GPS app to the watch. This automatic download lets you see your exact location on the map on the watch screen — even when you are out of range of cell service. Zoom in on Gaia Topo to see terrain features in more detail or zoom out to get a bigger picture of the landscape around you. Follow your progress on the map as you travel along your saved route.

Person in red flannel holds up Apple Watch with Gaia GPS displaying position on watch route.

Record a Gaia GPS Track on Apple Watch

On your next hike or ski up the mountain, use the Apple Watch to record your trip stats in Gaia GPS. The watch will record a track, showing you how many feet of elevation you climbed on your trip, your average speed, the total distance, and the time you spent moving along the track.

When you save the track from your watch, the track will automatically sync with your phone. View your track on any basemap within the Gaia GPS app on your phone or in your account on the web. Click on the track to see trip details and share the track with friends to give them beta on the trail you just hiked.

Get step-by-step instruction on how to record a track on the Apple Watch in this article.

A screenshot of the Gaia GPS Apple Watch app shows the time of day in the top right corner of the screen; distance covered in the middle, pace in the bottom left corner, and total time in the bottom right corner.

Drop Waypoints on Tracks and Routes on the Apple Watch

Every adventure outside seems to reveal those special spots that you’ll want to remember forever. Now you can drop waypoints directly from your Apple Watch to mark these locations on your saved routes and tracks. Add waypoints to flag places like trail junctions, must-see view points, or hazards like terrain traps or sketchy water crossings that you’ll want to reference for later trips.

Waypoints can be added at anytime from the launch screen on the watch, even as you record a track or navigate along a saved route. You can also customize your waypoints by changing the title and icon color when you add and save the waypoint from the Apple Watch screen.

Learn more about adding waypoints to your Gaia GPS routes and tracks on the Apple Watch here.

A Gaia GPS Apple Watch app screenshot shows how to drop a way point on the map: choose an icon, write a title, and press the save button.

Customize Notifications within the App

Select when you want your Apple Watch to notify you of upcoming features when navigating a route on Gaia GPS. Turn on notifications to alert you when you’re approaching turns and waypoints along the route. Set the watch to vibrate any time you’ve ventured off your planned route. You can also be notified for every mile or kilometer travelled along a saved route or a recorded track.

Of course, if you don’t want to be bothered during your adventure, you can always toggle off to stop notifications. Learn more about how to adjust your notifications in the article here.

How to Get Started with the New Gaia GPS Apple Watch App

To get started with the Gaia GPS Apple Watch app, you’ll need an Apple Watch and an iPhone. On your iPhone, install the Gaia GPS Apple Watch app. To do so, enter the Watch app on your iPhone’s home screen. In the Watch app on your phone, scroll down to “Available Apps” and locate Gaia GPS. Tap “Install.” Once the installation is complete, the Gaia GPS app will appear on your Apple Watch. If you already have the Gaia GPS Apple Watch app, you’ll have to update it to get the newest version.

Make sure you set your “Location Services” to “Always” or “While Using the App” for Gaia GPS to work on your Apple Watch. On your iPhone, open the Settings app, select “Privacy” and “Location Services.” Find “Gaia GPS” and select “Always.” On iOS 14, make sure “Precise Location“ is also toggled on.

After you’ve installed Gaia GPS on your Apple Watch, you’re ready to record a track and follow your saved routes. Learn more about how to navigate with your Apple Watch here.

March 2, 2021

Two snowmobilers ride across a vast snow plain in the distance, in front of a glowing sunset over snowy mountains.

Gaia GPS How-To

How to Use Gaia GPS for Snowmobiling

by Abby Levene February 25, 2021

written by Abby Levene

Riding a sled allows you to cover a lot of terrain in a short amount of time. But this liberating, rewarding, and high-speed access comes with a price — it’s easy to get lost, or worse. Plus, there may be hidden trails and zones out your front door that you’ve never discovered. That’s where navigation tools come into play.

“I have different strategies for navigating depending on the ride, area, and the crew I’m with,” says Aleah Hockin, lead guide and coach at Savage Sisters Snow, a snowmobile guide company in Craig and Slater, CO. “It’s very important to trust the crew you have when riding in the backcountry. As a rider it’s important you know the strengths and limitations of who you’re with as well as your own.”

Your phone does not replace riding with a knowledgeable crew, taking an avalanche course if you live in avalanche-prone terrain, and just plain experience. But your phone can provide an invaluable supplementary tool, says Russel Mussio, president of Canada’s Backroad Mapbooks. Find new trails, plan routes, and stay found using Gaia GPS in conjunction with some tried and trusted navigation staples. Here’s how.

Plan Your Trip

A single file line of sledders ride over a snowy plain with small mountains in the distance.

A little advanced planning from the comfort of your couch can greatly enhance your trip. You just need your computer or your phone. If you’re on your computer, go to gaiagps.com/map. If you’re using your phone, open the Gaia GPS app.

Scout out the area

Hockin recommends looking at potential sled zones using satellite maps to examine tree cover. Check out the full catalog of snowmobile maps below to get a sense of which maps can help you plan your next trip. Turn on public tracks to see where other sledders have travelled.

Map a Route

You can use Gaia GPS to map out a route right on the web or in the app. Save the route to your phone, and follow it along as you go. Many local snowmobile club websites have GPX files of routes that are free to download and use. You can import these established routes directly into the Gaia GPS app.

Mussio cautions that sometimes it doesn’t make sense to map out a precise route beforehand. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t examine a map before you head out the door.

“For route planning, I personally plan the trailhead and destination — and ideally an alternate or two,” Mussio says. “Typically when riding, things change depending on conditions and or what is in the field. What looks good on the map might not be the case on the ground so it is nice to be prepared for flexibility or options.”

Download your maps

Download the maps for the zone you plan to visit before you leave home. That way you can access them in the backcountry, regardless of whether you leave cell service.

Gaia GPS Maps for Sledding

Gaia GPS offers multiple maps to help you find new zones, keep tabs on weather conditions, and make your way home safely.

Navigation Maps

Gaia Topo

Topo maps are the most useful map layers for sledders, according to Hockin. Easy to read and tiny to download, Gaia Topo may be the most valuable map in a sledder’s pocket. It’s also free to use. This map shows most Forest Service roads and 4WD trails, as well as points of interest, land ownership designation, and many more details that make it easy to discover landmarks to see and places to stop along your adventure.

Quickly get a sense of elevation profiles thanks to blended contour line styling. Zoom in to get exactly the level of detail your planning requires. And download large swaths of land — even your entire state — thanks to its efficient file size.

USGS Topo

The USGS Topo layer includes the official topo maps from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). As another detailed topographical map layer, it can be used in conjunction with the Gaia Topo layer to compare trails and points of interest.

World Imagery

Seeing a photographic overview of an area provides key details that topo maps leave out. This satellite imagery layer helps you identify ridges and drainages, open plains and densely packed glades.

Wilderness Areas (US)

In the US, motorized travel is not permitted within designated wilderness areas. Use the Wilderness Areas (US) overlay to help ensure you stay where sledding is permitted — and avoid a pricey fine.

Trail Maps

BRMB Snowmobile Trails

If you’re in Canada, you’re in luck! We’ve partnered with the illustrious Backroad Mapbooks to bring you an overlay containing 90,000 miles of snowmobile trails across Canada, from BC to Newfoundland. Trails are color-coded to distinguish from Multi-Use and ATV trails, and easy identify which trail you’re examining thanks to bold trail names right on the trail itself. Pair this overlay with your favorite base map.

USFS Roads and Trails

Screenshot of USFS roads and trails map.

See maintained routes, 4×4 trails, backroads, and obscure paths across U.S. national forests and grasslands using the United States Forest Service (USFS) Roads and Trails layer.

USFS Roads and Trails often displays more roads and trails than any other map. Use this layer to find information on the road surface, maintenance level, and trail width. Plus, color-coded trails indicate which activities — including motorized sports — are allowed on each trail. Just tap or click a trail to learn more details.

USFS 2016

The USFS 2016 layer contains full, detailed topographic coverage of all 172 national forests and grasslands in the US. Easy-to-read Forest Service road numbers make route planning simple. This up-to-date, rasterized map available from the US Forest Service includes labeled trails, roads, and vegetation shading.

MVUM

The Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) layer uses data from the Forest Service to highlight vehicle-accessible roads. Use this map in conjunction with the USFS Roads and Trails layer to see whether sleds are allowed on a road or trail. MVUM gives information on seasonality, usage, and the condition of various roads. Just tap or click on the route to learn more.

The MVUM layer typically contains the most up-to-date information on which Forest Service roads are open to motor vehicles, which helps ensure you don’t break any rules or sled where you aren’t supposed to. Not all USFS lands have an MVUM, but this map data serves as the legal standard for trail access. Modeled off of paper maps MVUM makes it easy to compare and switch seamlessly between paper and digital.

Safety and Weather Maps

Snow Stations (Daily)

Check the Snow Stations (Daily) map before your trip to get a daily report on the amount of new snow that has fallen in the last 24 hours and what the average water density reading is for the new snow in the area you plan to visit.

Snow Forecast Overlays — Available in 24-Hour, 48-Hour, and 72-Hour Views

Screenshot of Snow Forecast 24-hour) overlay.

Precipitation forecasts give some indication of general weather patterns. Use the Snow Forecast Overlays to get a sense of snow conditions, and any weather moving in that may impact visibility and safety. Mussio likes to use this layer to get a sense of when he can expect a powder day.

Slope Angle

Sticking to low-angle terrain can help you stay safe in the backcountry. Over 90% of avalanches start on slopes between 30° and 45° degrees. A 30° slope compares to a blue run at a ski area, while 45° slopes are found on double black diamond runs. In other words, prime skiing terrain is also prime avalanche terrain. One key detail is that most avalanches start on slopes between 30° and 45° degrees. Avalanches can be triggered remotely and run into lower angle terrain, so it is important to have a thorough understanding of runout zones.

The Slope Angle layer can help you identify avalanche terrain. Slopes are color-coded with their approximate steepness, with orange and red denoting terrain between 30 and 45 degrees. Keep in mind that this map layer is only a “depiction of reality.” The map will differ from the actual terrain. Avalanche start zones like convexities or small pockets of steepness can escape detection. The error can be as high as 4 degrees. The difference between 26 and 30 degrees, or 30 and 34 degrees, can be a significant increase in risk exposure – check out this distribution chart of avalanches by start zone slope angle.

Slope angle maps have limitations and provide a general sense of terrain steepness and often do not depict micro-terrain features on the map. Always use an inclinometer tool to measure slope angles in the field to get an accurate picture of the terrain.

Avalanche Forecast

From Colorado to Utah, Montana to Alaska, avalanche centers provide detailed local forecasts that outline aspects of concern and relevant avalanche problems. When you are online or within cell range, you can use the Avalanche Forecast layer to access the detailed local forecast. Pull up the map to see what the danger rating is for the area you plan to ride that day. From the Avalanche Forecast map, click on the shaded area to be able to access a link that will take you directly to the local avalanche center’s website for more information. Be sure to read the entire forecast from the avalanche center from the link provided on the map. And remember, this layer and all avalanche maps are a supplement (not a substitute) for taking an avalanche course and bringing avalanche gear.

Cell Phone Use Coverage

The Cell Phone Use Coverage maps provide insight into whether you can access the internet or send texts while you’re out in the backcountry. Track where you can find cell service anywhere in the United States including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Find out where your network provides 3G and LTE coverage for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Southern Linc carriers.

Navigate

In addition to helping you find new zones, maps can help you strategically cover new ground once you’re out there.

“I’m a firm believer in exploring and doing so safely,” Hockin says. “When exploring a new drainage I try to tackle it from the bottom and work my way up then I know if it’s safe to drop in it next time we ride that zone. This keeps you from cliffing out or getting into a steep narrow drainage that may not be rideable and if you’re too steep to climb back out this can lead to trouble.”

Use topo and satellite imagery to help get a sense of how to explore a new drainage. Use the weather, avalanche, and slope angle overlays to help stay out of avalanche terrain.

While Gaia GPS can help you navigate, Hockin says to always bring a paper map and compass as a backup. You never know when your phone may shut down due to the cold. (Although there are steps you can take to help prevent that from happening.)

In addition, some snowmobile organizations, like Vermont Association of Snow Travelers, provide extensive paper maps showing their extensive maintained and groomed trail systems. However, many of these maps do not indicate mile markers. Use Gaia GPS in conjunction with your papers maps to measure your distance to your next destination, and see other sled-friendly trails not shown on the paper map.

Stay Found

Whether weather moves in or it gets dark, even the simplest routes can become difficult to follow once the visibility drops.

“Knowing your general location using land marks such as peaks and parks helps keep you moving in the right direction,” Hockin says. “That said, storms move in quick in the mountains and you can’t always rely on visuals to know where you are. Storms can also create anxiety and prevent you from keeping a clear head. This is where technology takes over and if working properly can get you out of the woods safe and sound during a storm.”

Gaia GPS offers a few tools to help you stay found and find your way home.

Locate and orient yourself on the map

Easy and quickly identify where you are on the map thanks to Gaia GPS’s location tracking. Simply open the app, and you’ll see your location as a gold arrow on the map. The arrow even indicates which direction your phone is facing, so you can get your cardinal bearings. Tap the circle in the very center at the top of the screen to center your location on the map. Hockin says being able to see her location on the map is a lifesaver for her when she’s out exploring or guiding trips. Here’s how to find your place and orient yourself on the map.

Record your tracks

In addition to seeing your place in the map, you can examine a bread crumb trail of the exact terrain you’ve covered. Simply start recording your tracks before you leave from the trailhead. That way if you get lost, you can turn around and retrace your path home.

Recording your tracks also creates a record of your trip, so you can find those zones again. This is one of Hockin’s favorite features. Simply save your tracks when you’re done with your trip, and you’ll be able to see the tracks directly in your Gaia GPS app.

To record your tracks, tap the circle with the “+” sign on the top right of the app. Select “Record a Track” from the menu. Don’t forget to end your track when you’re done. Save your tracks in your Gaia GPS account so you can examine your trip from home, and go back to that same zone again. Here are detailed step-by-step directions to recording your tracks.

Waypoints

Flag key turns, land marks, and other locations you want to remember by dropping a waypoint directly into the map. Press the circle with the “+” sign on the top right of the app and select “Add Waypoint” to choose a location on the map to flag, or “Add Waypoint (My Location”) to drop a pin at your exact current spot. Head over h ere for more information on creating and editing waypoints.

Practice

A snowmobiler looks off at the sunset over the mountains.

Your tools are only as good as you are at using them. Nothing replaces practicing navigating with Gaia GPS and paper maps.

“Staying safe is a combination of knowing your strengths along with your weaknesses and not over riding your limitations both in riding abilities and navigating abilities,” Hockin says. “Pushing your comfort zone is essential for becoming a better rider and navigator but should be done in a safe manner with the ego in check.”

Pay attention to the terrain, the conditions, and your surroundings. And remember that the landscape will always be there. Stay balanced while you BRAAAP!

February 25, 2021

Two hikers on a mountain looking into a valley and holding out a cell phone with a map of Gaia GPS on the screen

Company News Gaia GPS

Gaia GPS Joins Forces with Outside to Transform the Outdoor Market

by Staff Reports February 24, 2021

written by Staff Reports

Gaia GPS has joined forces with Outside (previously Pocket Outdoor Media) in a massive effort to transform the outdoor and active lifestyle market.

This means that we are now a sister company to basically every amazing outdoor publication on the planet, including Outside, Backpacker, Trail Runner, Climbing, and so many other titles that inspire us to get outside and adventure.

Gaia GPS Work Continues

I’m excited to continue to work on Gaia GPS with Anna, Jesse, and the rest of the Gaia GPS team. We’re staying focused on our mission to make the best backcountry navigation app for your adventures. On the short-term horizon, we’re cooking up 3D web maps, turn-by-turn directions in the Android app, and a new version of Gaia Topo with mileage markers on trail segments and hundreds of thousands of miles of additional USFS roads and trails. Plus, iOS users should keep a lookout for an innovative “tap the map” experience that has gotten rave reviews from beta testers.

But what’s so exciting about joining this larger mission with Outside, Inc. is the prospect that we will be able to continue improving the mapping experience while also enjoying the benefits of being attached to Outside’s powerhouse of incredible outdoor and adventure content. The idea that we can mix maps with cornerstone content has me giddy.

A Treasure Trove of Content

We see a huge opportunity to integrate Outside’s unmatched depth of journalism work into Gaia GPS’s maps. We want to put amazing information on the interface, so you can pan and zoom on the map and get the beta you need even when you’re out in the field.

We have been working hard to enable users to edit and comment on the map. We can’t wait to bring our sister companies into the fold for the best in technology development, editorial curation, and user content that will drive an evergreen engine to explore the natural world.

Dreams for Far-Reaching Maps

I also dream of Gaia GPS maps being shared across the greater web. With our sister companies at Outside, we envision an opportunity to add maps and technology to news stories that will help portray a more complete picture through our maps and information.

We are excited about the days ahead. We’ll be sure to give a shout-out with updates as they arrive.

February 24, 2021

An ice climber hangs from an overhanging rock wall with a frozen waterfall beside him.

Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast

Climber and Entrepreneur Matt Segal on Finding Balance

by Abby Levene February 17, 2021

written by Abby Levene

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Rising to the top of any field requires relentless dedication. But for some people, that singular focus can actually be their downfall. Professional rock climber Matt Segal knew that climbing would never be enough for him. Plus, he was fed up with drinking bad coffee on climbing expeditions. Segal founded Alpine Start, an artisan instant coffee company, while continuing to raise the bar in climbing.

In this episode of the Out and Back podcast, Abby and Shanty catch up Segal to learn how he redefines what’s possible in climbing and in juggling sport with running a business. Segal grew up in Miami, Florida, not exactly the climbing mecca of America. But a chance encounter with the sport got him hooked immediately. Segal dove head first in the indoor rock climbing competition scene, where he excelled on the national and international circuit.

Segal wound up in Boulder, Colorado for college and to continue his climbing career. But Boulder exposed him to the allure of the granite and sandstone rock faces out his front door. Segal found himself veering away from the plastic holds and gymnast moves of competition climbing, and to insanely challenging routes outside. Segal quickly established himself as one of the best trad and sport climbers in the country, setting first ascents on the Iron Monkey (5.14) in Eldorado Canyon, the Orangutan Overhang (5.14-) in Independence Pass, CO and Air China (5.13d R) in Liming, China.

Simply excelling at sport was never enough for Segal. He combined his climbing expertise with his degrees in Psychology and Religious Studies with an emphasis in Tibetan Buddhism to assist on archaeological explorations of 800-year-old man-made caves high on rock faces in the Mustang region of Nepal.

Fed up with drinking bad instant coffee on expeditions, Segal found a stroke of inspiration on a climbing trip to Canada.

“There’s going to be a time when climbing doesn’t really work for me,” Segal recalls on the podcast. “Some of the allure with climbing was starting to fade a little bit. I was starting to get into other sports like paragliding. I just had this idea of, here I am, it’s a rainy day in my tent. I was drinking Starbucks Via. I was like, man, this kind of sucks. And I hate Starbucks. There’s nobody making a good instant coffee out there. Part of me was like, well, if I could make an instant coffee that even tastes just as good as Starbucks, I’m way cooler than Starbucks. Maybe people would buy it.”

Segal came home and started his own instant coffee company — Alpine Start. In 2017, Alpine Start was just getting off the ground when Segal suffered a near-death paragliding accident. Shattering his body only motivated him further to make the best coffee possible — and to make coffee with benefits that go beyond a simple caffeine jolt. Segal experimented on himself and his friends, adding supplements to coffee concoctions to see what worked. All of that led to Alpine Start’s newest venture, a “Benefits” line that tastes so good and is so good for you that you’ll want to drink it at home.

Whether you live at the crag or seek insight into pursuing your dreams, you’re not going to want to miss this episode. Tune in to feed off of Segal’s passion for getting outside and protecting the places we love to play through his work with Protect Our Winters and 1% for the Planet. Learn how he balances life as an elite athlete with a thriving small business. Segal goes deep into the recesses of his mind after breaking nearly every bone in his body, while simultaneously nursing a broken heart.

Keep up with Segal on Instagram. And check out Alpine Start’s Kickstarter campaign while it’s still live throughout February. You can also read more about Segal’s Nat Geo trips to the Mustang Valley here and watch the documentary here.

Segal is hanging onto a rock wall with one hand. His feet are placed on the rock below, and his other hand is pulling the rope attaching him to the wall up to clip it in higher. Snowy plains extend behind. — Photo: Ian Glass

Episode Highlights:

2:55: Segal has been climbing for over 20 years.
3:20: Segal got his start climbing in the unlikely place of Miami, Florida.
5:50: Segal moves to Boulder, Colorado, to pursue his competition climbing career and to go to college.
6:30: The allure of the rock proves too great in Boulder. Segal shifts from indoor competition climbing to outdoor sport and trad climbing.
11:00: You might assume that going to college in Boulder means Segal went to CU Boulder…wrong! Segal talks about his unique education.
15:30: Segal discusses his mindfulness practice in climbing.
17:15: Segal discusses his two National Geographic expeditions to the Mustang region of Nepal, where he helped archeologists access otherwise unattainable sites.
29:00: Segal talks about how he went about sending the first ascent on Iron Monkey, one of the hardest trad climbs in Colorado at the time. How do you go about attempting something that’s never been done before? Segal shares.
34:00: Segal shares his epiphany that led him to found Alpine Start, an artisanal instant coffee company.
37:31: Segal starts paragliding…why?!
38:35: Segal breaks numerous bones in a paragliding accident. His ice axe goes through his calf. He’s on the mountain for eight hours before he can be airlifted to the hospital.
41:10: The best alpinists have the worst memories.
42:20: Segal’s broken, goes through a really hard breakup, and a friend dies. How do you heal from all of that?
43:45: Throwing himself in Alpine Start helped Segal heal and catapulted the company.
47:20: Segal tried a lot of really bad coffee in his quest to find and make instant coffee that actually tastes good.
49:00: Segal started experimenting with functional ingredients as he was recovering from his accident. Now Alpine Start is making coffee and matcha with these beneficial ingredients in them.
55:30: Segal discusses how he got into environmental activism with Protect Our Winters and 1% for the Planet.
59:00: Segal runs through a typical week and how he juggles training as a professional athlete with working on Alpine Start.

Next Episode: Professional Mountain Climber Adrian Ballinger Finds his Limits and Love on Mount Everest

Adrian stands on top of a mountain holding an ice axe in one hand and his gloved fist raised in the other. His skis are on his back. He's wearing sunglasses, a headlamp, and a helmet. Snowcapped speaks are all around him in the background.

Alpinist Adrian Ballinger has made a career of climbing the Himalaya’s 8,000-meter giants. Since 2008, he’s summited Mount Everest eight times, including once without supplemental oxygen. He has also climbed other lofty and daring peaks in the region like K2, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, and Manaslu. But perhaps the biggest hurdle Ballinger has surmounted has been overcoming family and societal pressure to live a life outside that’s true to himself.

In the next Out and Back episode, Ballinger takes hosts Mary and Shanty all the way back to his first experiences with the outdoors. Ballinger didn’t grow up in an outdoorsy family, but learned to ski when his family moved to Massachusetts and lived across the street from the local ski hill. A friend’s dad offered to teach him to rock climb. His parents didn’t approve of this new sport, but Ballinger found a quiet ally in his mother.

“My mom had this great dichotomy. On one side, if I was going rock climbing, I couldn’t tell her. I had to tell her I was going to the library. But she knew that meant I was going climbing. But she didn’t want to talk about it,” Ballinger explains on the Out and Back podcast. “But every couple of weeks or once a month, another cam would show up my bed. She had gone to the local Eastern Mountaineering Sports shop to figure out what I needed and she helped build my rack, but it was never something that she wanted credit for or necessarily encouraged out loud. It was pretty cool.”

While Ballinger’s love for the mountains grew deeper, he also felt an obligation to steer toward a professional career. Ballinger earned his bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and was accepted to medical school the following year. But he deferred enrollment to indulge in one glorious gap year to “get the mountains out of his system.” One year turned into two years, and, well, let’s just say his parents weren’t impressed. Decades later, Ballinger is still out there on his gap year.

Ballinger speaks openly about the challenges of guiding on the world’s highest mountains, how terrible it feels to summit Mount Everest without oxygen support, and how he met the love of his life, professional climber Emily Harrington, in a fateful encounter on Mount Everest. Ballinger reminds us that going against the grain can often lead to true happiness within. Check out the guided trips with Ballinger’s company Alpenglow Expeditions. Follow Ballinger on his Instagram page.

Last Episode: Camping and Overlanding Save Sonya and Necota Staples

A man and a woman are sitting on the hood of their truck, smiling and looking at each other with love.

This special episode of the Out and Back podcast shares the story of Sonya and Necota Staples and how the outdoors saved their marriage. In fact, they’ve grown into accomplished overlanders who adventure off-road around America and beyond.

Ten years after they said “I do,” Sonya and Necota Staples reached the brink of divorce. They had gotten so caught up in the business of living that they drifted apart. That’s when these city dwellers tried something new: camping. That one trip changed the trajectory of their lives.

Tune in to learn how camping and overlanding rejuvenated the Staples’ marriage. The Staples share their story openly and honestly, with humor and insight along the way. They talk about what inspired them to start the Youtube channel and social media presence StaplesInTents. And they get into why they swapped out their BMWs for a Land Cruiser and adventures off road. In fact, the Staples have gone overlanding all over the world, including overseas to Columbia.

Check out Sonya and Necota’s blog StaplesInTents, YouTube channel, and Instagram. And connect with their other Instagram handle, BlackPeopleOffroad.

Meet the Hosts

Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

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

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

Mary Cochenour

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

Mary is the Out and Back podcast producer and a writer and editor at Gaia GPS. Before joining Gaia GPS, Mary worked as a lawyer, newspaper journalist, ski patroller, Grand Canyon river guide, and USFS wilderness ranger.

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

Abby Levene

Abby smiles through a face caked in snow and ice.

When she’s not busy writing and editing content for Gaia GPS, Abby Levene can be found trail running, biking, and skiing around her hometown of Boulder, Colorado. In 2017, Abby broke her wrist eight miles into her second ultra. She went on to win the race, and has been hooked on the sport since. She’s passionate about using her graduate education in environmental journalism and her love for playing outside to tell stories about the issues, people, and places of the outdoors.

February 17, 2021

Two off-road vehicles driving along a mountain gravel road with blue skies and puffy white clouds in background.

Featured Gaia GPS New Features Offroading

Get 2,400+ Overlanding Routes with the New Trails Offroad and Gaia GPS Partnership

by Julien Friedland February 11, 2021

written by Julien Friedland

Trails Offroad, a premier source for overlanding routes in the U.S., brings thousands of hand-curated, offroad routes directly to your Gaia GPS account. With Trails Offroad, you can discover 2,400+ off-road routes sourced from hundreds of experienced off-road experts and outdoor enthusiasts. Thanks to this new partnership, you can now take any route with you offline in the Gaia GPS app with just one click.

Explore More than 2,400 Overlanding Routes from Trails Offroad

Old blue offroad vehicle followed by a read vehicle drive through the sand.

Trails Offroad compiles detailed reports from experienced off-road experts and outdoor lovers who have driven each route. Each report provides a detailed trip guide with notes to help you navigate along the way. Easily select the best route depending on your interests with difficulty ratings, duration, trail descriptions, and road type details. You can also learn about obstacles, unique points of interest, and dispersed camping opportunities along any route.

From iconic overland routes, desert and mountain trails, remote mud bogs, hidden lakes, swimming and fishing holes, ghost towns, and old mines to the farthest backroad path, Trails Offroad has you covered.

How to Download Trails Offroad Routes to Gaia GPS

Uploading routes from Trails Offroad to Gaia GPS is available to everyone with a Trails Offroad and Gaia GPS account, including free accounts on both platforms. In addition, All-Access Trails Offroad Members can import waypoints, color-coded difficulty ratings, and include the option to download the GPX file directly from Trails Offroad.

To start downloading a route, connect your Gaia GPS account to Trails Offroad by doing the following:

Sign in to your Trails Offroad account
Visit any trail page
Scroll down to the toolbox areas and click the ‘upload to Gaia GPS’ button
A new page will pull up prompting you to log in to your Gaia GPS account
Log in to your Gaia GPS account and click ‘authorize’ to allow your Trails Offroad routes to be imported
Trail data will automatically sync to your Gaia GPS account
You won’t have to login on future syncs when you click the ‘upload to Gaia GPS ’ button; the app will remember your info and sync the routes right to your account

For more details on uploading Trails Offroad routes to Gaia GPS, view this help center article.

The Best Backcountry Navigation App Meets the Best Off-Road Trail Guides

Sign Up for a Free Gaia GPS Account

Sign up for a free Gaia GPS account to access the worldwide, tiny-to-download, Gaia Topo map, plus discover trails, plan trips, navigate, and record data. Access hundreds of Gaia GPS maps and download them for offline use with a Gaia GPS Premium Membership.

February 11, 2021

Sonya and Necota smile while standing on a large rocky plain. They are wearing matching shirts that say "camping, overlanding, rebelling, biking, diversify, hiking, rafting, kayaking, climbing."

Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast

Camping and Overlanding Save Atlanta Couple’s Marriage

by Abby Levene February 11, 2021

written by Abby Levene

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After 10 years of marriage, Sonya and Necota Staples reached the brink of divorce. They had gotten so caught up in the business of living that they drifted apart. That’s when these city dwellers tried something new: camping. That one trip changed the trajectory of their lives.

In this special Valentine’s Day episode of the Out and Back podcast, Abby and Shanty bring you the story of Sonya and Necota Staples and how the outdoors saved their marriage.

Sonya and Necota met as physics majors at North Carolina A&T, a historically Black college in Greensboro, North Carolina. They bonded while studying together outside. Study dates eventually led to picnic dates, walks through botanical gardens and trips to foreign places. Their adventures didn’t always go as planned, but they continued to enjoy the peace and serenity of experiencing the outdoors together.

The Staples got married and settled down in Atlanta. Here, the allures of the city won out over nature. As they settled into their prescribed roles, their relationship started to crumble. They continued to struggle until their marriage counselor gave them one crucial piece of advice — say yes to each other.

Saying yes led to their first camping trip together. Things got off to a rough start. But by the end of the weekend, they were hooked.

“It was new territory for us to be outside and have to figure it out,” Sonya says. “So it did give us more space to say, you know, no one is an expert here. And we really learned what the other person’s strengths and weaknesses were.”

Tune in to learn how camping and overlanding rejuvenated the Staples’ marriage. The Staples share their story openly and honestly, with humor and insight along the way. They talk about what inspired them to start the Youtube channel and social media presence StaplesInTents. And they get into why they swapped out their BMWs for a Land Cruiser and adventures off road. In fact, the Staples have gone overlanding all over the world, including overseas to Columbia.

Check out Sonya and Necota’s blog StaplesInTents, YouTube channel, and Instagram. And connect with their other Instagram handle, BlackPeopleOffroad.

Necota and Sonya smile at each other while Necota sits in the back of their car and Sonya sits in a camping chair behind the car.

Episode Highlights:

2:30: Meet Sonya and Necota Staples.
3:25: Sonya and Necota met as physics major at North Carolina A&T State University, a historically black college in Greensboro. It wasn’t love at first sight.
5:20: Sonya and Necota started studying together outside. Eventually their friendship leads to more.
8:40: Sonya and Necota strengthened their relationship hiking the gorges in upstate New York.
10:00: Sonya and Necota tell their crazy engagement story. It did not go according to plan.
14:45: Sonya and Necota move to Atlanta, and they settle into city life.
15:30: Sometimes, Sonya went camping with her best friend Teressa. Necota never went.
17:00: Sonya and Necota’s marriage starts to unravel.
18:30: The Staples start marriage counseling. Things don’t improve, until their marriage counselor gives them one key piece of advice.
19:40: The marriage counselor’s advice came at the perfect time. The Staples go camping for the first time together.
20:30: The camping trip starts off very poorly.
21:50: Sonya says something to Necota that flips a switch in his head. He makes the choice to be happy.
23:00: Necota shares why a campfire is so important to him.
23:45: The Staples go all-in on camping.
25:00: How camping and connecting with nature healed the Staples’ marriage.
30:00: The Staple’s start their blog, Youtube channel and social media account StaplesInTents. Tune in to find out why.
32:33: How the Staples’ love for shopping intersections with their passions for camping and overlanding.
34:00: Sonya and Necota purchase their first offroad vehicle, Frank the Tank, and go on their first overlanding trip to Tray Mountain. A few things go wrong.
35:50: The Staples become seasoned overlanders, overlanding across the US and in South America.
37:00: The Staples start their second social media account, BlackPeopleOffroad.
40:00: 2020 got off to a rough start for the Staples, even before the pandemic made its way to the US. They turn to camping and overlanding, and realize how far they’ve come.

Last Episode: Luke Smithwick Brings Himalayan Backcountry Skiing into Focus

Smithwick skis down a steep wind-swept slope. Tall jagged peaks are visible above clouds of snow in the background.

Tune into the last episode of Out and Back to get the inside scoop on the next great backcountry skiing destination: the Himalayas. Shanty and Mary catch up with Luke Smithwick, one of the most prolific ski mountaineers and guides in the world. Smithwick is 200 lines deep into his Himalaya 500 skiing project — a mission to highlight 500 of the most unique and beautiful backcountry runs on the world’s tallest mountains. With more than 75 Himalayan mountain expeditions to his name, Smithwick unravels the mystery of skiing in places like Tibet, India, and Nepal.

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

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

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

Next Episode: Climber and Entrepreneur Matt Segal on Finding Balance

Matt hangs from a rock wall with the snowy Colorado plains in the background. He's lead climbing the route, with one hand hanging onto the wall and the other hand holding the rope. — Photo: Ian Glass

In the next episode of the Out and Back podcast, Abby and Shanty catch up with professional rock climber and business owner, Matt Segal. After moving to Boulder, Colorado, for college, Segal quickly established himself as one of the best trad and sport climbers in the country. He sent first ascents on the Iron Monkey (5.14) in Eldorado Canyon, the Orangutan Overhang (5.14-) in Independence Pass, CO and Air China (5.13d R) in Liming, China.

But simply excelling at sport was never enough for Segal. He combined his climbing expertise with his degrees in Psychology and Religious Studies with an emphasis in Tibetan Buddhism to assist on an archaeological exploration of 800-year-old man made caves high on rock faces in the Mustang Region of Nepal.

Fed up with drinking crappy coffee on expeditions and with one eye always fixed on what’s next, Segal started his own instant coffee company — Alpine Start. In 2017, Alpine Start was just getting off the ground when Segal suffered a near-death paragliding accident. Shattering his body only motivated him further to make the best coffee possible. Segal experimented with medicinal herbs, plants, and vitamins during the healing process, inspiring him to create products that give you more than a caffeine jolt.

All of that led to Alpine Start’s newest venture: Coffee with Benefits and Matcha with Benefits.

You won’t want to miss this episode as Segal goes deep into the recesses of his mind after breaking nearly every bone in his body, while simultaneously nursing a broken heart. He also gets into how he combines his passion for the outdoors with a passion to protect these places he loves to play.

Keep up with Segal on Instagram. And check out Alpine Start’s Kickstarter campaign while it’s still live throughout February.

Meet the Hosts

Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

Abby Levene

February 11, 2021

Backcountry Skiing Gaia GPS How-To

Winter Hiking Safety Guide: How to Stay Warm and Plan Ahead

by Corey Buhay February 4, 2021

written by Corey Buhay

Winter hiking offers the ability to test out new skills, push your physical limits, and experience a landscape transformed by either snow or an open tree canopy. Plus, in many places you will have the trails all to yourself, making winter one of the best times to seek solitude in nature.

However, the same things that make winter hiking special also introduce unique considerations for preparedness and safety: colder temperatures, empty trails, and shorter days reduce your margins for error. Snow can also impair visibility and obscure navigational handrails.

In this article, you’ll learn how to pack for winter excursions, what hazards to expect, how to stay fueled and hydrated in the cold, and how to navigate in snowy conditions. This guide also includes tips for diagnosing and treating cold-related illness and injury in case of an emergency.

Included in this guide:

Hazards of hiking in winter terrain
Fuel and hydration for hiking in cold weather
Navigation in winter conditions
Essential winter hiking gear
Winter first aid

Hazards of Hiking in Winter Terrain

Anu stands in a snowfield with jagged peaks in the background. He's holding hiking poles and carrying a big backpack.

Winter can radically alter a landscape, giving it both otherworldly beauty and unique dangers. Here are a few to be aware of before you set out.

Ice

In the winter, melt-freeze cycles can turn trails into slick ribbons of ice. Similar conditions can result when snow on popular routes becomes compressed over time. Slips on icy trails usually only result in bumps and bruises, but a bad fall can cause more serious back, ankle, or wrist injuries. Pack traction (see “Essential Winter Hiking Gear,” below) and metal-tipped trekking poles for extra stability in icy conditions.

Tree Wells

Skiers, snowboarders, and snowshoers can all fall victim to tree wells, which are pits of deep, unconsolidated snow that form around tree trunks. The danger occurs when skiers or riders skim too close to the edge of the pit, which is often obscured by evergreen boughs, and fall in head-first. Experts estimate that 90 percent of tree well victims are unable to escape the soft, deep snow on their own—one reason why solo tree-well victims often succumb to suffocation. Avoid traveling alone in snowy, forested terrain, especially just after a snowstorm. Stay in sight of your partner and be ready to call for help and excavate them if a fall should occur.

Avalanches

An avalanche is a mass of snow moving down a slope. In the US, avalanches kill 25-30 people and injure many more each winter. Most victims of avalanches are backcountry skiers and snowboarders, snowmobilers, and ice climbers, but oblivious hikers occasionally get caught in slides, as well. Avalanches can occur above and below treeline. About 95% of avalanches start on slopes that are 30 – 45 degrees in steepness, but the snow can travel all the way into flat terrain that appears safe to the untrained eye. Before you head out, consult trip reports, topo maps, and local experts to make sure your hike won’t take you into avalanche terrain. You can view your local avalanche report, another invaluable resource, at www.avalanche.org. If you’re a skier, check out this comprehensive guide to planning a backcountry ski tour and avoiding avalanche terrain.

Steep Snow

The adventure and challenge of kicking steps into steep, snow-covered slopes makes snow climbing appealing for many. However, it’s often more technical than it looks, since slipping on a steep slope can send you sliding for hundreds of feet. Make sure you know how to assess snow conditions, use crampons, and self-arrest a fall with an ice axe.

Many snow climbs also cross avalanche terrain, so if you’re bagging winter summits—make sure you’re familiar with avalanche safety first.

Glaciers

Glaciers guard many of the U.S.‘s most iconic summits. While there are many permanent snowfields throughout the West (some of which are misnamed as glaciers), for the most part, true glaciers only exist in the far north and in the Pacific Northwest. These active glaciers move and form cracks over time, and these fissures (called crevasses) can be hidden under snow, making unexpected, fatal falls a possibility. Don’t venture across glaciated terrain unless you’re experienced with snow travel and glacier navigation. This includes brushing up on your crevasse-rescue skills.

Fuel and Hydration for Hiking in Cold Weather

coffee cup, backpack, snowshoe and bench on snow

Harsh conditions can a toll on your body, and cold weather can affect your natural hunger and thirst signals. Having a strategy for fueling and hydrating is vital to a successful winter hike.

Eating to Stay Warm

Fighting your way through snow, using ski poles, and wearing heavy clothing can all cause you to burn more calories in winter than in summer. Consume plenty of fats and carbohydrates during the day to keep your energy levels up. Bonus: All that food also serves as fuel for your internal furnace. The more you snack, the warmer you’ll be.

Keep in mind that in very cold temperatures, you’ll need snacks that don’t freeze solid. (Below freezing, Snickers bars and many protein bars are tooth-breakers.) Some great options:

nuts or trail mix
beef jerky
dehydrated drink powders
milk chocolate
chips or pretzels
deli meat and cheese
crackers or tortillas
peanut butter sandwiches
slices of pizza
banana or pumpkin bread

Staying Hydrated in Winter Weather

The other secret to staying warm is staying hydrated. Drinking water thins your blood, allowing it to reach further into the capillaries that extend into your fingers and toes. Unfortunately, breathing cold, dry air can leave you dehydrated, and cold temperatures reduce your body’s perception of thirst.

The amount of water you should consume varies dramatically based on things like activity level, personal sweat rate, altitude, and how cold/dry the air is. For that reason, experts warn against offering set hydration recommendations due to fears of people forcing liquids and therefore succumbing to hyponatremia. They instead recommend hikers to drink when they’re thirsty (even though that’s compromised in winter), and/or to drink consistently at breaks.

Consider bringing hot tea or cocoa in a thermos and sipping whenever you take breaks.

Keep Your Drinks From Freezing

Wide-mouth water bottles like Nalgenes are more resistant to freezing than narrower bottles or bladders, which have more surface area exposed to the cold. If your bottle is uninsulated, fill it with warm water and store it in your pack upside-down. That will ensure that any ice forms at the bottom of the bottle rather than freezing the lid shut. You can also add some DIY insulation: cut a strip of foam from an old sleeping pad and duct-tape it around the bottle.

Navigation in Winter Conditions

hikers in a blizzard with low visibility

Most of the time, navigating in winter is harder than navigating in summer. Snow can obscure landmarks, terrain features, and even the trail. Fog and blowing snow can also snuff out visibility, making it impossible to orient yourself.

Before setting out on a snowy hike, brush up on your foundational navigation skills first. Then, download a navigation app like Gaia GPS. Use it to plot your route, set waypoints to mark the parking area or any campsites, and download topo maps for offline use. That way, if snow or fog rolls in over the trail, you’ll still be able to follow your route and get an idea of the terrain ahead.

If you decide to hike in snowy, foggy, or unpredictable weather, always record a track. That way you’ll be able to retrace your steps, even in zero visibility.

Weather and Conditions Overlays to Help you Prepare

These top-recommended map sources will take your trip planning and preparedness to the next level.

Snow Depth Overlay

Check the approximate depth of the existing snowpack to make educated decisions about necessary gear and preparation.

24-, 48-, and 72-hour NOAA Snowfall Forecast overlays

Keep an eye on upcoming snowfall to help inform your gear choices and to predict the likelihood of avalanche and tree well hazards.

24-, 48-, and 72-hour NOAA Precipitation overlays

24-hour Precipitation Overlay over Mt Hood National Forest

Use rainfall forecasts in conjunction with temperature forecasts to predict icy conditions and to pack the right layers. Rain can also be a factor in avalanche likelihood.

Slope-angle shading overlay

Avalanche-savvy skiers and riders can use the slope-angle shading overlay to help inform their analysis of avalanche terrain.

Base Maps for Winter Travel

ESRI World Satellite imagery

Satellite imagery over Half Dome in Yosemite National Park

Get an idea of expected tree cover and other landscape features with advanced satellite imagery.

Gaia Topo

Stay on-trail even when it’s under snow with Gaia GPS’s proprietary worldwide topo map. Gaia Topo also includes labeled backcountry huts and ski runs in many areas.

Essential Winter Hiking Gear

hiker traversing snow ridgeline on a sunny day

As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong gear. You can stay warm, dry, and comfortable in any weather—even heavy snow and strong winds—if you’ve packed the right equipment.

Winter Hiking Apparel

A proper layering technique is at the crux of ensuring a comfortable winter hike. Opt for wool and synthetics, which dry more quickly and retain some warmth even when wet, over cotton, which can sap heat from your body when damp. Make sure you have plenty of moisture-wicking and waterproof layers to choose from in case of temperature swings. Remember to remove layers before you start sweating (damp clothing will leave you feeling clammy and chilled) and add layers to trap heat when you stop for breaks. It’s easier to stay warm than to get warm.

You can find more information and best practices on how to layer for winter hiking in this in-depth article.

If you’re expecting icy, snowy, or wet conditions, make sure you have shoes with built-in waterproof liners (often Gore-Tex). Boots are better than low-tops in snow. If there are more than a few inches of accumulation, add gaiters to keep it from getting into your boots. Also, be sure to pack a hat and gloves.

Flotation for Snow Travel

For loose, unconsolidated snow that’s more than several inches deep, consider snowshoes, or nordic—they’ll help you float on top of the snow rather than sinking in. While sinking knee-deep into snow (known as “postholing”) is a great workout, it will leave you sweaty and exhausted, reducing the mileage you can cover. Plus, being dehydrated, damp, and low on calories can leave you a candidate for hypothermia.

Traction for Winter Conditions

If you expect packed snow or icy conditions, bring some form of traction to prevent slips. Often, it’s smart to bring both traction and flotation, as snow conditions can change drastically throughout a hike as tree cover and wind activity change.

For packed snow or less challenging terrain (think flat trails or rolling hills), you can often get by with chains or spikes that bungee over your shoes. These are available at most outdoor stores.

Additional Winter Hiking Essentials

Whenever you need traction or flotation, you’ll also need ski poles. (Hiking poles will work for bare or icy ground, but not for snow; the baskets on ski poles keep them from sinking in so far that they become unusable.) The poles will help you propel yourself up hills and stay balanced on slick or uneven ground. Goggles or wrap-around sunglasses can also be smart to protect against wind or blowing snow.

Tools For Advanced Winter Travel

An ice axe and crampons can assist you in exploring steep and icy terrain. It’s best to take a snow-travel clinic with a local guide service to learn how to use an ice axe and crampons. A guide will be able to help you practice these skills in a safe environment until they become second nature.

Backcountry skis are an efficient way to travel longer distances in unpacked snow.

Mountaineering, ice climbing, and backcountry skiing often involve exposure to avalanche terrain. We recommend avalanche safety courses as part of your training for these activities. Learn more here on the Education page at Avalanche.org.

Winter First Aid

Jagged, snowy mountain peaks with tent in foreground

Wilderness first-aid is a complex topic, and it’s best administered with complete knowledge from a trusted source. Before you head out on your next big trip, consider taking a hands-on wilderness first aid class, many of which can be completed in just a weekend. The education could save your life.

Here’s a list of reputable course providers:

These courses will teach you more about cold-related injury and illness, but here’s a refresher of some of the most common winter medical emergencies:

Hypothermia

Prevention
Hypothermia occurs when your internal body temperature dips below 95°F. While it’s more common in sub-freezing temperatures, it can also occur in temperatures as warm as 50°F if your clothes are damp and there’s a bit of wind. The bottom line: Always bring plenty of layers, including a windproof and/or waterproof layer, when you head outdoors. Do everything you can to keep those layers dry.

Symptoms
Some of the signs of mild hypothermia include:

shivering
rapid breathing
fatigue
impaired speech or coordination.

More serious hypothermia can cause additional symptoms:

severe confusion
extreme drowsiness
low or irregular heartbeat
cessation of shivering without any significant warming

Treatment
If you or your hiking partner starts to exhibit symptoms, stop and treat the condition right away.

Put up a tent or find another shelter.
Remove any wet clothing from the affected person, and have him or her layer up with all the spare dry clothing you have.
Have the person sit or lay on a sleeping pad, and wrap him or her in a tarp or sleeping bag. Skin-to-skin contact can also be useful in rewarming.
Give the patient sugary snacks and plenty of fluids (heat warm water or make tea or cocoa if you can). Don’t venture back out until the person is completely warm.
If he or she doesn’t start to warm up, is exhibiting signs of moderate to severe hypothermia, or isn’t able to take in food or water, call for rescue.

Frostbite

Prevention
Frostbite—and its precursor, frostnip—most often affects the fingers, toes, ears, nose, and other extremities left exposed to the cold. Prevent frostbite by keeping your hands and feet warm and dry, and ensuring good circulation by wearing properly fitting boots and gloves. Always pack a hat and extra gloves, and wear a scarf or balaclava in very cold temperatures.

Symptoms
Signs of frostnip include:

excessive redness or paleness
numbness
a tingling or burning sensation

When the lack of blood flow has gotten more advanced, frostbite sets in. Symptoms of frostbite include

skin that’s both pale and hard to the touch (it may have a waxy appearance)
blisters
a purple or black hue in more advanced stages

Treatment
Rewarm frostnip immediately. Do not rewarm frostbite in the field unless you’re absolutely sure that you can prevent refreezing, which can cause even more damage. Always avoid rubbing frostbitten tissue, as that can intensify injury as well. Instead, try to prevent further cooling, and get to help immediately. If help is more than a few hours away, read more about rewarming in the backcountry. Wilderness medicine is often complicated, so we always recommend getting professional training before administering any advanced first aid — see the section above on Hands-On Wilderness First Aid Training.

Snow Blindness

Prevention
Snow blindness is essentially a serious sunburn to the eyes, often caused by light reflected off snowy or icy surfaces. Always wear polarized, UV-blocking, full-coverage sunglasses, goggles, or glacier glasses in snowy conditions, even when there’s not full sun.

Symptoms
Symptoms of snow blindness don’t typically set in until hours after the injury has occurred. They include pain, redness, and, of course, impaired vision. Some describe the cornea as feeling scratchy or gritty, like “having corn flakes under your eyelids.” In extreme cases, total but temporary vision loss occurs.

Treatment
Snow blindness usually clears up on its own, though it can take one to three days. Keep your eyes closed and bandaged as much as possible during this time.

*Note: Always consult with a medical professional or seek qualified training before undertaking any medical treatment on your own. Always call for rescue or professional help if symptoms seem serious and you’re unsure of how to proceed.

February 4, 2021

Smithwick shoulders his skis while wearing a helmet and reflective googles.

Adventures Backcountry Skiing Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast User Profiles

Backcountry Skiing in the Himalayas with Mountain Guide Luke Smithwick

by Mary Cochenour February 3, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

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In this episode of the Out and Back podcast, Shanty and Mary catch up with Luke Smithwick — one of the most prolific ski mountaineers and guides in the world. Smithwick is 200 lines deep into his Himalaya 500 skiing project — a mission to highlight 500 of the most unique and beautiful backcountry runs on the world’s highest mountains. With more than 75 Himalayan mountain expeditions to his name, Smithwick unravels the mystery of skiing in places like Tibet, India, and Nepal.

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

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

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

Episode Highlights: A Ski Tour of the Himalayas with Luke Smithwick

3:00: Smithwick describes how he uses Gaia GPS to navigate in the Himalayas.
5:50: Learn why you might not have heard about Smithwick before. Hint: he’s been too busy skiing and climbing.
7:50: Smithwick has racked up 70 to 80 expeditions in the Himalaya over the last two decades.
8:30: Luke climbed Everest in 2011, but find out why he’s not focused on the classics.
9:40: The Himalaya 500 project highlights beautiful skiing with hopes to bring more people to the range in winter. The 500 lines get into everything from steep couloirs to glades, and the snow can be light and deep.
15:00: The Himalayas could become the next backcountry ski destination — Luke says it really is that good.
17:50: There are only a handful of ski areas with lifts in this giant mountain range.
20:00: The experiences with the different cultures along the way really become the best part of the trip to the Himalayas.
22:10: Hear how Smithwick got hooked on these massive mountains.
25:00: Smithwick explains local customs and how to be a respectful traveler through these Himalayan mountain communities.
33:00: COVID brought Smithwick back to the United States, and he’s settled down in Idaho, near Jackson Hole — and he even got a Husky!
39:00: The hearty local people draw Smithwick back to the Himalayas.
41:00: Smithwick says the effects of climate change have taken hold of these smaller communities and he describes the impacts.
47:00: Take a ski tour in the Himalayas with Luke Smithwick; all you have to do is sign up.

Special Valentine’s Day Episode: How the Outdoors Saved a Marriage

Necota and Sonya hold hands while walking on a leaf-covered trail in the forest.

A decade into marriage, Sonya and Necota Staples hit a crossroads. They needed to learn how to communicate better — or risk their relationship entirely. The couple stepped outside their comfort zone and turned to the outdoors. Fresh air was all that was needed to put them into an entirely new and better place in their relationship.

“Camping and off-roading were really almost the antitheses of the lifestyle that we were leading,” Necota says. “There’s nothing wrong with art and going to galleries and things like that. We still love those things. But going camping and off-roading allowed us to explore something different and be able to see each other within our relationship in a completely different way.”

Tune in next week for this special Valentine’s Day episode of the Out and Back podcast. Hosts Shanty and Abby get the Staples’ full story about how “glamping” and overlanding outside their home city of Atlanta and beyond saved the Staples’ marriage. Sonya and Necota share their heart-warming story while also passing along insight to couples looking to strengthen their own relationships. The Staples dig into how they combine their love for “the finer things in life” with nature, and their passion for bringing the outdoors to communities that may feel like they don’t belong there.

The Staples share their lighthearted yet honest tribulations and triumphs on their website Staples InTents, youtube channel Staples InTents, and Instagram handles StaplesInTents and BlackPeopleOffroad.

Last Episode: Backcountry Ski Gear with Big Mountain Skier Sophia Schwartz and Sean McCoy from GearJunkie

A skier stands at the top of an icy couloir.

If you’re wondering what kind of backcountry ski gear to buy this season, you’ll want to listen to our last show with big mountain skier Sophia Schwartz and Sean McCoy, editorial director of GearJunkie. A multiple top-ten World Cup finisher and the 2013 U.S. Freestyle champion, Schwartz begins the episode describing her transition from the mogul course to the backcountry glades and couloirs. Her gear, she says, was less than optimal. She’s learned a lot since.

Schwartz teams up with McCoy to chat about what’s good in the world of backcountry ski gear. They discuss everything from avalanche airbags to climbing skins to repair kits. Tune in to find out which boot they both love to ski at the resort and in the backcountry.

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

Meet the Hosts

Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

Mary Cochenour

Abby Levene

February 3, 2021

A screenshot of the Historic Topo 1900 map on gaiagps.com shows archival map footage of Leadville, Colorado. There are multiple train lines running into the downtown.

Gaia GPS New Maps

See a Snapshot of the Past With Historical Topo Maps

by Abby Levene January 27, 2021

written by Abby Levene

Go back in time with the newly updated Historic Topo maps. Join experts in using these maps to research areas steeped in history. See how your hometown has changed. Search for undiscovered historic sites. Or turn any hike into a walk through the past with this quilt of scanned archival maps. Enjoy higher image quality plus more coverage of the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico thanks to fresh updates to these layers.

Two map sources provide two different periods of history to examine: the Historic Topo 1900 shows digitized historic topographic maps from 1885 to 1915. The Historic Topo 1930 shows digitized USGS topo maps from around 1930.

Preserving the Past through Patented Digitization

Scientists, historians, environmentalists, genealogists, and others researching a particular area use these Historic Topo maps to aid in their work. Use these historic maps to see snapshots of the country’s physical and cultural features at a particular time. Or compare maps to see how an area has evolved.

These maps come from The National Map’s Historical Topographic Map Collection (HTMC). HTMC maps are published in Portable Document Format (PDF) with geospatial extensions (GeoPDF®), patented by TerraGo Technologies. In 2011, USGS released these high-resolution scans of more than 178,000 historical topographic maps of the United States. Now you can easily access them at home on gaiagps.com or in the field on your iOS or Android device.

Historic Topo 1900 shows the first telegraph line from Brest, France to Duxbury, MA.

Two Historic Topo Maps Document 1885-1930

Gaia GPS offers two topo map layers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Historic Topo 1900 shows digitized historic topographic maps from the continental United States and Hawaii from 1885 to 1915. Use this layer to get a sense of the US from the time the Dakotas were ratified as states (1889) to Arizona (1912). You can now enjoy roughly 150 million acres in new coverage.

Historic Topo 1930 shows digitized USGS topo maps for the continental United States and Hawaii, circa 1930. See what the US looked like at the dawn of the Great Depression. Explore 190 million acres in new coverage with this updated map.

Map scales for both layers include 24k, 31,680, 48k, 62,500, 96k, 125k, 192k, and 250k. When multiple maps covers the same area, maps get stacked upon each other until you zoom further into a particular area.

Take a Walk Through Time

A gif shows maps from 1900, 1930, and present day of San Fransisco. Notably, the Golden Gate bridge is missing from the first two. — Historic maps show how San Fransisco has changed over the past century.

Use the historical maps to see bygone features, and get to know an area in a whole new way.

Download a map for your area to see old rail road lines, street names, town lines.
Pair Historic Topo maps with your favorite base layer, such as the Gaia Topo, to get your bearings.
Toggle between current maps like Gaia Topo and these historic map layers to quickly compare and contrast how an area has changed.
Find overgrown stone foundations and settlements.
Discover old bridle and carriage paths, which may still be passable.
See old telegraph lines running under the ocean.
Use these maps to help on treasure hunts.

Remember to be mindful of who’s land you are on. You can check land ownership using the Public Land (US) and Private Land (US) map layers. You can also learn more about the history of an area by viewing the Native Lands map.

How to Get the Historical Topo Maps

The Historical Topo maps are available with a Premium Membership. To add these maps to your Gaia GPS app, open the app, tap the layers icon, and select “Add map layers.” Go to “United States” and select the Historical Topo 1900 and/or Historical Topo 1930.

To add these maps to your Gaia GPS account on the web, go to gaiagps.com/map. Click the layers icon, and select “Add map layers.” Go to “United States” and select the Historical Topo 1900 and/or Historical Topo 1930.

January 27, 2021

Android App Updates Backcountry Skiing Gaia GPS iOS New Features

Know Before You Go with the Avalanche Forecast Layer

by Mary Cochenour January 20, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

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

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

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

Avalanche Danger Ratings and Daily Forecasts

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

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

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

Use the Avalanche Forecast Layer with your Favorite Maps

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

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

How to Get the Avalanche Forecast Layer

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

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

January 20, 2021

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