Gaia GPS

Ski Often, Ski Safe: How to Plan a Backcountry Ski Tour

by Corey Buhay December 7, 2018

written by Corey Buhay

As new snow settles into the couloirs and glades this season, it’s easy to get caught up in the stoke without doing your homework—a potentially fatal mistake when you’re backcountry skiing in avalanche terrain. To get your tour off on the right boot, we teamed up with Joey Thompson, Colorado Mountain School’s Head Mountain Guide as well as a BCA and Hestra ambassador, to put together this must-do, pre-trip checklist.

Skimping on your tour plan comes with high consequences. On average, 27 people lose their lives in avalanches every year in the United States. Even more sobering: Those fatalities include experts, guides, and professionals as well as backcountry skiing novices. The good news is that, while your safety in the mountains is never 100% guaranteed, you can scale your odds overwhelmingly in your favor with the right research and preparation.

Here the ten essential steps you should take to plan any backcountry ski trip.

1. Evaluate your experience level.

The first thing you should do is take a hard look at your overall experience and comfort in the mountains before you get in over your head.

“Overconfidence is a common trap,” Thompson says, and that’s especially true among skiers with only moderate avalanche education. In fact, some studies show that folks with just the first level of avy certification are more likely to expose themselves to undue avalanche risk than any other group.

Getting certified with an avalanche awareness class (like the level 1 course from AIARE, the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education) is a good first step. However, Thompson warns that years of experience, a lot of practice using a beacon, and good temperament and mountain sense are often more beneficial than formal education alone.

If you’re really new to backcountry skiing—or really obsessing over a descent that might be just outside your comfort zone—consider hiring a guide or finding a mentor with a decade or more of mountain experience to show you the ropes.

2. Check the weather before you pick your route.

Second step: Thompson recommends cross-referencing several weather forecasts before you get your heart set on any particular line.

He checks predictions from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), and the European weather service MeteoBlue, all of which use different predictive models. For quick reference, map NOAA’s predictions directly over your route plan in Gaia GPS using the Precipitation and Snowfall forecast overlays.

Steer clear of high winds, which can load snow onto leeward slopes; sudden spikes in temperature, which can cause wet slides; and huge dumps of snow, which can build into storm slabs. Also keep an eye on cloud cover, which will flatten the light, making variations in the snow surface tough to distinguish.

If you haven’t already, get a feel for weather patterns in your area. The Pacific Northwest’s snowpack stabilizes much faster than Colorado’s, for example, which means you can start skiing sooner after storms.

3. Select backcountry zones based on the avalanche forecast.

Next, Thompson heads to the local avalanche bulletin and rules out geographic zones, elevations, and aspects with high avalanche risk.

The avy forecast measures risk as a function of both likelihood and size (consequence).

“For example, if you’re skiing in Rocky Mountain National Park in April, you probably have a weak layer [from the thaw-freeze cycles that usually happen in early winter in Colorado] buried really deeply in the snowpack. Maybe it’s dormant—buried too deep to have a high likelihood of getting triggered,” Thompson explains. “But if it does get triggered, all that built-up snow is going to result in an avalanche big enough to sculpt its own landscape and bury a train and houses and condos.” That’s a low-likelihood, high-consequence avalanche.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a few inches of new snow on short, steep slopes might be really likely to slide, but the avalanches will be much smaller. Those might knock a person off her skis but they’re unlikely to bury anyone completely.

4. Plan your route.

Now that you’ve ruled out the danger zones, evaluate slope angles to find a safe route. Gather beta from friends, online trip reports, and websites like OpenSnow and Wild Snow, and figure out what routes local guides are taking clients on that time of year.

“If you can get your hands on a prerecorded track from a buddy, that’s awesome,” Thompson says, especially if there’s a chance of low-visibility conditions. You can create your own route directly in Gaia GPS, or upload a track from a friend via a KML or GPX file.

Most avalanche educators recommend avoiding slopes between 30 and 45 degrees, especially if the avalanche forecast calls for anything more than low avy danger. (Visualize slope angle along different routes with the Slope-Angle Shading overlay.) However, persistent slab avalanches happen on slopes as low as 22 degrees, so don’t skimp on your weather research.

5. Make a Plan B.

Prerecorded tracks are great, but any time you’re backcountry skiing, conditions can change fast. Be prepared to tweak or bail on your route at the last minute.

Thompson recommends setting waypoints at decision-making thresholds like headwalls, summits, and higher-consequence slopes to facilitate group discussion about the conditions and terrain.

Always make sure you have a safe escape route in mind. Create plan-B and plan-C tour plans, and download the appropriate maps for offline use.

6. Bring the right maps.

Before you leave service, download maps of the area you plan to explore, along with any routes, tracks, or waypoints to help you find your way. Thompson typically downloads the USGS Topo and NatGeo Illustrated Trails maps. Some other helpful layers:

Slope-Angle Shading overlay
Shaded Relief overlay, to improve the visibility of slope aspects
24-, 48-, and 72-hour NOAA Snowfall Forecast overlays
24-, 48-, and 72-hour NOAA Precipitation overlays
ESRI World Satellite imagery, to visualize tree density and slide paths

Many of these maps are only available with a Premium Membership. Learn more about Premium maps and access them here.

Go Premium

Download multiple map sources, and plan to stash your phone in a chest pocket to keep it warm (cold batteries die faster). Bring paper maps and a compass as backup.

7. Pick your partners wisely.

Going solo in the wild has its allure, but it’s hard to argue with the facts: If you get caught in an avalanche and you’re alone, you’ll have no one to dig you out. Pick partners who share your levels of ambition and risk tolerance, and who you know will be open-minded and communicative with the rest of the group.

Thompson recommends aiming for a group of five. It’s a small enough number for efficient movement and quick decision-making, but big enough that even if two skiers get buried, there are still more diggers than victims.

If you’re a beginner, Thompson suggests skiing with other beginners. They’ll allow you to learn the basics at your own pace in mellow terrain.

8. Get your gear together.

Every group member should have a beacon, probe, and avalanche shovel. Also consider an avalanche pack. They’re expensive, but research shows that when used properly, they can effectively buoy caught skiers above sliding debris.

Put new batteries in your beacon, and securely attach it to your body, either in a chest harness over your baselayer, or clipped to a belt loop and zipped into a pocket. Keep your probe and shovel easily accessible in your pack.

Also throw in plenty of snacks and water. Staying hydrated and frequently consuming carbohydrates will keep you warm and prevent bonking, which can impair your decision-making abilities.

9. Talk with your team the day of the trip.

Discuss turnaround time and goals with your group to make sure everyone’s on the same page. Agree beforehand on what slope angles the group feels comfortable skiing, what weather or snow surface conditions constitute a no-go, and what your plan-B and plan-C options are. Predetermined limits are a good failsafe against succumbing to summit fever in hazardous conditions.

Thompson also suggests designating a team leader before you head out. That way, if something goes wrong, you’ll have enough organizational structure in place to quickly make a plan and avoid infighting.

“It’s really invaluable for beginner skiers to debrief at the end of the day, too,” Thompson adds. “If you skied something outside of your route plan and just got lucky, you’re not going to learn from it if you just slap high-fives all around, get in your car, and drive away without thinking it through.”

10. Do your final checks.

Before you leave, scan the day-of forecast and local avalanche reports. Reconsider your route if you see evidence of avalanche activity on similar slopes in adjacent ranges.

Reading avalanche terrain is an incredibly complex science, Thompson warns: “Even after 25 years of ski touring, I’m just now feeling like I have a handle on it.” So no matter how well you’ve prepared, always double-check your terrain and weather information, and jot down the number for your local Search and Rescue team, just in case.

If all looks good, do a final beacon check, click in, and get after it.

December 7, 2018

App Updates Gaia GPS How-To Hunting iOS New Features New Maps

Plan Your Winter Adventure with the Snowfall Forecast Overlay

by Corey Buhay November 30, 2018

written by Corey Buhay

Whether you’re chasing powder or just trying to avoid a day of postholing in two feet of fresh, the new 24-, 48-, and 72-hour Snowfall Forecast overlays make it easy to dial in your winter trip prep.

Available for both iOS users as well as on gaiagps.com, the Snowfall Forecast overlays use color-coded shading to show the expected snow accumulation. That makes it easy to plan ski trips, pick the right traction and flotation for winter hikes, and assess avalanche conditions. Just combine the Snowfall Forecast overlay with your base map of choice (and, if you’re doing avy analysis, the slope-angle shading overlay.)

Snowfall Predictions Updated Every 6 Hours

The Snowfall Forecast overlays draw data directly from the Winter Weather Desk of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Weather Prediction Center. The Winter Weather Desk uses a combination of predictive models to create its forecasts, which the National Weather Service then reviews and refines. The collaborating teams constantly refresh their models, providing updated reports every six hours.

The forecasts can accurately predict snow accumulation as far as three days (72 hours) in advance, and they cover all of the continental U.S. as well as parts of southern Canada.

How to Use the Snowfall Forecast Overlay

These overlays derive their predictions from NOAA’s probabilistic weather forecasts, which calculate the percent likelihood that a certain amount of snow will accumulate over a given time period. Gaia GPS uses NOAA’s 50th percentile forecasts. That means there’s a 50-percent chance that each shaded area will receive the indicated amount of snow accumulation during the forecast period. (This may seem low, but it gives the user the best estimate of land area likely to be affected by snow. For that reason, it’s the percentile most commonly shown on other popular forecasting sites.)

Add the Snowfall Forecast Overlay to Any Map in Gaia GPS

Available for gaiagps.com and iOS users with Premium Memberships, the Snowfall Forecast overlays can be viewed with an internet connection. Since the forecasts are always changing, they can’t be downloaded for offline use. However, when you look at the snowfall forecast in the app, your device will cache snapshots of the areas you viewed. The cached data will remain available on your device for 24 hours.

From the Map Sources menu, navigate to the Feature/Weather Overlays category. Pick the forecast overlay that suits your planning needs, and add it atop any base map. Set the transparency to between 30 and 40 percent for optimal visibility.

Check out this video for more tips on adding new map sources in the app:

A Note on Safety

Weather forecasts make great planning tools, but you should always research the terrain and alternate routes ahead of time, and cross-reference any forecast you use with several others for the most accurate predictions. And no matter what the reports say, plan for inclement weather, just in case.

November 30, 2018

Gaia GPS Hunting New Maps

Use the Roadless and Trailless Areas Overlays to Find Solitude at a Glance

by Corey Buhay November 19, 2018

written by Corey Buhay

Next time you need to get away from it all, really get away with Gaia GPS’s new Roadless Areas overlay. Or, go even deeper with the Roadless and Trailless Areas overlay.

Maybe you’re looking for a high mountain stream that hasn’t been fished out, a piece of the whitetail season opener you can call your own, or backcountry water ice begging for a first ascent. Or maybe you’re just after deep-woods quiet and down-valley views uncrossed by asphalt.

Whatever the reason, use these overlays to leave the crowds behind. Apply the Roadless Areas overlay to your favorite base map to chart an on-trail course far from roads of any kind, and use Roadless and Trailless Areas overlay to find land trafficked only by wildlife.

How It Works

Based on trail and road data from the Gaia GPS Topo base map, the Roadless Areas Overlay uses gradient shading to indicate how far any given spot is from the nearest road, and the Roadless and Trailless Areas further bounds that data by limiting more darkly shaded areas to places that are far from footpaths as well.

How to Use It

Available for both iOS and Android users with Premium Memberships, and on gaiagps.com, both the Roadless Areas overlay and the Roadless and Trailless Areas overlay can be viewed while connected to the internet or while you’re off the grid and out of service.

From the Map Sources menu, navigate to the Feature/Weather Overlays category. Add either the Roadless Areas overlay or the Roadless and Trailless Areas overlay atop your basemap of choice.

The transparency is completely adjustable, but starting with 100% opacity makes it easiest to visualize distances. At that setting, opaque orange indicates that an area is two miles or more from the nearest road and/or trail. Lighter orange shading indicates areas that are at least 0.25 mile or more from those features.

Then, reduce transparency to around 50% (as shown above) for the best visibility while route planning.

A Note on Off-Trail Hiking

Before you venture off-trail, make sure you’re exploring on public land where off-trail hiking is permitted. Pro tip: Add the Public Land layer (in the Premium Overlays category of the Map Manager) for quick reference, and double-check regulations with your local land manager.

A Note on Safety

Use these maps to seek out your next dose of true wilderness, but use the same caution you would in any backcountry situation. The farther you wander from roads and trails, the more difficult it is to reach help in case of an emergency. Brush up on your first-aid and wilderness self-sufficiency skills before you head out, and consider taking an emergency communication device if you’re wandering deep into unknown terrain. No matter how far you want to go, Gaia GPS provides the maps to get there. It’s up to you, however, to get yourself out.

November 19, 2018

Featured Gaia GPS How-To

Hiking in Hunting Season: Top 7 Safety Tips

by Elisa Wirkala November 15, 2018

written by Elisa Wirkala

Cool temps and active wildlife make fall popular among both hikers and hunters—and the prospect of crossing paths with a loaded firearm leaves plenty of hikers with concerns.

The good news is that, nowadays, hiking during hunting season is pretty safe. Most hunters are conscientious, and incidents are becoming almost non-existent. Pennsylvania, for example, saw zero hikers killed by hunters in 2015, the last year data was recorded. The state had just two hunting related-fatalities that year overall, one of which was self-inflicted.

Still uneasy? There are some things you can do to double-down on your safety (and that of your pets). To hone in on the best advice for sharing the trail, we talked to Joe Kosack, who’s spent 28 years working in hunter education at the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Here are some of his top tips for staying safe this season.

Learn when hunters are allowed to hunt

The busiest days of any hunting season are opening day, the day after opening day, and the first and last Saturdays of the season. Big game seasons (like those for deer, elk, and bear) draw out more hunters than seasons for smaller game, “but you’ll find the lion’s share of hunters in rifle season for deer,” Kosack says, and that holds true across the country.

To figure out when a hunting season begins or ends, use the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s interactive map. Click on your state, then click “Laws and Regulations” on the righthand toolbar to find your state hunting authority. (For some, that’s the state Fish and Wildlife Service. For others, it’s the local Department of Natural Resources or state game commission.) Look for a link to season dates on the authority’s main hunting web page.

Learn where hunters are allowed to hunt

In most places, you won’t see or hear hunters, no matter what day of the season it is. That said, if you live in a state where deer hunting is popular, consider spending opening day on well-trafficked trails, which hunters tend to avoid. Better bet: Stick to national parks, most of which prohibit hunting. (There are some park units that allow hunting, though on a very limited basis and usually only for ecological or subsistence purposes.)

State and regional park regulations, however, vary from state to state. Check rules for specific parks online, or use Gaia GPS’s hunting-specific map overlays to quickly determine where hunters will concentrate. Jesse Crocker, Gaia GPS engineering manager and resident hunting expert, recommends the layers labeled “Public Lands Open for Hunting” or “State Parks/Forests Open for Hunting.” (You can access all Gaia GPS Premium Hunt Maps with a Premium Membership.)

Know when hunters are most active

Many animals, like deer and elk, travel and forage most during dawn and dusk. While their preference for dim lighting often gives these species an edge against predators, it puts both hikers and hunters at a disadvantage: In the twilight hours, hunters have a harder time distinguishing human shapes and shadows from those of their quarry.

The other trouble? “The average age of hunters, at least in Pennsylvania, is somewhere north of 50,” Kosack warns, which can mean less-than-perfect eyesight, especially in low light. Stay alert in the early morning and evening, and take care to make your presence known.

Wear orange

Break out those brights. While you should always bring colorful layers into the backcountry (it’s easier for Search and Rescue teams to spot flashy colors in case of an emergency), they’re particularly useful during big game seasons, as they make it easy for hunters to spot and avoid you.

Drabs blend into the forest, but beige and green aren’t the only hues to leave in the closet. “If you’re going to be out there with turkey hunters, I’d also recommend avoiding red, white, blue, and black, as those can be mistaken for parts of a turkey,” Kosack says. Yellow can also be tough to parse against fall foliage, especially during sunrise and sunset.

Instead, Kosack recommends sticking to hats and jackets in the classic shades of safety, which are easy to find at hardware and sporting goods stores.

“A lot of crews have switched to fluorescent chartreuse, but in Pennsylvania, it’s mandatory for hunters to wear blaze orange. So if you’re going to be out there with them, wear orange as well, and you’ll fit right in,” he says.

Protect your pets

Most hunters know their quarry well enough to tell your dog from a deer, but why take the chance?

“The other issue is that a lot of people have problems with coyotes and might mistake your dog for one,” Kosack says. (Coyotes are often sandy brown but can sport reddish or black phases as well, so don’t assume your golden retriever will be easy to distinguish.)

“Leashes are ideal, but let’s be honest—sometimes the whole idea of taking your dog into the woods is to leave him untethered,” Kosack admits. Instead, he recommends a failsafe solution: Dress your pup in a fluorescent pack, harness, collar, or bandana.

Photo courtesy of Renee V, via twitter

Make noise

Wear a passive noisemaker like a bear bell, sing, or just keep the conversation flowing—the easiest way to distinguish human from animal is by the sound of your voice, says Crocker. Expect to hear gunshots in the distance on busy days, but if you hear shooting that’s too close for comfort, shout to make your presence known.

Stay on the trail

While this is good advice for anyone trying to reduce their environmental impact, sticking to the trail corridor is a fairly reliable failsafe during hunting season—especially if you’re not wearing orange. Most hunters know to avoid commonly used hiking paths, so stay on them during busy days and camp within 150 yards of them when permitted.

Learn more

Still nervous? Don’t be.

“The whole idea of hiking is to go out and enjoy yourself, and if you’re worried about everything, you’re not going to have a great time,” Kosack says. Familiarize yourself with the statistics, talk to local hunters or land managers, plan your hikes wisely, and follow these tips to head into the woods with confidence this season.

November 15, 2018

Company News Gaia GPS

Gaia GPS Welcomes Three New Team Members

by Corey Buhay November 12, 2018

written by Corey Buhay

We’re excited to announce the addition of three new team members this fall: a software engineer, a customer support specialist, and a writer.

We like to think of hiring as rounding out the team from all angles rather than just filling empty posts. For a remotely operated company with team members scattered throughout the country, it’s important to find people with skills that mesh seamlessly with the rest of the crew, even at a distance. It’s also important for us to find folks who represent Gaia GPS with everything they do—both at the keyboard and in the mountains.

As such, serious trail cred is a critical qualification for any new Gaia GPS hire, and this batch of newcomers is no exception. Bringing on Matt, Erik, and Corey adds not just three employees but two climbers, three backpackers, and one world traveler to the team. All three are avid adventurers with over 5,000 trail miles accumulated among them. Pair that with equally impressive professional accomplishments, and you’ve got three hires with Gaia GPS written all over them.

Matt McGlincy – Senior Software Engineer

Proudest professional accomplishment: Designing and building an iOS dungeon crawler game from scratch, which was featured in “New & Noteworthy” on the App Store (Editor’s note: being a Staff Engineer at Google is pretty sick, too.)
Gnarliest outdoor adventure: Getting caught in an overnight blizzard during a winter backpacking trip in the Tahoe area. We had no map, no GPS (the Gaia GPS app didn’t exist yet), and, when we woke up, no trail home. Exciting times!
Favorite flavor of ice cream: Peppermint, preferably in large volumes

Corey Buhay – Lead Writer & Editor

Proudest professional accomplishment: Summiting an ice-covered volcano in New Zealand for part of a Backpacker magazine feature story
Gnarliest outdoor adventure: Climbing through a hailstorm at 11,000 feet in the Wind River Range, Wyoming
Favorite flavor of ice cream: Pistachio, topped with pretzels

Erik Baily – Customer Support Specialist

Proudest professional accomplishment: Orchestrating and curating the Solidarity art reception, a non-profit show featuring three artists (including me) that raised money for suicide prevention
Gnarliest outdoor adventure: Becoming one of the first 20 people to hike the 135 miles from the bottom of Death Valley to the top of Mt. Whitney
Favorite flavor of ice cream: I’ve yet to find it, but a vegan French vanilla ice cream would make me so happy

Navigate to the company page to read their full bios and learn more about the Gaia GPS staff.

Still Hiring, Apply Today

With more hands on deck at Gaia GPS, you can look forward to continuous improvement to the app and website, including more map sources, detailed hike information, and new features. Keep an eye on the blog for more announcements on that front in the coming months.

We’ll also be looking to take on a few more hires as we finish up this round of expansion.

Feel free to send your resume to jobs@gaiagps.com if you want to be considered for future positions. And check here for current and future openings.

November 12, 2018

Gaia GPS New Features

Now Import FIT Files on gaiagps.com

by Angela Crampton October 29, 2018

written by Angela Crampton

If you use a device like Garmin’s Fenix and Forerunner watches that export FIT files, you can now upload your activities directly to gaiagps.com, and use your data within Gaia GPS.

What is FIT?

FIT stands for Flexible and Interoperable Data Transfer. FIT interchanges GPX data used by newer Garmin devices, including all Garmin watches. See all the devices that export FIT files here.

Add, View, and Manage FIT Activities Manually

Keep all your adventures in one place and add external activities from various sources to your account. By aggregating all of your activities in one place, you can compare and contrast the stats, and organize your data into folders.

Upload the file by navigating to https://www.gaiagps.com/upload/. Enter a name, and select the file to upload from your computer. If the file is large, you’ll receive an email reminder once it has uploaded to your account.

View the upload under your “My Folders” page where you can edit the name or file it into your folders.

Open your folder to view statistics, write a description, and upload photos. Combine multiple files into one folder to get aggregate stats and maps.

Check out the most up-to-date information on importing files to Gaia GPS with the following Help Desk article: Upload GPX and KML Files.

Please note that while GPX/KML can be uploaded via the app or website, FIT can only be uploaded via gaiagps.com/upload.

October 29, 2018

Gaia GPS Hunting iOS New Maps

24- and 72-Hour Weather Forecast Overlays

by Robyn Martin October 24, 2018

written by Robyn Martin

In addition to the 48-hour Precip Overlay, Gaia GPS includes 24- and 72-hour Forecast Overlays, too. Beat the rain, or maximize your powder days, with these options that you can display over your favorite base maps.

Sourced from NOAA Data

Like the 48-hour overlays, the 24-hour and 72-hour Precip Overlays refresh with new information every 12 hours from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Prediction Center (WPC). Predictions show a static image of the amount of liquid precipitation expects to fall in the given time frame for the continental United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Using the Precip Forecast Overlays

Choose the best day to head out on the trail by referencing the right weather overlay. Heading out for the weekend? Check out the 72-hour forecast to get a view of overall precipitation. Just want to know what tomorrow looks like? Use the 24-hour forecast to get a quick and accurate prediction.

Premium Members can view the forecast overlays when connected to WiFi or cell service in the iOS app and on gaiagps.com.

How to View the Precip Overlays

In the app:

Follow these steps to add the Precip Overlay to your layers list.
Find the Precip maps under the Feature/Weather Overlays category.
Turn on layered maps to view the Precip overlays on top of your favorite map source.

On gaiagps.com:

Follow these steps to add the Precip Overlays to your layers list.
Find them in the Weather and Features Overlays category.

How to Read the Precip Forcast Overlays

These overlays use colored shading to show forecasted cumulative precipitation. The legend below shows the color markings for cumulation in inches:

A Note on Safety

You can use the weather overlay as a planning tool to help you pack, plan your route, and be prepared for the weather ahead. Gaia GPS provides map layers to help plan and prepare for inclement weather but make sure to check with local news sources for more frequent and localized updates.

October 24, 2018

App Updates Gaia GPS Hunting iOS New Features New Maps

Interactive Hunting Maps for Game Management Units with Stats

by Nathan Copeland October 16, 2018

written by Nathan Copeland

Interested in hunting stats for all game management units and wildlife areas? With Gaia GPS, you now have access to interactive hunting maps with helpful statistics to plan a successful hunt. Pairing the interactive hunting maps with the private and public land overlays will show your hunting unit’s boundaries alongside current landowners within the unit so you can stay on legal ground.

Comprehensive Hunting Stats

The scouting information you always wanted, now at your fingertips — Gaia GPS hunting maps now include the critical information you need to select the right units for all your draw tags and plan your hunts.

The hunting stats can be accessed from basecamp or in the field when you download an offline map of your unit.

Stats include:

Game Management Unit Name
Size
Public Land Percentage
Covered Game Species
Land Cover Types
Open Water Percentage
Elevation (min, avg, & max)
Monthly Temperature (min, avg, & max)
Average Monthly Precipitation Rates

Accessing the New Hunting Stats

Hunting stats come built into the US Hunting Maps available with a Premium Membership in the latest iOS version of Gaia GPS. Following these steps will display the hunting stats for your next hunt:

1. Add your state’s hunting overlay to the Layers menu.
  Step 1: Open the Layers menu and tap Edit
  Step 2: Tap the US Hunting Overlays category
  Step 3: Tap the green “+” icon next to the correct overlay for your hunt
2. From the main Layers menu, drag your hunting overlay to the top position in the Visible section.
3. Position the main map over the area you plan to hunt
4. Tap any of the game management units to reveal their name
5. Tap the Information “i” icon for the game management unit to view the hunting, precipitation, and temperature stats.
6. To access the stats for your unit offline, download an offline map for the area you plan to hunt. If you already have offline maps for your hunt, deleting and re-downloading the areas will update your offline maps to include the stats for your hunting unit.

Share your favorite game management unit or hunting area with the Gaia GPS family by tagging @gaiagpshunting on Instagram or Twitter.

October 16, 2018

App Updates Gaia GPS iOS New Maps

Get 48-Hour Precipitation Forecasts on Any Map in Gaia GPS

by Angela Crampton September 25, 2018

written by Angela Crampton

Prepare for the unexpected with the new 48-hour weather forecast overlay.

Combine this new map overlay with your favorite base map to see rainfall predictions for your next weekend adventure.

Built on Official NOAA Data

The 48-hour precip overlay taps directly into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasting data. The NOAA Weather Prediction Center (WPC) researches and releases short-term forecasts twice daily, based on predictive models and satellite imagery. Their reports can forecast heavy rain, snow, and flash flooding up to seven days in advance.

We’ve limited the forecasting for this map to 48 hours in order to give you the most accurate prediction for weekend trips. The overlay refreshes with new information every 12 hours and currently includes the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

How To Read the Forecast

Known as a Quantitative Precipitation Forecast, the weather overlay shades areas of the map to help you visualize the amount of rainfall during a specified amount of time (48 hours, in this case).

The chart below shows the different shades available depending on the forecast, ranging from 0 to 20 inches of rainfall. Green and blue shades represent light showers, while darker areas of red or purple indicate larger accumulations.

Using the 48 Hour Precip Forecast Overlay

Available for iOS users with a Premium Membership, the 48-hour Precip Forecast map can be viewed while connected to the internet.

From the Map Sources menu, navigate to the Feature/Weather Overlays category.

Add the 48-hour Precip Forecast overlay atop any of your favorite base maps and set the transparency from 25 to 30 percent for the best visibility. Learn how to add map sources for iOS below:

A Note on Safety

You can use the weather overlay as a planning tool to help you pack, plan your route, and be prepared for the weather ahead. Know the terrain and alternate routes ahead of time, and plan for inclement weather, even if none appears in the forecast. Gaia GPS provides map layers to help plan and prepare but the ‘go’ or ‘no-go’ decision remains with you.

September 25, 2018

Gaia GPS Hunting New Maps

Stay Prepared during Wildfire Season with New Current Wildfires Overlay

by Robyn Martin September 4, 2018

written by Robyn Martin

With the new ‘US Wildfire – Current’ overlay, Premium Members can view current fire conditions before heading out on the trail. In addition, use the existing ‘US Wildfire – Historic’ overlay to view areas that were previously affected by wildfires.

Already have Premium? Follow these steps to add new maps, like the US Wildfire Overlays.

Disclaimer: The US Wildfire – Current’ overlay is updated daily as new data is made available by the USGS, but many fire boundaries will be out of date or incorrect, and recent fires may not have been added yet. Use of this map layer for any purpose is at your own risk, and Trailbehind Inc (maker of Gaia GPS) is not responsible for any actions you take based on the information contained in any map.

Use the “US Wildfire – Current” Overlay to Stay Informed

You’ll find the “US Wildfires – Current” overlay in the Feature/Weather Overlays category of the map manger. It can be used whenever you have an internet connection and gets updated daily by the USGS. Reference the map before leaving home to check for actively burning wildfires.

Layer the ‘US Wildfire – Current’ overlay atop any of your favorite map sources, like Gaia Topo, USGS Topo, or USFS 2016. You can use this information to follow up with the local rangers station for closures and trail conditions in the area.

Layer the US Wildfire-Current overlay with USFS 2016 to view active wildfire for an area.

US Wildfire-Current over USFS 2016

Shaded red displays current burn areas. Tap the area and click the Info icon to view more details about the fires size, name, and Inciweb id which you can use to look up more information about the burn.

Use Gaia GPS to Check for Historical Wildfires

In addition to the current Wildfires map, you can also find historical wildfire information with the ‘US Wildfires – Historical’ overlay. This map layer updates bi-annually and shows you a record of past wildfires, the year they burned, and acreage of the fire. Overlaying this data with map sources like Gaia Topo will queue you to important trail conditions you may need to prepare for.

Even after fires blow through an area, land managers can keep trails closed for weeks or even years. Much of the Columbia River Gorge area in Mount Hood National Forest remains closed in the aftermath of the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire due to fallen trees and other hazards. Cleared areas may still have widow makers (dangle branches) or dead trees with rotted roots along a trail which are especially dangerous in high winds.

Contact the ranger district for the area you are exploring for up-to-date conditions for the area.

Layer the US Wildfire -Historic overlay with Gaia Topo to view past fires in an area.

US Wildfire – Historic over Gaia Topo

Third Party Resources

Use the following resources to get more information about current wildfires:

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) provides detailed information on its USFS Public Fire Information page with specific wildfire data and additional web resources to stay aware.
InciWeb shows incident information from multiple management agencies. Use the InciWeb ID listed in the fire details page to find details on fires near you.
Research the air quality before heading outside will make the hike more enjoyable, your lungs will thank you. Wind can carry smoke across states causing haze. Firesmoke.ca provides a 51-hour forecast of North America’s conditions.
Check the local news source in the area you are headed for regional-specific closures and updates.

Feature photo by: Brian Miracle

September 4, 2018

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