How-To

Two skiers skin up a low-angle snowfield in single file. It's sunny and mountains extend in the distance.

How to Plan a Backcountry Ski Tour with Gaia GPS

by Devin Lehman January 26, 2023

written by Devin Lehman

Devin Lehman is the Product Manager for Gaia GPS. Join him in planning and going on a backcountry ski tour, and to learn how to use Gaia GPS for your winter backcountry excursions.

I’m a backcountry snowboarder who happens to work in tech. It’s a lame joke I’ve told coworkers over the past decade. (And it’s a joke that needs no explanation to my coworkers at Gaia GPS.) So when winter swung into central Oregon and the avalanche forecast looked promising, I jumped on the opportunity to tour Mount Bachelor with some friends before opening day. Here’s how I did it, from start to finish.

A New Mapping Paradigm

Technology has revolutionized ski tour planning. Growing up on ice coast of Maine, I spent many weekends with friends and family bootpacking up the Camden Snow Bowl to get a few edgeable turns. Hail, sleet, snow, and freezing temperatures rarely stopped us from having a good time outdoors.

We didn’t have the best gear in the late ’90s. I wasn’t sure what “gore-tex” meant and jeans with sweatpants underneath often served as our premier choice of winter clothing. Checking conditions around Belfast, Camden, or Carrabassett Valley included picking up paper maps to look at terrain. We’d open a local newspaper to see weather forecasts. We’d talk to park rangers about conditions. And we’d turn on Maine Public Broadcasting to find out if school was canceled or if we’d be begging our parents to call in “sick” for us. These were the best methods we had at the time to plan, adventure, and share our outdoor experiences.

Enter Gaia GPS. Over the years, this app has transformed how outdoor enthusiasts, professionals, and weekend warriors adventure—including me.

Armed with vastly better tools and relocated to the opposite coast, my mission remains the same. When my friends and I decided we wanted to tour Mount Bachelor, I just had to turn to one resource to bring the trip to life.

Route Plan on the Web

With the best route planning tools available, gaiagps.com is the place I like to start planning any adventure. Plus, a desktop’s big screen also lets you get a better, bigger sense of the terrain than the tiny screen of a phone.

So start by going to gaiagps.com. Hit the locate button in the bottom right corner to center yourself on the map. Since I’m not planning this ski tour from my front door, I type “Mount Bachelor” into the search bar to bring me to my destination on the map. Conveniently, I can see the localized weather forecast from OpenSnow just by tapping anywhere on the map.

Activate Winter Maps

The Gaia Winter map shows backcountry ski start zones in orange, and touring zones in blue.

Of Gaia GPS’s hundreds of maps, a handful prove essential for every backcountry tour. I start by selecting Gaia Winter as my basemap. Designed in-house, Gaia Winter boasts the same clarity and file efficiency as Gaia Topo, but prioritizes winter travel. Backcountry ski zones conveniently pop-out from the map in blue and starting zones stand out in orange, making it easy to find places to tour. Gaia Winter’s winter color palette also pairs perfectly with the suite of winter safety maps we’re going to layer on top of it.

Snow Safety Maps

Next, I add the Slope Angle shading map and layer it on top of Gaia Winter. (Just drag Slope Angle to the top of the active map queue.) I turn the opacity down to about 30 or 40 percent so I can still see the underlying topographic terrain. Wondering what the colors mean? Tap the map name in the sidebar and scroll down to the bottom to see the map legend. Since I want to avoid slopes above 30 degrees, which could yield avalanche-prone terrain, I can easily pick my route through terrain that’s shaded yellow (26 to 29 degrees) or has no shading at all (less than 26 degrees).

Now that I’ve got a sense of the terrain, I add the Avalanche Forecast layer to the top so I can scope out the regional avalanche forecast for the day. By zooming out a bit on the map, I can see that the avalanche forecast for the central cascades is green. But I want to read the full report anyway, so I click on the link to the full forecast from the Central Oregon Avalanche Center.

Weather Maps

I also add the Snow Stations Daily map to get snow conditions for the area, including the snow depth, how much new snow has accumulated, and the snow water equivalent, which tells you whether you’ll be skiing Montana cold smoke or Sierra cement. Since we’re touring a ski resort, I can also add the Ski Resort Reports map to get official conditions from the mountain. (Resorts with fresh snow glow on the map.) I can also add the Snow Depth map to get a visual on estimated snow depths throughout the area. Once again, tap the map in the sidebar and scroll down to the bottom for the map legend to see which colors correspond with what snow depths.

Given the late-season wildfires, I also add the Wildfire and Smoke Forecast maps just to make sure our plans don’t go up in smoke.

Finally, I add the Satellite Imagery map so I can get a sense of how treed the terrain will be, where we’ll hit treeline, and where avalanche paths may exist. I’m going to keep this map as an inactive layer for now; we’ll turn to it once we activate 3D mode.

Hone in on the Zone

Now that we’ve got all of our maps, I start to scout out potential zones for the tour. I’ve already decided I want to ski around Mount Bachelor. Using Gaia Winter, I can see the backcountry skiing start and touring zones are on the northeast aspect of the mountain. The Slope Angle map shows there are some clear low-angle paths up this side of the mountain as well.

For easy reference, I mark this region of the map with a polygon. That way I can spy this area of the map at low zoom levels, and my touring partners can get a sense of where we’re going. To add a polygon, or “area,” click “Area” in the sidebar and add points to mark the perimeter of the zone. If the polygon shading gets in the way of seeing the map underneath, just turn it off by either toggling off “Areas” in the “Map Overlays” section of the sidebar. Or tap the area on the map, click the polygon in the sidebar, and turn the map visibility off.

Map Route with Snap-To-Trail

Now that I’ve got a sense of the terrain and the region we’ll be touring, I’m going to map out a potential uphill route. Of course, this may change as we assess the conditions and terrain upon arrival, but it’s useful to have a sense of where we’re going and how long the route may be.

Zooming into the orange “start” zone near Mount Bachelor, I see there is a parking lot. I’m going to mark that as our starting point by dropping a waypoint on the map. Next, I’m going to map out the route. After clicking “Route” on the sidebar, I’m going to follow one of the trails switchbacking up the mountain. Mount Bachelor actually has designated uphill routes when the lifts are spinning, so I want to abide by this uphill route in case there are any employees working–I’d hate to pop up in front of a groomer or patrolling and startle them! Gaia GPS’s smart snap-to-trail routing automatically snaps to the trail as I plot out points along it. When I make a careless click on the web, using the undo feature makes route correction a breeze.

About two a half miles and 1,500 feet of climbing up the trail, we reach a saddle. As we had a group of folks with varying levels of experience, I want to create two options. One more mellow mid-mountain approach, and another option to summit if conditions are right. While creating the routes, I’m able to see the right statistics (weather, ascent, slope angle, avalanche conditions) and tailor the route accordingly.

Some people may want to transition and ski back down here, so I’m going to end the route and give it a name: “Main plan.” For those who may want to continue on to the summit if conditions allow, I’m going to start a new route here in a different color. Once again, I let Gaia GPS’s smart planning tools do most of the work for me until the route reaches the summit.

For fun I even dropped a waypoint that could be a nice lunch spot for us to eat our pocket-tacos, a staple diet for touring adventures.

Scout in 3D

Now that I’ve drawn some potential routes on the map, I want to get a better understanding of the terrain we will be covering by looking a the map in 3D. So I hit the “3D” button in the bottom right corner. Next, I add the Satellite Map to the top of our active map layers. Following the route up the mountain, I can see that the first half of the skin track goes straight up a ski slope with trees on either side. The second half switchbacks up a ridge above the treeline. Panning around this northeast face of the mountain, I can see some potential skiable chutes and faces.

Share with Friends

I want to share my routes, waypoints, and area with my friends so they can prepare for the tour at home and navigate in the field. First, I add all of these items to a new folder. Now it’s easy to share it with my partners. Just click on the folder, hit “Invite others to this folder,” and enter their email addresses.

Now when my friends open their Gaia GPS accounts on gaiagps.com, they’ll see a notification on the bell (top right of the screen) inviting them to add my folder to their accounts.

Sync Route to Phone

While gaiagps.com serves as the powerhouse for planning at home, I want to see all my new data in the field once we get going. To ensure it shows up in the app, open your Gaia GPS app at home. Tap the “Saved items” button on the bottom bar. Swipe down to automatically sync the items on your web and app accounts.

Take Maps Offline

We may not have cell coverage for the full tour. Plus, sometimes I like to put my phone in airplane mode to save battery life. To ensure I can see the map regardless of cell service, I’m going to download Gaia Winter and Slope Angle shading for offline use.

To download the maps on the app, tap the plus button on the top bar. Select Download Maps, and move the rectangle over the area in question. I like to download a little extra map, just in case. Next, press “Save” and choose which maps you want to download for offline use. You also have the option to download the data that will let you create new snap-to-trail routes in the field without cell service. Why not, it can’t hurt–toggle on “Include data to create and navigate routes offline.” Hit next. Keep the app open while the maps download. If you have decent wifi, it should be quick.

Navigate with the App

The squad reviewed the routes overnight, and now it’s go time! Before I leave the house, I like to double check that my maps are downloaded for offline use and are set as active map layers. While I’m in the app, I can get driving directions to the parking lot. Just tap the route, hit the “More” button, and select “Driving Directions.”

Upon arriving at the mountain, we meet up for a check in focusing on General headspace, Fitness, Willingness to suffer, Skiing ability and Avalanche risk tolerance. Once we completed the checks, the group agreed the mid-mountain lunch tour made the most sense.

Record Tracks

I like to record my adventures in Gaia GPS for a few reasons. One, recording your tracks leaves a breadcrumb trail of your progress in the app. That way if I need to retrace my steps, I can just turn around and follow the line on the map. Second, recording your tracks in the app lets you relive your adventure in 3D on the web once you get home.

So after I turn on my beacon and we do our checks, I start recording my tracks. Once again, tap the plus button. Select “Record a Track.”

Drop Waypoints

As we skin up the mountain, I drop waypoints to mark snow features, views, and to add notes about the snow pack and any other observations our team makes in the field. You can also drop a photo waypoint. Just tap the plus button and select “Take Picture.” Don’t forget to mark up the map with your memories.

Après

The conditions were way too reminiscent of my ice-coast heritage, and side-hilling became the name of the game. For one member of our group, however, that was no issue. It definitely helps to have four paws with integrated crampons. We hit our top-out point, snacked a bit, and started the descent. While we didn’t have any deep pow lines to drop or slashes to throw, we sure did have a lot of fun. With Gaia GPS as our planning and adventuring tool, we were able to make a route directly back to the car without throwing our skins back on. A win in any backcountry enthusiast’s book!

As snow keeps piling up in Bend and we watch the conditions, rest assured I’ll be counting down the minutes until I can get back into the mountains. Gaia GPS and Outside have elevated my ability to educate myself, plan, and execute some of my most fun adventures. I’m incredibly lucky to have found a place where I get to combine my passion for the outdoors with my love of working in tech. That lame joke has now become a dream come true–something I am grateful for.

Cheers to Gaia GPS, Outside, and the outdoor community.

January 26, 2023

Gaia GPS Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast How-To Offroading User Profiles

Cook Marco Hernandez’s Mouthwatering Camp Meals

by Mary Cochenour January 25, 2023

written by Mary Cochenour

One of the best aspects of car camping is that you can bring any fancy kitchen contraption that fits in your vehicle. Filet mignon on the BBQ, sunset margaritas poured from the blender, and homemade chimichurri can be standard camp fare if you plan your menu in advance. If you’re Marco Hernandez, author of The Overland Cook and the face behind the popular offroading brand Ovrlndx, you toss an oven, yes an oven, in your kit and slow-bake a roast while you make your way towards camp.

“By the time we get to the camp, I just open that oven and dinner is ready,” Marco says of his new 12-volt oven. “I think this is going to be a game-changer.”

Marco admits that not everyone needs an elaborate kitchen set up to cook mouthwatering meals at camp. He explains on the Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast this week that some of the best meals can come from cooking burritos under the hood of your Jeep. You read that right. Marco has cooked burritos on his engine.

A Baja California native, Marco shares his famous south-of-the-border recipes. From his traditional birria taco recipe to his secret ingredient for delicious salsa, Marco dishes out his tips for serving up gourmet meals out on the trail. Plus, Marco breaks down all the gear and upgrades on his new brand new Jeep 392, dubbed by the manufacturer as “the quickest, most powerful Wrangler” ever made. Marco confirms that his new Jeep has power.

You can pick up a copy of Marco’s book The Overland Cook (available in English and Spanish) on his website ovrlndx.com and follow his YouTube channel to watch Marco in action.

Impress your friends on your next camping trip with Marco’s famous and easy-to-make chimichurri recipe, an Argentinian sauce that tastes great as a topping for meats or spooned over toasted sourdough bread as an appetizer.

*Ovrlndx’s Marco Hernandez in front of his new Jeep 392*

Get Marco’s Chimichurri Recipe

3 bunches of parsley, finely chopped
2 cups of olive oil
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
8 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon red pepper chili flakes
a pinch of salt

Step 1: Combine parsley, garlic, red chili pepper flakes, paprika, and oregano in a bowl. Mix until evenly distributed.

Step 2: Add salt, ground black, pepper, red wine vinegar, and olive oil.

Step 3: Mix until all ingredients are completely incorporated.

Step 4: Pour into a glass jar and let sit for 24 hours.

Tip: Chimichurri sits better after letting it sit for at least 24 hours. The flavors will incorporate into the mix.

Meet Wade May, Host of the Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast

After a 43-year career of flying A-10 and F-16 fighter jets for the United States Air Force and Boeing 737s as a commercial airline captain, Gaia GPS Offroad podcast host Wade May has put his feet firmly on the ground. With over 20 years of offroading and overlanding experience, Wade constantly seeks out the serenity of remote backcountry adventures with his trusty 4-Runner, “Bullit.“ Between extended solo overland adventures, Wade shares the lessons learned from his broad experience in the sky and on the trail in overland workshops, classrooms, writings, and, of course, while hosting the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast.

January 25, 2023

Gaia GPS How-To Offroading

How to Get Started Overlanding

by Bryan Rogala January 9, 2023

written by Bryan Rogala

Image Credit: 4 X Overland Adventures

Overlanding has taken the outdoor industry by storm in the last few years. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a term used to describe vehicle-based travel that typically involves dirt roads, four wheel drive, and getting as far off the beaten path as possible. Overland Journal, the longtime authority on the subject in the U.S., describes the pastime as “self-reliant adventure travel to remote destinations where the journey is the primary goal.”

Think of it as backpacking with a 4×4. Overlanding originated in Australia and Africa and can involve anything from driving the Pan American Highway in a Volkswagen Syncro, to circumnavigating Africa in a Jeep Wrangler, to an overnighter at a dispersed campsite on a local Forest Service road. While the method of transportation plays a role, more than anything overlanding is about the journey and the experience along the way. Anyone can do it with some basic knowledge, a mechanically sound vehicle, and a thirst for adventure.

In this article, we’ll cover what an overlanding route looks like, along with the type of vehicle and equipment you’ll need, and some tips for getting started. Here’s what you need to know to get into overlanding.

What an Overlanding Route Looks Like

Overlanding routes vary greatly in terrain and difficulty, a lot of which depends on where they are located. Routes in the Western U.S. tend to be longer and more remote, and can involve high mountain passes, vast swaths of empty desert, or long stretches of rough roads. Routes in the Eastern U.S. are typically shorter in length but can be tighter and trickier to navigate with a large vehicle.

An overlanding route planned using the Gaia Overland map in Gaia GPS.

If you’ve ever driven a vehicle off road, you likely already know what type of obstacles to expect. Rough dirt roads, washboard, deep ruts, stream crossings, sandy washes, mud, loose hill climbs, tight switchbacks, and even snow are all common road conditions you might encounter. That being said, overlanding differs from four wheeling, rock crawling, and other forms of off-roading because it takes place for an extended period of time, includes driving on pavement, and typically doesn’t involve “extreme” obstacles like you might see a Jeep Wrangler tackling in Moab.

Overlanding draws you to remote, uninhabited places to enjoy the scenery and solitude, and you’ll need maps to find your way. Gaia GPS offers a catalog of off road and 4×4 maps that show you what kind of terrain you’ll encounter and how difficult your route will be. You can download the maps for offline use with a premium subscription and use them out on the trail, which is far more useful than just a paper map. Toggling between Gaia’s proprietary Gaia Overland map, NatGeo Trails Illustrated map, the MVUM (USFS) (US Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map), the USFS Roads and Trails Map, and Gaia Topo layers gives you on-demand access to trail junctions, road conditions and closures, dispersed camping sites and terrain features. Using these at home on a desktop helps with route planning, and then using them offline on a phone helps with navigation in the field and allows you to deal with unexpected route changes, like deadfall across a road or another impassable obstacle.

Tread Lightly, Stay on Established Roads

The USFS MVUM and Roads and Trails Maps are indispensable because they also have notes on road closures and status, grade, road material, and even whether a road is passable in a passenger car or requires high-clearance and four-wheel drive. It’s also important to stay on legal roads—driving off-road doesn’t mean pointing your truck into the woods and creating your own path, it just means driving off pavement, on a dirt road. The key here is that you’re still driving on a legal road of some kind, and it’s important to follow Leave No Trace principles and guidelines for responsible 4×4 use from Tread Lightly.

Vehicle Considerations

The vehicle you drive plays the largest role in an overlanding trip. It will act as your home base, and needs to be comfortable both on and off pavement. While you can technically overland with whatever vehicle you’ve already got, there are some things most overland rigs have in common.

Four Wheel Drive Versus All Wheel Drive

First, you’re going to want four wheel drive, or at the very least, all wheel drive. Traditional four-wheel-drive vehicles have a transfer case that allows the driver to send power to both the front and rear wheels, and the power is typically split 50/50. Four-wheel-drive trucks and SUVs, like a Toyota Tacoma, let you select from a high or low range, the latter of which increases torque, helps you navigate steep hills, and generally puts more power to the wheels. Overlanders prefer true four wheel drive for a number of reasons, but mainly because it’s more capable off road than all wheel drive.

A Subaru Outback negotiates a stream running through a field.

All wheel drive, like what you find in a Subaru Outback, automatically sends power to whichever wheel has lost traction, and typically doesn’t split the power evenly between the front and rear wheels. This type of system works well on icy or wet pavement, and can certainly get you down a dirt road, but it’s not as robust and doesn’t work as well in the serious off-road situations many overlanders face. Learn more on the differences between four and all wheel drive.

Ground Clearance

Another important consideration is your vehicle’s ground clearance. Most passenger cars and some crossovers don’t have enough clearance to safely navigate rocks and ruts off road. Subaru’s Outback and Forester have 8.7 inches of ground clearance, which is plenty for most situations, while a Toyota Tacoma has 9.4 inches and a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon has 10.8 inches.

Storage Space

An SUV with a roof rack is parked on a beach at sunset.

Storage space and payload capacity are also particularly important for an overland rig since you’ll be camping and need to be fully self-sufficient for the duration of your trip. Smaller SUVs like a Jeep Wrangler are great for rock crawling and general trail riding, but their limited interior size and small payload doesn’t make them particularly well-suited to overlanding. A full-size truck, or a larger, truck-based SUV like a Toyota Land Cruiser often works better because you can load it up with gear and it is rated to carry heavier loads. It’s very easy to exceed your vehicle’s payload capacity once you include the weight of passengers, gear, and any accessories like roof racks, rooftop tents, or a winch, which can impact the vehicle’s drivability and safety. Longer trips also often require bringing spare parts since you’ll be far away from help, so having lots of storage space is always a good idea.

Accessories and How to Use the Rig You’ve Got

If you spend much time around the overlanding crowd you’ll quickly realize that outfitting your rig with aftermarket parts and accessories in order to make it more capable and comfortable is extremely popular. Things like heavy-duty off road bumpers, skid plates, winches, additional off-road lighting, as well as suspension lifts and locking differentials are all popular upgrades. If you already own a vehicle that would make a good candidate for an overlander, upgrades like that can be a good way to protect your vehicle from damage and ensure that you can make it further into the backcountry.

How to Upgrade the Vehicle You Already Own

You can make your vehicle more off-road worthy with a few simple upgrades, no matter what you drive. Tires are the most important modification you can make to a vehicle if you want to drive off road because they provide your vehicle’s traction. A tricked-out 4×4 won’t get very far if it’s rolling on street tires without an aggressive tread pattern. All-terrain tires are a good choice for most overlanders because they offer a mix of on-and-off road performance. The BFGoodrich T/A KO2 gives you great traction in dirt, mud, and snow, and is still quiet and comfortable on pavement. If you want to try overlanding in your crossover or smaller SUV, you should consider something like the Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail. This tire weighs less than the KO2, but still provides improved off-road traction and is a better fit for something smaller like a Subaru or Toyota Rav4.

A close-up of a vehicle with flat tire on a dirt road.

You can’t do anything to increase a vehicle’s payload capacity, but you can increase storage space by adding a roof rack. You don’t want to strap too much stuff on top of your vehicle because you’ll increase the center of gravity and have a greater rollover risk, but a good roof rack like Frontrunner’s Slimline II will allow you to easily carry gear you can’t fit inside the car. You can also bolt on accessories like bike, ski, or kayak carriers, mount a storage box on top, or carry a rooftop tent and an awning to protect you from the elements.

Two people sit outside a van parked at sunset.

The Equipment You’ll Need

It’s very easy to overthink what type of gear to bring and how much of it you’ll need on an overland trip. In this article, we’ll cover just the basics to get you started; just keep in mind that you can acquire a lot of this equipment over time as you learn what your needs are and how your vehicle performs.

Sleeping: Rooftop Tents

People stand around a bonfire at night with a flock of jeeps parked in the background.

Essentially an off-the-beaten-path road trip, overlanding brings you to dirt roads where you camp along the way. You’ll need to decide where you’ll sleep. The easiest and cheapest option is to simply use a tent. Many overlanders with larger SUV’s (or pickup trucks with a camper shell) choose to sleep inside their vehicle to keep things simple. This offers more weather protection than a tent, but you need a vehicle with a bed or seats that fold flat. Sleeping inside the vehicle becomes more complicated for two people traveling together since you’ll need to move all of your gear outside the vehicle to create enough space for sleeping at night.

A jeep with a roof tent is parked in the desert. Off to the side, two people sit in camp chairs around a fire, gazing at the sun setting behind the mountains in the distance.

Many people opt to sleep on top of their vehicles in rooftop tents. Rooftop tents (or RTTs) attach to your vehicle’s roof rack and either have hard sides that pop straight up, or soft sides that fold out into a traditional tent shape. RTTs have a couple of advantages: they eliminate the need for a flat piece of ground free of rocks and offer a comfortable memory foam mattress where you can store your sleeping bags. They’re also quicker to set up than a ground tent, which is something overlanders value because it allows you to spend less time setting up camp and more time exploring and enjoying time outside. The downside is they’re quite heavy (usually around 150lbs), and they can negatively impact your vehicle’s fuel economy.

Campers

A modified truck with a storage unit in the back and a rooftop tent is parked at a beach on a sunny day. Turquoise water laps behind and stratocumulus clouds cover the blue sky.

The next step up from a ground tent or rooftop tent is either a camper of some sort built into your vehicle, or pulling a camping trailer. There are pros and cons to every option, and ultimately you’ll have to weigh factors like convenience, comfort, and budget to determine the best solution for you. A self-contained camper performs better off road, and allows you to maneuver in tight spots more easily. It’s also easier to park and drive around town, but it’s easy to overload your vehicle and exceed it’s payload capacity if your build is too heavy, which can be dangerous.

Trailers

A truck with a covered back and a trailer hitch drives across dry, grassy plains with mountains in the distance.

A camping trailer, can store all of your camping equipment full-time, making it easier to hit the road since you won’t need to pack your vehicle each time. But it takes more skill to maneuver a trailer on technical trails. Some trailers, like Hiker Trailer’s Extreme Off Road Deluxe model, are overland-specific and have modified suspension systems that make them incredibly capable off-road. Trailers also allow you to unhitch and create a base camp, so you can use your tow vehicle to run into town for supplies, or drive to a trailhead without breaking down camp. Some trailers like Off Grid Trailers even include kitchen components, a shower, and ample sleeping space. However you choose to camp, the key is to keep your setup as simple as possible and make it easy to access your gear and break down camp to continue your trip.

Basic Camping Equipment

Chances are you already own all of the camping gear you’ll need. Overlanding doesn’t require any specialized camping gear, but the beauty of camping out of your rig is that you can afford to bring heavier stuff, like thick sleeping pads, blankets, and camp tables to make your experience more comfortable. Two things to consider are how you’ll be storing food and water. If you’re going out for a long weekend and won’t have access to more drinking water, you should bring at least seven gallons with you. That will ensure you and your trip mates have enough water to drink, do dishes, and rinse things off. Some people like to have access to a shower while overlanding, which can be easily done with something like a RoadShower. You can even make your own solar shower if you’re so inclined.

An overlander sits in a camping chair, tending to scrambled eggs in a skillet on a two-burner portable stove. Vegetables sauté in the a pan on the other skillet. A pack of sausages sit on a cooler in the foreground.

Food Storage

Someone stands with their back to the camera. They work on a laptop placed on a standing desk, which faces out of the back of a built-out van.

Coolers work perfectly fine to store food that needs to be refrigerated, but a popular upgrade for overlanders is an electric cooler. You can power one from your vehicle or a portable battery, and they’re particularly nice for overlanding because you won’t need to worry about melting ice and soggy food after several days of off-grid travel.

Recovery Gear

A close-up of vehicle shows a flat tire with a torque wrench wedged in the hub.

Recovery gear is also essential. Since you’ll be traveling on dirt roads, your vehicle may lose traction and get stuck in deep mud, sand or snow at some point. You should be prepared to get yourself or another vehicle unstuck. A winch on the front bumper is a great choice, but at the very least you’ll want to have a recovery kit with tow straps, and a set of MaxTrax. MaxTrax are traction boards you slide under your tires to give you more traction. It gives them something to grip onto when they’re spinning freely and not moving your vehicle anywhere. They work incredibly well thanks to the raised “teeth” that give your tires something to dig into, and they are built to last for decades without wearing out.

Trip Planning Tips

Once you get all of your gear sorted, it’s time for a trip. You can start with a day trip to ease into things, and then plan a two-day, one-night weekend trip after that, so you don’t have to worry about packing too many supplies and can instead focus on having fun. Pick an easy, well-known, and well-driven route for your first trip, like the Valley of the Gods road near Mexican Hat, Utah, or a trip to North Carolina’s South Core Banks. That way if you run into trouble or have some sort of mechanical problem, there’s a better chance of someone being able to help you.

Travel with another vehicle, especially on your first few trips so that if something happens to you or your vehicle you’ll have help and can avoid a long hike out. It’s also wise to check whether there will be cell service along your route in case you need to call for a tow or other assistance.

Start simple when it comes to route choice. If you don’t live near any famous overland routes, start by finding dispersed campsites on nearby public lands or by finding Forest Service roads in an area you’ve wanted to visit and create your own route. Make sure to pack light, keep it simple, and most importantly, bring plenty of good food. Finally, don’t stress too much about the gear; the beauty of overlanding is in the journey itself and the simple joy of having an adventure.

If you’re excited about overlanding and want to hear more, listen to our interview with Lifestyle Overland on the Out and Back podcast, sponsored by Gaia GPS.

January 9, 2023

Hiker stands looking at the view of snowy mountains

Gaia GPS How-To

The Art of Layering

by Angela Crampton October 26, 2022

written by Angela Crampton

When it comes to layering for cold-weather adventures, seemingly tiny decisions can make or break a trip.

Snowy landscapes on crisp mornings sound magical. But in cold weather, the stakes are higher. Wearing the wrong clothes can leave you either too cold or too damp from sweat—both of which can lead to exposure-related conditions like frostbite and hypothermia.

That’s where the art of layering comes in. Knowing how to dress for winter hiking is all about knowing how to keep your body on that Goldilocks-fine line between too hot and too cold. Read on to figure out how to dial in your own winter layering system and enjoy your next winter hike in comfort.

Wick Away Moisture with Baselayers

A man walks down a snowfield with crampons, a backpack, and many winter layers.

Let’s start with your first layer. Your baselayer lies against your skin. It both provides warmth and wicks moisture away from your body to keep you feeling dry. Synthetic and wool fabrics, especially lightweight Merino wool, offer the best wicking capabilities. Wool also has the added benefit of natural odor-fighting properties. Cotton, however, absorbs sweat and will leave you feeling clammy. Save it for summer.

Your baselayer should be fairly thin. It can be short-sleeved or long-sleeved depending on the weather and how much you heat up when you really get moving. If you start overheating the minute you hit an incline, a short-sleeved layer or a shirt with a zipper will help you dump heat fast and avoid building up sweat. If you expect blowing snow or windy weather, you’ll be happier with long sleeves or a short-sleeved shirt under a wind-blocking layer like a softshell jacket or lightweight wind shirt.

Baselayer bottoms are also a personal preference. Even a thin pair of athletic tights or long underwear under your pants can make a serious temperature difference. But if you’re prone to sweaty legs, your winter hiking pants might keep you warm enough by themselves.

Insulate with Midlayers

A hiker stands with their back to the camera, gazing down from the top of a mountain onto mountains, a lake, and plains covered in snow. They're wearing a headband, winter coat, and a backpack.

A midlayer traps body heat to keep you warm and to continually dry your baselayer. These come in various weights—everything from a thin Merino wool hoodie to an insulated vest to a lightweight down jacket can count as a midlayer.

Breathable fleece is a popular option. It’s fairly warm for its weight, and the breathability allows sweat to dry fast, though that also means it provides little defense against wind. The close-knit fabrics of insulated synthetic mid-layers add both stretchiness and improved wind-resistance.

Down sweaters (puffy, down-filled jackets) offer the most warmth per ounce and pack down smaller than other materials. However, they only work if they stay dry. Down provides warmth by trapping hot air in the thousands of tiny air pockets that form between feathers. Get it wet, and the limp feathers will provide far less warmth than a damp wool or synthetic layer.

As the temperature dips, you might use more than one middle layer. For example, on a 10°F day, you might wear a thin Merino wool baselayer and a synthetic-insulated vest followed by a down sweater. All that goes under your outerlayer, or shell.

Keep out the Weather with Shell layers

A person walks away from the camera up a snowfield. They are wearing crampons, holding ice axes, and have on a backpack and down coat. — Photo: Anurag Nallavelli

Also known as a shell jacket, your outer layer protects you from wind, rain, and snow.

Soft Shells

Soft-shell jackets are stretchy, breathable, and water-resistant. They’re great for repelling snow in dry climates and most have a water-resistant coating that can keep out light rain and wind.

Many winter hiking pants or alpine climbing pants are made of a soft-shell material. The stretchiness and breathability make them great for steep climbs in deep snow.

Hard Shells

Hard-shell jackets are essentially rain coats. They have a waterproof membrane (like Gore-Tex) in addition to a water-repellant coating, which leaves them fully waterproof. They also block wind and retain more warmth, but they offer less stretch and far less breathability.

Hard shells shield hikers in mixed weather conditions and keep other layers dry, but even the most well-advertised “waterproof breathable” fabrics trap water vapor from sweat. Some come equipped with zippered vents in the armpits or sides to help keep air circulating, but the general rule is that if you’re working hard in a waterproof jacket, you’re going to sweat.

For winter hiking, you should always carry a waterproof jacket, even if you don’t expect rain or snow. For a full guide to choosing the right rain jacket, we recommend Adventure Alan’s Rain Jacket 101.

Protect Your Extremities

It’s easy to forget the extras, but your fingers, toes, ears, and face are the most prone to frostbite in cold conditions.

Head

You can regulate your body temperature like a thermostat by either putting or taking off a hat. Bring a wool or fleece hat that covers your ears. A balaclava or neck warmer is also useful for protecting your face from wiping winter winds.

Hands

Invest in a good pair of insulated, waterproof gloves or mittens. In general, mittens are much warmer, but gloves provide better dexterity.

For really cold weather, pack a thin pair of liner gloves, as well. They act like a base layer and wick sweat away from your hands, and they’re useful to have if you want thin coverage while working hard or while performing high-dexterity tasks like adjusting ski or snowshoe bindings.

Feet

Wear wool or synthetic socks to keep your feet warm even when sweat builds up. If you’re prone to blisters, also consider a thin liner sock to reduce friction. Make sure your socks are thick enough to provide adequate warmth, but not so thick that they’ll impair circulation by taking up too much space in your boot.

Consider packing extra socks. Feet can sweat even in very cold temperatures, and you may want to switch out socks halfway through a hike if your feet aren’t drying or warming up.

In deep snow, wear gaiters to keep snow out of your boots. Waterproof and durable, gaiters attach to your boot laces and typically extend to just below the knee.

Listen to Your Body

A hiker turns their face against the wind. They're carrying poles, wearing crampons, and have a backpack, hood, sunglasses, and winter coat. They're standing on a snowfield with mountains in the background.

Everyone handles extreme temperatures and responds to high cardiovascular output differently. A layering system that works flawlessly for one person might fall completely short for another. When you’re starting out winter hiking, pack more clothes than you think you need, and pay attention to cues from your body to determine when you need to add or subtract layers.

The only exception: When you stop hiking, layer up before you get cold. It’s easier to stay warm than to get warm.

October 26, 2022

Two people look at Gaia GPS on their phone while standing in front of mountains.

Gaia GPS How-To

Unlock the Full Power of Gaia GPS with Our New Advanced Online Course

by Abby Levene October 25, 2022

written by Abby Levene

Gaia GPS is a great tool to have in your back pocket for when sh*t hits the fan. But also proves invaluable for taking adventuring into your own hands. By unlocking the full power of Gaia GPS, you unlock the power within yourself to create – and go on – your own adventures.

Our new online course from Outside Learn, Gaia GPS Advanced, teaches you how to use every feature of the app and gaiagps.com to the fullest. Plus, get the insider tour of our 300+ map catalog, as well as how to layer maps together to reveal even more terrain features. And learn how to tap into our curated collection of map packs, as well as how to build your own so you can put your favorite map combinations in your hands at any moment.

Whether you are just getting started with Gaia GPS, or you’re looking to use more advanced tools, this seven-part course will help you quickly hone your skills.

You’ll learn:

How to take your maps offline so you can navigate without cell service
How to modify your route or create a new one while on the trail
How to find the perfect campsite using the Gaia GPS
How to customize your maps with adventure-specific details
How to organize and share your maps and routes
Our best, top-secret tips and tricks

Take Gaia GPS Advanced with Gaia GPS Premium powered by Outside+, the one subscription to fuel all of your adventures.

p.s. If you’re just getting started, check out Gaia GPS 101 on Outside Learn or Youtube!

October 25, 2022

Hiker looks at phone in front of Lake Tahoe.

Gaia GPS How-To

Master the Fundamentals of Gaia GPS with Our New Course

by Abby Levene October 12, 2022

written by Abby Levene

From exploring out the front door to adventuring around the deepest corners of the backcountry, Gaia GPS unlocks a new world of opportunity. You just need to know how to use it.

And here’s the thing: Gaia GPS is such a powerful mapping and navigation tool that even we’ll admit there’s a little bit of a learning curve to mastering its breadth and depth. That’s why we teamed up with our friends over at Outside Learn to create Gaia GPS 101, our brand new course designed to save you time and help you get the most out of the app.

Whether you’re just getting into hiking, backpacking around the world, or navigating tricky mountain passes in your rig, this course is for you. Follow along with our seven short lessons and you’ll be fully equipped to plan your own adventures on foot, skis, boats, or wheels.

In this course, professional ultra runner and Gaia GPS team member Abby Levene teaches you the fundamentals of the app. Learn how to find your way if you lose the trail, use waypoints to enhance your adventures, stay safer with weather and terrain features, and plan and navigate along your own routes.

Watch the full course below for free and grow empowered to explore. Outside+ members can also take the course on Outside Learn.

Gaia GPS 101 covers:

Customizing your app
Orienting yourself on the map
Checking localized weather
Creating your own routes
Navigating along a route
Free map layers and how to use them

Pssst if you want to take your skills to the next level, stay tuned for Gaia GPS Advanced, coming soon!

October 12, 2022

Gaia GPS How-To Offroading

Five Incredible Road Trips Perfect for Fall

by Megan Michelson September 27, 2022

written by Megan Michelson

We asked Andrew Collins, author of the new book ‘Ultimate Road Trips: USA and Canada,’ to reveal his favorite fall road trips. From underrated national parks in Utah to classic leaf peeping in New England, here’s his intel on where to go and what to do.

Fall is the perfect time for a road trip. Temperatures are cooler, so you can drive with the windows down. Peak summer crowds have gone back to work and school, and off-season deals abound. Plus, you’ll be treated to fall foliage, you-pick orchards, and autumn festivals.

But figuring out where to go is always a challenge. For suggestions, we called up self-proclaimed nomad and seasoned traveler Andrew Collins, author of the recently published guidebook Ultimate Road Trips: USA and Canada. Collins has been road tripping since he was a kid in his family’s wood-paneled 1969 Ford Country Squire station wagon. His book features dozens of detailed itineraries, but he picked the five best suited to take in the fall.

“There are famous destinations to see fall foliage, but at that time of year, you’ll be able to find beautiful colors in a lot of lesser-known places as well,” Collins says. Here, he offers a few must-see sites along each route, but grab a copy of his book for more complete route suggestions, plus additional lodging and dining options along the way. Now all you have to do is hit the road.

1. Get Off the Beaten Path in California

Winding through San Luis Obispo’s verdant farmland (Photo: Mimi Ditchie Photography/Getty)

Wineries dot much of the California coast, and you can’t go wrong with a road trip on the northern or southern end of Highway 1 or Highway 101. But consider focusing your fall road trip on the lesser-visited central coast, hitting low key towns like San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles, which have ideal weather in the fall, so you can combine wine tasting, hiking, and a day at the beach. “Several of these roads you can follow from town connect with the coast,” Collins says.

Start in Los Angeles and head 175 miles north to San Luis Obispo, known for its year-round Thursday night farmers’ market downtown. Collins recommends Old SLO BBQ Co. for its Santa Maria-style barbecue and overnight lodging at Hotel Cerro (from $399), which has a rooftop pool and in-house brasserie.

From there, drive Highway 101 over Cuesta Pass, stopping at the Ancient Peaks Winery for a tasting and for wildlife or foraging tours at Margarita Adventures. The next town worth posting up in: Paso Robles, 30 miles north of San Luis Obispo on Highway 101. “Paso Robles has an incredible restaurant scene, all within walking distance,” Collins says.

It’s worth it to take a short detour to the coast and drive a stretch on Highway 1, visit the elephant seals at the Piedras Blancas Rookery, then take a tour of the hilltop and historic Hearst Castle. From there, it’s back to Highway 101 north for 150 miles to reach Pinnacles National Park, which has 30 miles of trails with views of the park’s famous rocky spires. “That’s a great place to combine hiking and wine tasting,” Collins says.

2. Take a Classic New England Foliage Tour

The ultimate leaf peeping in the Berkshires in Massachusetts

You can’t beat New England in the fall. “The maple trees are the most dramatic with changing colors, especially in northern Vermont and New Hampshire,” Collins says. “Plus, there are harvest festivals, Oktoberfest festivals, all the different apple orchards and cider makers and pumpkin patches.”

Collins suggests starting in Burlington, Vermont—three and a half hours from Boston—with a night at the upscale Hotel Vermont (from $439), and a dinner of earthy, seasonal fare at Hen of the Wood, next door.

From there, head south on U.S. Route 7, stopping at the farm store and for a walk along the pastoral grounds at Shelburne Farms. Your destination for the night is Manchester, Vermont, 100 miles south of Burlington, where you can visit the American Museum of Fly Fishing, drive to the top of 3,855-foot Mount Equinox, the highest peak in the range, and post up for the night at the Taconic (from $221), a boutique hotel with wrap-around porches.

Next stop is the Berkshires, in Massachusetts. Spend a morning hiking up 3,491-foot Mount Greylock, the tallest mountain in the state, and refueling afterward at the Lost Lamb Café, in Stockbridge. End your trip in Litchfield, Connecticut, where you can birdwatch from the 4,000-acre White Memorial Conservation Center. “With perfect town greens and white-steepled churches, Litchfield is a classic New England town,” Collins says.

3. Check Out Southern Utah’s National Parks

Capitol Reef National Park has fewer crowds than other Utah parks.

Start in Salt Lake City and point your car south: it’s 230 miles to Arches National Park. “Fall is the perfect season for exploring the five national parks of Utah, all in the southern part of the state,” Collins says. “Summer can be hot there and winter you may not be able to access everything, and fall is primetime for the scenery, with cottonwoods and aspens turning at higher elevations.”

The Mighty Five, as Utah’s national parks are called, can be excessively crowded, so plan ahead and check entry requirements before you go. Arches National Park requires reservations, but that’s lifted in early October. “If you’re trying to do the parks like Zion and Bryce and Arches that are suffering from overcrowding, fall can be a slightly quieter time to go,” Collins says. “Though plenty of people still know it as the time to go.” In Arches, head to Devils Garden for some of the park’s best hiking trails.

Back on the road, take in a view of the sandstone hoodoos in Goblin Valley State Park, then grab a roadside lunch at Stan’s Burger Shackin Hanksville, before heading to Capitol Reef National Park. “It’s the most underrated,” Collins says. Book a room at the Chuckwagon Lodge (from $118), near the park entrance in the town of Torrey, where you can have dinner with a view of the red rock mountains at Hunt and Gather.

Cap off your Utah road trip with a stop at Bryce Canyon National Park. Be sure to drive the Southern Scenic Drive, an 18-mile stunning roadway that starts from the main park entrance and ends at the overlook at Rainbow Point. Collins recommends the short, beautiful hike into the canyon along the Queens Garden Trail, accessible from Sunrise Point. Stay at the Lodge at Bryce Canyon (from $183), the only lodging inside the park.

4. Cruise Around Lake Michigan

We recommend a chilly dip in Lake Michigan on this road trip. (Photo: Ed Reschke)

Lake Michigan has excellent fall foliage as well, and a drive around the northern edges of the lake feels like truly getting away. “There are these beautiful small towns that you’ll want to hide away in for days,” Collins says. Head to Wisconsin’s Door County, 150 miles from Milwaukee or 245 miles from Chicago. Collins recommends the charming towns along the peninsula’s western shore, including Egg Harbor, Ephraim, and Sister Bay, for their you-pick orchards and boutique lodging, like the Scandinavian-style Dörr Hotel (from $229), in Sister Bay.

Back on the road, pass through Green Bay and head north on the scenic U.S. 41 and U.S. 2, which hug the northern shores of Lake Michigan, eventually making your way to the western shore of Michigan, some 300 miles away. Collins’ tip: stop for chicken pot pie at the Good Hart General Store before pushing onto the lakefront town of Harbor Springs, where home base is the 105-room Inn at Harbor Bay (from $347), located waterfront in Little Traverse Bay.

“Harbor Springs is this cute little boating town with great hiking around it,” Collins says. “There’s a road there called the Tunnel of Trees that takes an hour to drive. It’s literally a tunnel of deciduous trees that change colors in the fall.”

While you’re there, go for a swim from the white sand beach at Zorn Park Beach downtown, then enjoy a cruise on a restored wooden boat that used to serve as a local water taxi, followed by a seafood lunch at Stafford’s Pier. From Harbor Bay, it’s a six-hour back drive to Chicago to complete the circumnavigation of Lake Michigan.

5. Go from City to Mountains in Québec

The lakeside village of Mont Tremblant in Quebec (Photo: Marc Guitard/Getty)

“Québec is a French speaking province, and it’s a very different experience,” Collins says. “It’s a cliché at this point, but traveling here feels like an opportunity to see France without getting on a plane over the Atlantic.” The draw of this road trip is it hits both rural and urban destinations and fall colors will be on display here as well. “Montréal and Québec City have lovely parks and tons of trees, but you’re also in a great city, so you can enjoy the restaurants and culture,” Collins says.

Start off in Mont-Tremblant, a lakefront ski resort with European-style lodging and a lively village. The panoramic gondola offers lift-accessed hiking and mountain biking until October 16 from the top of the highest peak in the Laurentians, and there’s live music on weekends at the base around Place Saint Bernard’s fireplace for much of the fall.

Stay overnight in the mid century-style Uville Hotel (from $209) in historic Old Montréal. Continue your journey along Highway 10 east from Montréal. Collins recommends stopping in the town of Bromont to visit the climbing gym slash café known as Backbone, a community gathering place with exceptional coffee and ramen in the heart of what’s known as the Eastern Townships. Then take a tour of the Haskell Free Library, which straddles the U.S.-Canada border (with entrances from either country) and was founded in 1901. Take a brisque swim in nearby Lake Memphremagog or push on for a hike in Mont-Orford National Park.

Finish up in Lower Town of Québec City. “That’s the really historic spot where the city began,” Collins says. “You’ll find historic buildings with beautiful sidewalk cafes that’ll still have outdoor seating in the fall.” Book a room at the Hotel Pur (from $208).

This article was originally published by Outside. Outside and Gaia GPS are both owned by Outside Inc.

September 27, 2022

Gaia GPS How-To

How to Find the Perfect Photography Location

by John Peltier September 26, 2022

written by John Peltier

Leaf peeping season presents one of the best opportunities to bust out the camera. But finding the perfect location for your photography project requires some skill. Professional photographer, veteran, and avid outdoorsman John Peltier shares how he finds nature-based photography project locations.

An accredited associate at Photographers Without Borders, John focuses on photodocumentary projects for humanitarian and environmental organizations throughout the world. In this article, John explains how he uses Gaia GPS’s powerful mapping tools to find new places to shoot. He also shares how to use the map for post shoot processing.

Planning a location-based photography project

Margie hiking down Forester Pass. Photo: John Peltier.

Part of the fun of a location-based photography project is just driving around and seeing what you find. But you need to have some semblance of focus and organization to keep the photography project going in the right direction. An outline, if you will. Where do you need to go, when should you go there, and how will you get there?

Gaia GPS has been a godsend for me for use in Search and Rescue, backpacking trips, car camping, and day-hikes. It’s only recently I discovered its applicability in planning a photography project.

All the features discussed here are included in Gaia GPS Premium Membership. A premium Membership gives you access to Gaia GPS map catalog and allows you to download those maps to your phone so you can navigate offline in areas without cell service.

I will also be demonstrating this on Gaia GPS’s web-based interface, which I prefer to use for the planning phase, saving the “devices” for the field phase.

Discover the Best Spots

You’re going to have some idea of where, what, and why when planning a photography project. Much of this discovery will be done via other sources on the internet or your own local knowledge. You can also use Gaia GPS’s map layers to find new features.

Take the example below. The first map (the base layer) doesn’t show much at all in this area except for a few springs. I turned on the USGS Topo layer which revealed much more information. After zooming in, you can see a large mine complex. Turning on the World Imagery layer reveals that some of the structures are still there.

1. This zoom level on the Gaia Topo base layer shows some features, but some are hidden. 2. The USGS Topo layer reveals a large complex of mines. 3. Turning on the World Imagery layer reveals a network of roads and a few structures remaining.

Other layers that will help you with discovery include:

National Park Service Visitor Maps
USFS Recreation Sites Overlay
NatGeo Trails Illustrated Maps
And a number of other open-sourced maps available as layers

If you’re on the hunt for fall foliage, try outthe Fresh Sat — Cloud Free and Fresh Sat — Recent layers. These maps show recent arial satellite imagery from around the world. Learn more about them here.

Remember Places with Waypoints

After I’ve found a place on the map I want to photograph, I mark the area with a waypoint.

Custom Waypoints– Instead of just your standard default pin, assigning a custom icon to the pin lets me quickly see what kind of feature this is. I’m a very visual person, and this lets me build a catalog in my brain of where each kind of feature is.

Folders – Gaia GPS lets you put waypoints into folders. As mentioned earlier, I have a mix of both natural and cultural features in this project. Putting all waypoints in one folder could quickly get messy, so within my photography project folder, I’ve created subfolders for Natural and Cultural. You can also hide folders to declutter the map.

Check out Gaia GPS’s new folder organization on the web.

Check the Private Land Map to Avoid Trespassing

I have my waypoints I want to photograph – but is it public land?

Gaia GPS has a Private Land layer for the U.S. It outlines boundaries and shows you who owns the land. When you click on an area it will show you who owns the land; around here there’s a lot of Unknown owner. Based on other map labels, I know this is National Forest land – public. There are some private holdings nearby of which I need to be careful.

If I can’t get to a location because it’s on private land, I might look for areas to photograph the area from. I’ll use Google Earth for this and “fly to” locations where I’ll have good views, then drop a waypoint with a camera icon back in Gaia GPS so I know to bring my camera here. You can create a waypoint with any emoji on your keyboard. In the Notes I’ll add what I’m photographing here. If it’s a good location for an aerial photo, I’ll change the icon to an Airplane so I know to bring my drone (which brings up a whole other set of restrictions to check).

And then finally – so I’m not guessing which time of day to be here – I’ll use The Photographer’s Ephemeris & TPE 3D to check where the sun will be and what the shadows will look like throughout the day. In the Gaia GPS waypoint Notes I’ll put which time of day is preferable based on the time of year I want to photograph it.

Logistics

What are the roads like, and where can I camp?

If you’re on USFS land, Gaia GPS has additional layers called USFS Roads and Trails and USFS Recreation Sites.

These overlays show all numbered USFS roads and designated trails; clicking on them will show you what the conditions & rules are. They’ll also show all USFS campgrounds. I add Camping icons at campgrounds I might want to stay at so that I can add my own notes to them.

You can camp pretty much anywhere on National Forest and BLM land; the NPS Visitor and NatGeo Illustrated Maps will show you additional campgrounds in national parks and elsewhere.

The Open Source outdoor maps are also great for discovering trails that aren’t officially-designated trails.

How about a spreadsheet?

If you’re a spreadsheet person, you can download all of the waypoints in a folder – titles, locations, icons, and notes – as a GPX file. You can then run this GPX file through a free online converter so it spits out an XLS file. Now you have all of your waypoints in an Excel spreadsheet for further organization and note-taking, such as keeping track of when you photographed each one.

Navigate in the field

Preparation

When I want to go for a drive and photograph some of these locations, I’ll identify a small geographic area based on lighting, time of year, and so on.

Within that geographic area, I’ll identify potential places to camp out based on my campground icons. I’ll want to make sure I have access to the locations I want to photograph from that campground (looking at roads and trails) and that I have the appropriate photo gear with me.

But I won’t have cellular service in many of these locations to use the app. So I’ll download the maps & layers for offline use in the Gaia GPS smartphone app. You can select up to five active layers to download for offline reference. Then tap the Add icon, go to Download Maps, and draw a box around the area you want to download. I usually download the following layers:

USFS Roads and Trails (for road conditions)
Gaia Topo (for park boundaries, trails, campgrounds, etc)
World Imagery (for visual reconnaissance)
USGS Topo (for geologic features)
Outdoors (for additional trails and campgrounds)

Again, this is all just based on the needs for this specific project; you can change this up depending on where you’re going and what you’re photographing. Beware the imagery does take up a lot of storage so I only download it if needed. If nothing else, just download the easy to read and tiny to download Gaia Topo.

Photography

When I’m out with my camera in hand, I’ll use Gaia GPS to record my GPS track. When I return home, I can download this track and use it to geotag my photos in either Photo Mechanic or Lightroom. That way I know where I was when I took each photo, another important piece of this project.

I’ll also update the Notes for each waypoint as needed, based on what I see when I get there. Maybe a different time of year or time of day will be better for photography, or I can’t access that location. I’ll tap on the waypoint and just add a few notes, which will then be synced to my account when I get back into cellular range.

Planning a photography project for flexibility

A meadow on the west side of Dollar Lake, with Fin Dome seen off to the south. Mile 173. Photo: John Peltier.

I always tell students that we’re planning to be flexible.

Nothing ever goes as planned, but it’s important to know where to start. And this is how I use Gaia GPS to plan my start. It’s one of many great photography apps to help you plan.

Unplanned photos are often the best. But sometimes we just don’t have the time or resources to blindly travel around waiting for those images to appear to us, especially if we have a focused photography project in the works. Planning is the first step to success.

This post originally appeared on John’s website. It’s been lightly edited for clarity.

September 26, 2022

Gaia GPS How-To

Avoid Smoky Skies and Wildfires with Our Suite of Weather Maps

by Abby Levene September 13, 2022

written by Abby Levene

Don’t let your weekend plans go up in smoke. Gaia GPS’s robust collection of weather maps can help you avoid current wildfires and find smoke-free skies. These real-time maps are available for free with a Gaia GPS account. Read on to learn how to use wildfire, smoke, and air quality maps to stay safe hiking, biking, or camping at your next destination.

Wildfires (Current): See Where Wildfires are Burning Now

Check where fires are currently burning with the Wildfires (Current) layer. This map shows the perimeter of fires burning throughout the U.S. and Canada. Click a fire on the map to get more information, such as its name, size, and perimeter date.

The Wildfire (Current) map is updated daily. Data comes from the U.S. National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the Province of British Columbia, Alberta Wildfire, and the Government of Saskatchewan.

Wildfires (Satellite Detections): See Wildfire Hotspots Worldwide

See hotspots around the world with the Wildfires (Sat e llite Detections) layer. This global map detects and displays heat on the earth’s surface. While most of the hot spots on the map indicate heat from fire, the map also detects other heat sources such as geothermal activity and lava flows.

Tap on the purple shading to get more information about the heat source. The Wildfire (Satellite Detections) layer is updated several times a day as new data is made available by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Use the Wildfires (Satellite Detections) layer in conjunction with the Wildfires (Current) layer to see where a fire is still burning hot within the fire perimeter. You can also use the Wildfires (Satellite Detections) map to see fires not yet on the Wildfire (Current) map. Some wildfires remain undetected by the Wildfires (Current) layer, especially when the fire is brand new, in a remote area, or not being actively fought. However, both detected and undetected fires will appear on the Wildfires (Satellite Detections) layer in purple shading if they are still hot and actively burning.

Smoke (Current, 24h, 48h): Check the Smoke Forecast

Not surprisingly, wildfires generate tremendous amounts of smoke. Surprisingly, that smoke can blow hundreds (and even thousands) of miles away. A wildfire in Oregon may make for hazy skies in Montana — or even Massachusetts. Even if you can’t smell smoke, the fine particulate matter hanging in the air can lead to adverse health effects and even premature death.

So don’t trust your nose to sniff out bad air. Use the Smoke Forecast maps to check detected levels of smoke in the area you plan to visit. Gaia GPS offers three Smoke Forecast layers: Current, 24-hour, and 48-hour to give you a picture of upcoming smoke trends. Each shows smoke concentrations on a color-coded scale. Click a region to see the smoke concentration and when that forecast was recorded. Keep in mind that these maps are forecasts from NOAA’s High Resolution Rapid Refresh model, and may not always be accurate.

Air Quality (Current, Tomorrow): Check the Air Quality Index from the EPA

Get an even more comprehensive sense of the air quality by consulting the Air Quality layers. These maps show the EPA’s Air Quality forecast right in your Gaia GPS account, and are updated daily. The Air Quality layer uses color-coding to indicate the Air Quality Index (AQI). AQI reports levels of some of the most common air pollutants: ozone (smog), particle pollution, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.

Consult this map to get an index rating with which you are familiar; colors on map are analogous to those used by the EPA. Choose from either the Air Quality (Current) or Air Quality (Tomorrow) map depending on when you’re planning to take off on your trip. Once again, keep in mind that these are forecast layers and may not be accurate.

Wildfires (Historical): See Burn Zones Across the U.S.

Check to see if you’ll be traveling through a burn zone using the Wildfires (Historical) layer. This map shows where previous wildfires have burned across the U.S. More recent fires appear bright red, fading to paler shades as time passes by.

Use this map to get a sense of whether you’ll be traveling through barren burn zones with high sun exposure that also afford sweeping views. Foragers flock to burn scars to find an abundance of mushrooms and other edible and medicinal plants. Tap on a burn zone in the map to learn the name of the fire, the date of the burn, and the acreage affected. This map is available with a Gaia GPS Premium Membership.

How to Get the Wildfires, Smoke, and Air Quality Maps

To add the Wildfire, Smoke Forecast, and Air Quality maps to your Gaia GPS account:

Go to map layers icon.
Tap the “Add Map Layers” button.
Select “Weather Feature Overlays.”
Click on the maps you want to see.

With a Gaia GPS Premium membership, you can select several maps and layer them together to get a complete picture of the air pollution and active fires in your area. Use the opacity controls to further customize the map view.

Watch: How to Check for Wildfires and Smoke

Access More Maps with a Premium Membership

Gaia GPS gives you access to hundreds of maps, from high-resolution satellite layers to topo maps for around the world. With a Gaia GPS Premium Membership, you can layer weather and feature maps on top of your basemaps to customize information you need for your upcoming trip.

A Premium Membership also lets you download maps for offline use. Keep in mind, though, that many maps are regularly updated and cannot be downloaded. Check those weather and feature maps before you leave wifi or cell service.

Wildfires, Smoke, and Air Quality Maps are available with a free account, sign up here.

September 13, 2022

Gaia GPS How-To New Features

Top 10 Ways to Use Waypoints

by Abby Levene August 30, 2022

written by Abby Levene

Whether you’re marking water sources, saving prime camping spots, or capturing breathtaking views, waypoints provide an invaluable tool for navigating and documenting your adventures. That’s why we provide some of the most advanced waypoint technology on the planet to go along with our world-class maps.

We’ve incorporated your feedback to make waypoints even more customizable and easy to use than ever before. You can now color-code waypoints based on opened/closed, good/bad, by type, trip, time — you name it. There are no limits when it comes to how you can use waypoints.

To get your creative juices flowing, here are our top 10 ways to use waypoints on our adventures.

But first, what are waypoints?

A waypoint is a reference point that helps you determine where you are and how to navigate to your destination. Whether you’re hiking, bikepacking, overlanding, or fly fishing, waypoints can help you find your way. In Gaia GPS, a waypoint is a marker you place on the map to signify a feature, your location, or any other spot on the planet. That may be a flag marking a key turn, a photo showing a sublime alpine lake, or a tent emoji illustrating the best camp spot so you can find it again later.

Here are the top 10 ways we use waypoints on our adventures and even in daily life.

1. Plan Adventures on the Big Screen

As you map out new routes on your desktop at home, drop waypoints to mark the parking lot, key turns, and where you plan to stop for lunch. Don’t worry, your waypoints will automatically sync to the Gaia GPS app on your phone or tablet.

2. Navigate to Detours & Destinations

Gaia GPS’s powerful navigation tools allow you to get turn-by-turn directions to any waypoint with just the press of a button. Want to take a detour to the mining ruins? Just drop a waypoint on the map on your phone and Gaia GPS can guide you directly there. This feature also comes in handy for navigating to the summit, or making your way back to the trailhead. Just drop a waypoint for where you want to go and tap “Guide Me” (iOS/Android).

You can drop a waypoint at your exact location, place it anywhere on the map, or type in the coordinates — up to you!

3. Add Photos to the Map

Gaia GPS hack: you can make photo waypoints! Immortalize that breathtaking view, chronicle a burn field, or remember where that avalanche slid across the trail. Take a photo of your current location (iOS/Android), and it will automatically show up on the map, geotagged to that exact spot. Just hit the + button on the top bar of the app, and tap “Take Picture.” A camera waypoint will show up on the map. Tap it to see your photo, along with the time stamp for when it was taken.

4. Mark Campsites for Later

Whether you’re reserving a campsite through recreation.gov on Gaia Topo or happen to come across a prime dispersed camp spot on your adventures, drop a tent emoji on the map to mark it forever. Gaia GPS pro mountain athlete Kyle Richardson uses waypoints on multi-day bikepacking and running adventures.

“Before I leave for a trip, I mark potential bivvy spots with waypoints as I plan my route on Gaia GPS at home,” Kyle says. “I then drop waypoints at my exact camp spots so I can find them again next time.”

With your campsites marked on the map, you can find them even in the dead of night.

5. See Mile Markers

Break your route into manageable chunks by dropping a mile marker in 1-, 10-, or 50-mile increments, or whatever makes sense for your adventure. Likewise, drop a waypoint at each checkpoint along the route. For endurance events like ultra running races, many race organizers use Gaia GPS to share the race route with participants and they drop waypoints to signify aid stations along the course.

In fact, many trail and gravel riding races post GPX files of the course and aid stations on their website. Whether the file is on Gaia GPS or not, you can download the file and upload it to your Gaia GPS account (web/iOS/Android). That way, you can train and race along the course and know exactly where you are, when the aid stations are coming up, and ensure you’re on the right route.

6. Label Water Sources

From water sources to water crossings, water can play an integral role in every type of adventure. Make your life a little easier for yourself by dropping a waypoint when you come across a stream, lake, or water cache. (And of course, if you’re caching your own water, make sure you leave a waypoint so you can find it on route!)

You can even color-code water sources based on their status thanks to our new colorized waypoint feature. Mark good water sources in green and bad ones in red. If you have to ford a river or if you find a refreshing lake for a swim, mark it on the map!

7. Avoid Hazards

Drop waypoints to mark washed-out bridges, downed trees, or whatever impedes you on the trail. Document where you saw that big scary snake with a photo waypoint. Same goes with bottlenecks on route: add a waypoint to remember where there’s a locked gate or a “no trespassing” sign so you can easily reroute next time.

8. Note Trail Status

Is the trail open or closed? Mark it with a green circle, a red X, or use the new colorized waypoints to create your own color-coded system for closures and trail conditions. Drop a yellow pin if the trail is muddy, or a green one if it’s dry and good to go.

9. Add Reminders

Say goodbye to forgetting where you parked your car. Next time you leave your car in a hectic trailhead parking lot, at the airport, or tucked into a parking garage, drop a waypoint as you exit your vehicle so you can find it stress-free when it’s time to go home.

We recommend you pick up after your dog in the moment. But if you MUST leave a doggy wag bag on the trail, make sure you drop a waypoint so you remember where it is so you can — and will— pick it up. Same goes with stashed water bottles, extra layers, or whatever else you may have tucked away behind a tree to snag on your way home.

You can also drop waypoints for cool zones you want to come back and explore. That’s what Kyle does when he stumbles across climbing and bouldering areas: “If I’m out on a run and I find a sweet rock, I’ll drop a waypoint so I can come back with the right gear.”

10. Document Memories

You can use Gaia GPS as a memory book for your adventures, with waypoints marking the locations of key memories on your trips.

That’s what Denver-based teacher Ian Silberman did as he reflected on his relationship with Phoebe Novitsky. He added waypoints to mark their first hike, where they bonked a gravel ride, and where he texted Phoebe from his tent late at night. On top of Monarch Mountain one winter morning, Ian pulled out his phone to show her each waypoint on the map, pointing to the real-life locations in the distance. After reminiscing over their adventures outside, he pointed to the star on the map, directly where they were standing, before getting down on one knee.

As you mark memories on the map, remember that you can add notes to each waypoint to chronicle even more information. Just tap on the waypoint, and scroll down in the pop-up drawer until you see “Add Notes.”

Customize Waypoints Even More with a Premium Membership

Everyone can use waypoints on both gaiagps.com and in the app. To level up your adventures with custom waypoint border colors, upgrade to a Gaia GPS Premium M embership .

Gaia GPS Premium unlocks all of the maps, including the suite of National Geographic Trails Illustrated titles, MVUM, USFS, and weather maps. Plus, you can navigate offline and print your maps so you can find your way if you lose cell signal or if your phone dies.

August 30, 2022

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