Gaia GPS
  • Free Trial
  • Out and Back Podcast
    • Gaia GPS

      “Ninjasticking” Through the Backcountry with Vasu Sojitra

      April 8, 2021

      Gaia GPS

      Out and Back: How to Train for Hiking…

      March 18, 2021

      Gaia GPS

      Mountain Climber Adrian Ballinger Finds Love and his…

      March 4, 2021

      Gaia GPS

      Climber and Entrepreneur Matt Segal on Finding Balance

      February 17, 2021

      Gaia GPS

      Camping and Overlanding Save Atlanta Couple’s Marriage

      February 11, 2021

      Adventures

      Backcountry Skiing in the Himalayas with Mountain Guide…

      February 3, 2021

      Backcountry Skiing

      The Best Backcountry Skiing Gear Recommendations

      January 19, 2021

  • Adventures
    • User Stories
  • Activities
    • Backcountry Skiing
    • Boating
    • Emergency Response
    • Fishing
    • Offroading
  • New Features
  • New Maps
  • Shop Swag
  • Home
Gaia GPS
  • Free Trial
  • Out and Back Podcast
    • Gaia GPS

      “Ninjasticking” Through the Backcountry with Vasu Sojitra

      April 8, 2021

      Gaia GPS

      Out and Back: How to Train for Hiking…

      March 18, 2021

      Gaia GPS

      Mountain Climber Adrian Ballinger Finds Love and his…

      March 4, 2021

      Gaia GPS

      Climber and Entrepreneur Matt Segal on Finding Balance

      February 17, 2021

      Gaia GPS

      Camping and Overlanding Save Atlanta Couple’s Marriage

      February 11, 2021

      Adventures

      Backcountry Skiing in the Himalayas with Mountain Guide…

      February 3, 2021

      Backcountry Skiing

      The Best Backcountry Skiing Gear Recommendations

      January 19, 2021

  • Adventures
    • User Stories
  • Activities
    • Backcountry Skiing
    • Boating
    • Emergency Response
    • Fishing
    • Offroading
  • New Features
  • New Maps
  • Shop Swag
  • Home

Identify Avalanche Terrain with the New High-Res, Worldwide Slope Angle Map

by Mary Cochenour January 5, 2021
by Mary Cochenour January 5, 2021

Identify avalanche terrain quicker and easier this winter with the Slope Angle map. We brought development of the slope angle overlay in house and tapped into the US Geological Survey’s 3D Elevation Program and NASA’s Digital Elevation Model. These sources allowed us to expand our coverage globally, integrate high-resolution data, and fine-tune color details. These improvements help make picking out steep, avalanche terrain on the map a snap.

Get up to 40 percent off
Gaia GPS


Whether you’re backcountry skiing the bowls or snowmobiling deep into the forest, add the Slope Angle layer to your favorite base map to help plan a safer route through the backcountry. If you’ve downloaded slope angle maps in the mobile app before, you will see a notification at the top of the “Saved” tab that will let you update your old maps.

Graded Color Style for Finer Details

A continuous color ramp shows terrain changes in a graded fashion, making the change in terrain easier to read on the map.

The new layer emphasizes 30 to 45-degree zones in orange and red colors, recognizing and calling your attention to the fact that these slopes comprise the starting zone for most avalanches. Less steep terrain — in the 20 to 25-degree range — is highlighted in green. Slopes steeper than 45 degrees are shaded in greyscale colors to point out the steepest terrain on the map. The grey shading also helps people with red/green confusion color blindness see the map details.

High Resolution in the US and Worldwide Coverage

The new Slope Angle layer applies the most up-to-date data to deliver insanely crisp resolution for most areas within the United States. USGS 3D Elevation Program provides the best resolution for parts of the US with LiDAR data at 1 to 3 meters. This high-resolution coverage is expanding and will be updated as the USGS releases it. Other parts of the US are covered by 10 meters of resolution through USGS NED data.

Get 25-meter resolution in Western Europe with EU DEM and 30-meter resolution elsewhere around the globe with NASA’s Digital Elevation Model. The higher resolution shows smaller terrain features that would otherwise be hidden with lower resolution data.

Warning and Limitations

Avalanche forecasting uses many tools to analyze avalanche risk in the field. Slope shading is best used for a big picture overview of terrain. All slope angle maps, including the new Slope Angle layer, fail to show micro terrain such as small starting zones. Snow features like wind pillows and cornices will not be on the map. Be prepared to use an inclinometer and other on-the-ground assessments in the field in addition to the slope angle map. Change your plans accordingly if terrain does not match up to data depicted on the slope angle layer. Educate yourself about avalanche and snow safety before traveling in any areas prone to avalanches. For more information on how slope angle maps are made, see Jeff Deems’ presentation about how these map overlays are made from the 2019 Colorado Snow and Avalanche Workshop or the article “Digital Mapping: Do You Know What Your Map Knows?” in September 2020 issue of The Avalanche Review.

How to Get the Slope Angle Layer

The new Slope Angle layer is available with a Gaia GPS premium membership. To access the layer, visit the layers menu, and select the “Features/Weather Overlays” tab. Scroll down and tap “Slope Angle.” Tap the “Add Layer“ button. Learn how to add and manage overlays here.

Pair this map with other useful backcountry skiing maps available with a Premium membership on Gaia GPS. Read up on how to use maps, including the slope angle layer, to help avoid avalanche danger.

If you’ve downloaded slope angle maps in the mobile app before, you will see a notification at the top of the “Saved” tab that will let you update your old maps.

avalancheavalanche safetybackcountry skiingslope angle map
3
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Mary Cochenour

Mary Cochenour works on the marketing team at Gaia GPS. She enjoys backpacking, skiing, and mountain biking in the mountains near her home in Montana.

previous post
Earn Your Turns: Learn How to Backcountry Ski at Bluebird Backcountry Ski Area
next post
Winter Fat Biking Guide

You may also like

“Ninjasticking” Through the Backcountry with Vasu Sojitra

April 8, 2021

Spice Up Your Gaia GPS App Icon with...

March 31, 2021

Find Trails for Hiking, Biking, and Offroading with...

March 30, 2021

How to Start Trail Running

March 29, 2021

All New Gaia Topo: The Best Backcountry Map...

March 25, 2021

How to Save Phone Battery Life in the...

March 25, 2021

A Complete Intro to Bikepacking: How to Pack...

March 24, 2021

Discover Millions of Routes with the New Public...

March 24, 2021

Get Worldwide 3D Maps on the Web at...

March 22, 2021

Record a Track to “Crush it 4 Climate”

March 18, 2021

Keep in touch

Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

Popular Posts

  • 1

    How to Read Topographic Maps

    October 7, 2020
  • 2

    How to Save Phone Battery Life in the Backcountry

    March 25, 2021
  • 3

    Forrest Fenn’s Treasure has been Found

    March 12, 2019
  • 4

    Gaia GPS and Apple CarPlay Bring Outdoor Maps to Your Dashboard

    February 24, 2020
  • 5

    Easy to Read, Tiny to Download: The All New Gaia Topo

    January 28, 2020

Categories

  • Adventures
  • Android
  • App Comparisons
  • App Updates
  • Backcountry Skiing
  • Boating
  • Company News
  • Emergency Response
  • Featured
  • Fishing
  • Gaia GPS
  • GaiaCloud
  • Hikes
  • How-To
  • Hunting
  • iOS
  • New Features
  • New Maps
  • Newsletter
  • Offroading
  • Out and Back Podcast
  • User Profiles
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • RSS

@2020 - All Right Reserved. Gaia GPS


Back To Top