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Backcountry SkiingGaia GPSHow-To

Make the Most of Your Early Season Backcountry Ski Turns With Gaia GPS

by Tyler Jackson December 3, 2024
written by Tyler Jackson
The ridge line I hiked up; a prime example of why rock
skis should be considered essential equipment for early
season tours.

For many backcountry skiers with sticks to spare, early season ski tours mark the start of a months-long pursuit of fresh lines and high adventure. However, these outings come with their own unique challenges: thin snowpacks, unpredictable conditions, and a whole lot of rocks. That’s why proper planning and on-the-ground navigation are essential—and Gaia GPS is one of the best tools to make this process as efficient and safe as possible.

This is the second post in my series about using Gaia GPS in real-world situations. In part one, I focused on how to use Gaia GPS’s web browser interface to plan trips before heading out. This time, I’ll look at how to use Gaia GPS during the adventure itself—navigating your route, adapting to conditions on-the-ground, and using the app’s features to stay safe and maximize your ski day.

This past Friday, I set out on my first ski tour of the 2024 season: a pre-work dawn patrol at Berthoud Pass, hunting down cool lines for the winter. I’ll walk you through my preparation and navigation on this trip, dishing out practical tips to get the most out of Gaia GPS.

What to do Before Leaving the House

Although this post focuses on the real-time use of Gaia GPS, it’s worth briefly revisiting the pre-trip steps that set the foundation for a successful day in the backcountry.

I planned my route on the Gaia GPS web browser. This process allows for precise route creation and layering of important information, all of which syncs seamlessly to the mobile app. Here are the key steps I took:

Note how I have Gaia Topo active as my base map, with Slope Angle overlayed atop it for quick reference.

1. Cleaning Up the Mobile App with Toggle Mobile Sync
Gaia’s “Toggle Mobile Sync” feature is a great tool, and it’s also brand new. This feature lets you remove unnecessary data from your mobile device while keeping it accessible on the web browser. For ski tours, this means I can focus on the route and waypoints relevant to that specific outing, ensuring my interface is clean and easy to use for quick reference when I’m on the move. To get the full scoop, check out this article: Goodbye Clutter, Hello Streamlined Maps: Introducing Sync to Mobile

2. Selecting the Right Layers
For early season tours, I rely on two layers:

  • Slope Angle Layer: This is essential for evaluating avalanche risk. Using this in conjunction with avalanche forecasts from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) helps me to identify safe routes at a glance.
  • Gaia Topo: This detailed topographic map is ideal for backcountry navigation. I use this layer to plan ascents and minimize exposure to steeper, avalanche-prone slopes and terrain traps.

Pro Tip: Early in the season, avoid snow depth layers, as they’re often inaccurate for sun-exposed aspects. Instead, focus on slope angle and terrain features to assess conditions.

3. Planning an Efficient Route
My goal for this outing was a quick, safe tour that I could wrap up before heading home to clock in for work. I used the web browser to create a route that followed a wide ridge line and minimized steep sections. This had the dual effect of keeping the hike up easy and minimizing avalanche risk. Once the route was finalized, I synced it to my phone for use in the field and checked to make sure that I had maps for the region downloaded.

Navigating the Route in Real Time

Once I arrived at Berthoud Pass and clicked into my rock skis, Gaia GPS became my primary navigation tool. Here’s how I used the app during the tour:

Waypoints I placed for my tour, marking spots to check out in the future or places I wanted to make note of.

1. Following the Pre-Planned Route
My route served as a reliable guide throughout the tour. By referencing the route on my phone, I could stay on track without constantly second-guessing my path.

2. Use Waypoints!
During the hike, I used waypoints to mark cool spots or lines for future reference. This is a critical habit for anyone exploring the backcountry, as it helps build a mental and digital map of the terrain. Here are the types of waypoints I added:

  • Future Objectives: I pin interesting ski lines that looked promising for later in the season.
  • Avalanches: I drop waypoints wherever I see avalanches or signs that one might happen.
  • Reference Points: Landmarks like prominent trees or rock outcroppings (or in this case, large metal towers) to make it easier to orient myself, both on the way down, or on future occasions. Most critically, once I’m getting ready to transition and ski down, I almost always drop a waypoint or two at the topographic lines that indicate my point of no return: the minimum elevation I can ski to without having to hike back up to my truck.

3. Recording Tracks
I also used the app to record my track. In the moment, the recording is not necessarily critical, but I find that recordings are incredibly handy to use for reference when I am making repeated trips to an area.I can drop waypoints along the track, and I can refer back to the old tracks whenever I’m building a new route. 

Pro Tip: I like to look back and see where my actual track differs from my planned route, which helps me to plan more efficiently in the future, or make note of hazards (like the wind slab).

Safety First!

Safety is always the top priority in the backcountry when I’m out alone, especially during the early season when rocks and thin snowpacks combine with avalanche danger to create unpredictable, often risky conditions. As one of my favorite guidebooks states: “They’re called the Rocky Mountains, not the Snowy Mountains.”

Here’s how I use the app as part of my safety toolkit:

Early season does not mean avalanche free. Anytime there is snow on the ground, an avalanche can release!

1. Slope Angle and Avalanche Forecasts
Before heading out, I review the CAIC avalanche forecast to get an idea of the snow conditions and what to watch out for. On the way up, I use the slope angle layer to maintain awareness of the terrain I’m in and the avalanche risk, especially when I venture off of the route I had planned out. It’s also important to note that this layer provides a broad overview of slope angles but doesn’t account for localized terrain features, so you’ll still need to use your best judgement when assessing slope steepness.

2. On the Fly Adjustments
Gaia GPS is an excellent planning tool, but it’s no substitute for real-time decision making. You’ll need to detour around hazards and obstacles, adjust your ski plan on the move, and stay on track to reach your destination. This is a huge reason that I always try to have a route built and available in Gaia GPS. While tracking myself, I can easily check my location against the route, and work my way back over to the intended path.

3. Avoiding Terrain Traps
This becomes especially important on the way down, doubly so when I’m exploring new areas. When I’m somewhere new, I’ll stop and check the topo layer or map layer periodically to make sure that I’m not running myself toward a drainage or terrain hazard like cliffs or gullies.

Wrapping Up the Tour

The final phase of any ski tour is returning safely to the trailhead. Here’s how I used Gaia GPS to finish my day on a high note:

1. Navigating Back to the Trailhead
After completing my descent, I used the app to navigate back to the parking area. By following my recorded track and the waypoints I dropped along the way, I avoided my most common mistakes like veering off course or ending up on the wrong side of a drainage. Nothing saddens me more than putting the skins back on for a hike up to the truck after a beautiful run.

2. Post Tour Beers and Review
Back at home (or a conveniently placed brewery), I reviewed my recorded track to evaluate the day’s route. This process is incredibly useful for identifying areas where I can improve, such as finding new routes, or making note of hazards I ran into on the way up. Whenever I come across something particularly cool, I like to export it and share it with my skiing partners for future consideration.

Early season ski tours come with lots of challenges, but with the right tools (a good pair of  rock skis) and preparation, these adventures can be almost as much fun as powder days, and every day on skis is a good day. Gaia GPS is an invaluable resource for both planning and pursuing backcountry trips, providing the information and flexibility needed to stay safe and make the most of your time in the mountains.

December 3, 2024
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Gaia GPSNew Features

Goodbye Clutter, Hello Streamlined Maps: Introducing Sync to Mobile

by Jules Semotuk November 26, 2024
written by Jules Semotuk

Have you ever found yourself scrolling through your Gaia GPS app, searching for that one piece of data you need, only to get lost in a sea of old adventures you’ve already completed? It’s time to put that behind you! Say goodbye to clutter in the app, and hello to a more streamlined mapping experience. 

Meet Sync to Mobile – a new feature that lets you tailor your sync preferences to decide what data you want on your mobile device, all while keeping all your data viewable on gaiagps.com. This new feature makes managing your data in Gaia GPS easier than ever and ultimately completes the lifecycle of your adventures.

Sync Only What You Need 

As the new year approaches, it’s a great time to declutter, both physically and digitally. If you’ve been using Gaia GPS for a while, you’ve probably noticed an accumulation of old data on your device. Maybe it’s a swarm of waypoints from a long-forgotten trip or a track you recorded years ago. It’s great to have memories of your adventures, but let’s be honest—do you need every old route and track synced to your mobile device when you’re heading out on a new adventure? 

Gone are the days of having to sync all of your data to the app. Now, Sync to Mobile allows you to focus on what you currently need in the app, while still preserving your memories and data on the web. Think of the web platform as hanging a paper map on your wall to plan and remember your life’s adventures, and let the app be focused on data for your current endeavor. Here’s how to use the new Sync to Mobile feature: Organize Your Data with the Sync to Mobile Feature on Gaiagps.com.

From Planning to Reflection

Gaia GPS has always been a powerful tool for both planning and navigating your outdoor excursions. The new Sync to Mobile feature takes it a step further by allowing you to manage your data across devices with greater control. Imagine Gaia GPS as the ultimate command center for your adventures—the web interface is your mission control, where you can plan and organize your trips, while your mobile device is your trusty companion in the field.

Sync to Mobile enables you to select exactly which data (tracks, routes, waypoints, etc.) you need on the app for a particular trip—whether you’re heading out on a multi-day overlanding adventure or just going for a day hike. By utilizing this feature, you not only reduce the clutter on your mobile device, but less data on the app also decreases loading times, ultimately upgrading the Gaia GPS app’s performance and efficiency. 

Once you’ve finished your trip, turn Sync to Mobile off on the data you no longer wish to sync to your device. You’ll still be able to see your saved data on the web—so don’t worry, your past trips will be there for reminiscing. However, by turning off Mobile Sync for completed trips, you can decrease loading times and improve the performance of the Gaia GPS app. A win-win, if you ask me!

A Smarter Way to Archive

With Sync to Mobile, the archiving feature takes on a new role. In the past, archiving was your way of managing what data you didn’t want synced to your device, but this had the side effect of removing that data from the web map as well. Now, you can selectively choose which data you want synced to mobile without the hassle of archiving. This is a game-changer for anyone who likes to keep a record of their adventures without being weighed down by unnecessary data while you’re on the go. Moving forward, you can think of archiving as a soft delete, rather than a sync management tool. Items can still be restored from an archived state (or deleted permanently), similar to how the trash can works on a computer’s operating system.   

How to Get Sync to Mobile

Anyone with a Gaia GPS account can take advantage of this new feature on the web at gaiagps.com. If you also want access to premium maps and features, you can upgrade to a Gaia GPS Premium or an Outside+ membership. 

Gaia GPS Premium or Gaia GPS with Outside+ gives you access to the entire 300+ map catalog. With Premium, you can also download maps for offline use so you can find your way—even without cell service. You can layer maps together to reveal even more terrain, weather, and safety features. And you can print custom maps.

With Outside+, you’ll also receive unlimited access to digital content from Outside and 15 other brands—think recipes, meal plans, and training tips from Backpacker, RUN, and more. Explore new routes with Trailforks Pro, and stream 600+ hours of ski and climbing action, survival challenges, travel documentaries, and more with Outside TV.

So, what are you waiting for? Try Sync to Mobile today for your next adventure with Gaia GPS!

November 26, 2024
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Gaia GPS affiliate header image of an overlanding truck
Gaia GPS

Earn with the Gaia GPS Affiliate Program: Inspire Adventures and Boost Your Income

by Andrew Crow November 22, 2024
written by Andrew Crow

At Gaia GPS, we know that adventure calls, and now, with our newly enhanced affiliate program, you can inspire your audience to answer that call while earning a substantial commission. Whether your followers are hikers, backpackers, or overlanders, Gaia GPS provides the tools they need to plan, navigate, and document their journeys like pros. With a huge library of detailed maps and powerful route planning features, your audience will love the quality, reliability, and adventure-enhancing capabilities of Gaia GPS.

As an affiliate, you’ll be joining a thriving community, plus you’ll earn a commission for spreading the word. Here’s everything you need to know about the updated program!

Why Join the Gaia GPS Affiliate Program?

1. A Highly Engaged Outdoor Audience. Gaia GPS is the best hiking, backpacking, and overlanding app available, trusted by a strong following of loyal customers and ambassadors. With the app’s deep integration into the active outdoor community, including a rapidly growing awareness among adventurers worldwide, your recommendations will be met with enthusiasm.

2. Premium Maps and Navigation Tools. Your audience can access over 300 high-quality maps, ranging from light pollution maps and detailed satellite imagery to classic topographic maps like USGS and USFS. Gaia GPS offers unmatched navigation features that empower outdoor lovers to explore with confidence, whether they’re on a multi-day backpacking trip or an off-road overlanding expedition.

3. Robust Affiliate Commissions. We’re offering 20% commission on every Gaia GPS Premium or Outside+ subscription that your audience purchases using your unique referral link. With a 30-day cookie window, you have plenty of opportunities to earn as your followers explore our comprehensive mapping solutions and subscription plans.

4. Exclusive Benefits for Your Audience. Not only will you earn a commission, but your followers will benefit too! New subscribers can enjoy 10% off when they sign up for either Gaia GPS Premium or Outside+, adding extra value to your recommendations.

Program Highlights

  • 20% commission on all Gaia GPS Premium and Outside+ subscriptions
  • 10% discount for new subscribers on both Premium and Outside+
  • 30-day cookie window, giving you ample time to convert leads
  • Outside+ members receive perks and access to other products and brands, including Backpacker, Climbing, SKI, and many other leading outdoor publications.

Fully-Featured Outdoor Navigation at Their Fingertips

Gaia GPS doesn’t just provide maps; it’s a fully-featured app for exploring the outdoors. From discovering new trails to tracking progress in real time, Gaia GPS equips adventurers with all the tools they need for a safe and successful trip.

Key Features:

  • Navigate like a pro: Access over 300 maps, including detailed guides, public/private land overlays, satellite views, and more.
  • Route planning: Snap-to-trail modes and point-to-point distance measurement make route creation easy.
  • Terrain and weather insights: Be prepared for anything with layers showing weather, wildfire alerts, snow depth, and more.
  • Multiple subscription options: From the free plan to Premium or even Outside+, there’s a package for every explorer.

A Perfect Match for Outdoor Creators

If your content is about getting outside and exploring, Gaia GPS fits seamlessly into your recommendations. Whether you’re a hiker, overlander, or adventurer yourself, or you connect with an audience eager to explore the outdoors, Gaia GPS offers the right tools for any adventure.

Start Earning Today

Becoming a Gaia GPS affiliate is a simple, straightforward way to monetize your content while sharing a powerful tool that will genuinely help your followers explore the great outdoors with confidence. With a trusted name in adventure navigation and support from the extensive Outside family of products, including Trailforks, Outside TV, and expert-led outdoor courses, you’ll have all the resources needed to succeed.

Ready to start earning? Join the Gaia GPS Affiliate Program today, and let’s inspire more people to embark on their next adventure!

November 22, 2024
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Sawatch Range, CO
AdventuresGaia GPSHow-To

Planning a Weekend Car Camping Trip with Gaia GPS: A Step-by-Step Guide

by Tyler Jackson November 12, 2024
written by Tyler Jackson

We’ve been looking at ways to make the huge array of features offered by Gaia GPS easier to use and understand. To do that, I’m going to offer a set of real-world “case studies” on the best practices for using Gaia GPS. We’ll post these studies as a series on our blog, and we’d love to have you join us on the adventure! Join me this week as I plan a weekend car camping trip and dive into some pro tips along the way.

This weekend I set out on an adventure in the Sawatch Range in my “trusty” pickup truck, scouting out campsites for the fast-approaching ski season. 

Step 1: Exploring Layers for Road Access (MVUM Layer)

Thursday evening rolls in, chilly with blue skies—perfect for a planning sesh. I fire up Gaia GPS on my laptop and switch to the MVUM (Motor Vehicle Use Map) layer, courtesy of the US Forest Service. This layer shows different forest service roads/trails and their level of access, ideal for scouting the best routes to potential campsites. The MVUM layer includes info on seasonal access, road type, and some limited info on the type of vehicles the route is open to and appropriate for. 

  • Pro Tip: Use the map legend to interpret different road access levels. It’s a quick way to identify vehicle access types for specific trails or roads.

Step 2: Checking Cell Coverage

Next, I want to know if I can expect to have cell service where I’m going. Gaia GPS offers five cell coverage maps to choose from, covering AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, US Cellular, and All Carriers. I selected Verizon, my provider, to assess signal strength in the area. This helps me prepare to either bring my Starlink or to let my friends know that I’ll be out of contact for a while.

Choose your cell coverage map by clicking on the map layers icon, searching for ‘cell coverage, & choosing your preferred cell provider map.

  • Pro Tip: Use cell coverage layers as a quick reference. Once you’ve checked your coverage, remove the layer to reduce clutter in the app.

Step 3: Downloading Offline Maps

After planning my route and scoping out campsites, I download the essential offline maps for the region. Gaia Topo is my go-to layer—it offers rich detail and manageable file sizes for downloading. This ensures I’m never stuck without navigation, even in areas without cell service.

  • Pro Tip: Balance your map download area to cover essential regions while conserving storage space. Consider breaking up larger regions into a series of smaller areas for a more modular approach and to decrease download times.

Step 4: Setting Waypoints and Navigation

With my maps ready, I drop a waypoint in the Twin Lakes area as my destination. Gaia GPS allows you to tap a waypoint and get driving directions to the location through your preferred navigation app, making it easy to switch from highway to trail navigation. 

  • Pro Tip: Save frequent destinations as waypoints for quick access. Re-use these waypoints to streamline your trip setup.

With these steps, my initial planning stage is complete. Gaia GPS on the web makes it easy to set up your adventure and avoid unexpected hurdles. In the next post, we’ll switch gears to explore Gaia GPS’s mobile app features for navigation on the go. 

November 12, 2024
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two people look at a phone while pointing to mountains in the distance.
Gaia GPSNew Features

2023 Mapped: Our Best New Features of the Year

by Abby Levene December 27, 2023
written by Abby Levene

As the world opened back up in 2023, the Gaia GPS community adventured further, deeper, and higher than ever. As you climbed new peaks, skied new trails, and camped in new spots, our team back at home worked tirelessly to make Gaia GPS even better for your adventures. 

From shiny new features to the invisible work behind the scenes that keeps Gaia GPS running smoothly and reliably while you’re out in the backcountry, here are the top new features and maps from 2023. Thank you for being part of our community, and cheers to another year outside!

Get the Best Off-Pavement Routes with BDR Integration

Photo: Backcountry Discovery Routes

Sometimes, it’s a relief—even a delight—to follow a trusted off-pavement route you know will go. Especially when you know it will go past breathtaking views, across challenging terrain, and to memorable watering holes. That’s why we partnered with Backcountry Discovery Routes to bring you premier long-distance off-pavement routes with a leading navigation experience.

Thanks to this partnership, you can take any iconic long-distance Backcountry Discovery Route offline in the Gaia GPS app with just one click. We’re also honored to promote BDR’s mission of promoting responsible travel and fostering sustainable adventuring and economic growth.

Spy Points of Interest Easier Than Ever with New Map Spotlight

Our proprietary Gaia Topo, Gaia Overland, and Gaia Winter maps equip backcountry travelers on foot, wheels, and skis with the information they need to adventure safely and confidently From trails color-coded by activity type to lands shaded by ownership, to amenities to points of interest, these maps have a lot of information packed in them. Honestly, it’s a lot to take in. (In the best way.) That’s where the map legend comes in. The map legend cracks the code. And now the map legend is even easier to find, decipher, and use. 

Meet our brand new interactive map spotlight on gaiagps.com. Simply click on a symbol and the map lights up, showing you the trails, amenities, or points of interest you’re looking for. Whether you’re searching for a waterfall, an ice cream shop, or a horseback riding trail, the spotlight puts the world at your fingertips.

Draw Routes in Android

In addition to our gold-standard snap-to-trail route planning, which is available across iOS, Android, and gaiagps.com, this year we unveiled route drawing on the Android version of our app. 

Simply click the finger icon on the bottom of the screen and draw on the map to create your route. This route planning mode is particularly useful when you’re going off-trail, where snap-to-trail route planning isn’t available. iOS users: Don’t worry we’re coming for you too!

See the World More Clearly with Gaia Black and White Map

Move over technicolor, black and white is back in style. Meet Gaia Black and White, our very first all-black-and-white topo map. Whether you’re color vision deficient or want a crystal-clear paper map printout on hand, Gaia Black and White is for you.

Styled in the same manner as our other proprietary topo maps designed in-house, Gaia Black and White brings you industry-leading clarity, accuracy, and file-efficiency. Like our other Gaia Series maps, Gaia Black and White provides world-wide coverage. Download the map to use offline for your entire state so you can always find your way—even without cell service. 

Reap the Rewards of Our Type 2 Engineering™

As our software has increased in complexity, our number of users has grown, and the app is utilized in unexpected ways (we’re looking at you, users who record their flights in the app), the proclivity of systems to fail in remarkable fashion skyrockets. 

Our engineers bushwhacked through the code base in an endeavor they called type 2 engineering. Like type 2 fun, it was hard but rewarding work that we enjoyed…once we were done. Along the way, we squashed bugs, improved our design, and cleaned up shared folders. And the outcome is that moving forward, we’ll be able to bring you new features and improvements faster than ever. 

Adventure Intuitively with Our Redesigned App

We take your feedback seriously over here at Gaia GPS, and that’s why we’ve worked tirelessly to make our iOS and Android apps more intuitive and easier to use. This year, we simplified the top five features in the app so you can spend less time looking at your phone and more time exploring. Waypoints, locating yourself on the map, taking a geotagged photo, recording an activity, and downloading maps for offline use are easier to access than ever.

Think of this update like reorganizing the gear shed. All the tools you know and love are still there. We’ve simply moved them to more convenient locations and gave them a fresh coat of paint. 

December 27, 2023
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White Mountains National Forest- Dummer, New Hampshire
Gaia GPSHow-To

How to Find the Best Fall Foliage

by Fred Dreier September 14, 2023
written by Fred Dreier

Our tried-and-trust method for finding peak fall colors could help you decide whether or not to trek to your favorite grove of trees. 

You reach the trailhead after a long drive and begin marching into the woods in search of those brilliant fall colors that arrive each year with the first chill. Then, a depressing reality greets you: the trees are already skeletal, their leaves crumpled on the ground. Yep, you mistimed your fall foliage adventure. There’s a new method to find peak fall colors, and it could help you decide whether or not to trek to your favorite grove of trees. Our Outside Inc. colleagues at Gaia GPS now have access to satellite images from the United States Geological Survey and the European Space Agency, and the pictures capture the reds, oranges, and yellows of fall foliage. Here’s how these recent satellite images can help you plan your next leaf-peeping adventure.

Where to Start: the Fall Foliage Prediction Map

Fall foliage prediction map of the United States
(Photo: Courtesy SmokyMountains.com)

Start your planning with the fall colors prediction tool on SmokyMountains.com. Created by David Angotti and Wes Melton, this map uses meteorological data to forecast when the colors will build, peak, and then drop. The page will give you a general idea of when the leaves in your area will be turning. You can use the scroll bar at the bottom of the map to see when colors are slated to peak in the region you plan to visit.

Next: Find Your Location on Gaia GPS

To plan your route, either visit Gaia GPS online or open the smartphone app. You will need a Premium Membership to access the satellite imagery. Gaia GPS’s default is the worldwide topographic map, and you can scroll across the screen to find the region you plan to visit. Once you’ve honed in on your destination, click on the Layers tab on the left side of the screen. You can search through a variety of imaging layers offered by Gaia GPS in the Layers tab. Add the “Fresh Sat – Recent” and “Fresh Sat- Cloudfree” options to your active layers. Both layers are composed of images taken from as recently as today or over the past two weeks by the two satellites.

Look for Colors

Gaia GPS' Fresh Sat - Recent map layer showing fall colors in the foliage

The images provided by the two satellites have a lower resolution than those from Gaia GPS’s normal satellite imagery—approximately 10 to 15 meters per pixel. So you won’t be able to zoom in to see minute details like road surface or individual clumps of trees. But the images will clearly show swaths of yellow, orange, and brown on the screen. For even higher quality sat imagery, check out the app’s World Imagery layer. Make sure to look at the date stamp on the image—it will be in red block text in the bottom left-hand corner of the tile. This is when the image was snapped. Some images are as recent as the same day, others may be a few days older. If the area is obscured by cloud cover, search the Fresh Sat – Cloudfree layer. While this layer may not be as up to date as the Fresh Sat – Recent layer, it will have cloudless images of the area.

Drop a Waypoint and Plot a Route

Gaia GPS' Fresh Sat - Recent map layer showing fall colors in the foliage and a newly created waypoint

Locate the best colors on the map. Then, click on the “waypoint” icon in the right-hand toolbar, and drag the red icon to the specific point on the map. Drop the icon and then customize your waypoint with a name and an emoji symbol. Don’t forget to save your waypoints. Then, back in the layers tab, click on the Fresh Sat – Recent scroll bar and move it all the way to the left. This action will make Gaia GPS’s worldwide topo map appear. You can now use the route tool in the right toolbar to plot a hiking, biking, or driving route to your waypoint. No matter your transportation choice, the route tool will automatically snap to the optimum roadway or network of trails.

Download Your Route

Route creation on gaiagps.com

If you’re heading to an area with poor or no cell service, be sure to download your map in the Gaia GPS app before you depart. That way, you can navigate to and from your waypoint, even if you are off the grid. Downloading a map requires a Gaia GPS Premium Membership.

Allow for Some Flexibility

Because some of the satellite images may be a few days old, take note of the timestamp on each image and use your own judgement on the progression of the leaf colors. If the trees in your area go from green to orange to red, and the image is a few days old, then prioritize orange areas over the red ones. If the leaves are already brown, save yourself the drive—and start plotting next year’s leaf adventure.

This article was originally published by Outside. Gaia GPS is a part of Outside Inc., the same company that owns Outside.

September 14, 2023
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Gaia GPSNew Features

Discover Adventure Easier Than Ever with New Map Spotlight

by Abby Levene July 27, 2023
written by Abby Levene

Gaia GPS provides the best backcountry maps in the world. (We’re not biased or anything.) Our proprietary Gaia Topo, Gaia Overland, and Gaia Winter maps equip backcountry travelers on foot, wheels, and skis with the information they need to adventure safely and confidently From trails color-coded by activity type to lands shaded by ownership, to amenities to points of interest, these maps have a lot of information packed in them. Honestly, it’s a lot to take in. (In the best way.) That’s where the map legend comes in.

The map legend cracks the code. And now the map legend is even easier to find, decipher, and use. 

Meet our brand new interactive map spotlight on gaiagps.com. Simply click on a symbol and the map lights up, showing you the trails, amenities, or points of interest you’re looking for. Whether you’re searching for a waterfall, an ice cream shop, or a horseback riding trail, the spotlight puts the world at your fingertips.

Find Trails, Campsites, Amenities, and Much More

Gaia Topo, Gaia Overland, and Gaia Winter each contain over 100 icons, symbols, and trail types so you can find new trails, campgrounds, ski resorts, and beyond. Don’t worry, there’s no need to memorize them all! Whether you’re looking for hiking trails, peaks, or hot springs, backcountry skiing, viewpoints, or gas stations, the map legend spotlight will light them up on the map.

How to Use the Map Legend Spotlight

Just head over to gaiagps.com on your computer. (Trust us, the big screen is the optimal place for route planning.) Open up Gaia Topo, Gaia Overland, or Gaia Winter. And then click the map legend icon in the bottom right corner. The pop-out will automatically show you the symbols most prominently displayed in the region of the map on your screen. Hover over a symbol, and watch the map come to life.

RELATED: CREATE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE ON THE BIG SCREEN WITH GAIA GPS

Zoom in and out and pan around on the map to find other points of interest.

If you just want to look at the good old fashioned map legend, never fear. We have that too. View the entire map legend at once by clicking “View Layer Details” on the bottom of the map legend popout. 

Map Spotlight is Available for Everyone on the Web

Anyone with a Gaia GPS account can take advantage of this shiny new feature on their computers at gaiagps.com. To access our premium maps such as Gaia Overland and Gaia Winter, upgrade to a Gaia GPS Premium or an Outside+ membership. 

Gaia GPS Premium or Outside+ gives you access to the entire 300+ map catalog, including high-resolution, world-wide satellite imagery; our suite of National Geographic maps; and specialty maps ranging from historic topos to slope angle shading.With Premium, you can also download maps for offline use so you can find your way—even without cell service. You can layer maps together to reveal even more terrain, weather, and safety features. And you can print custom maps.

July 27, 2023
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AdventuresGaia GPS

Type 2 Engineering™: How the Gaia GPS Team Found Beauty in Suffering Together

by Andrew Harris June 30, 2023
written by Andrew Harris

You’ve probably gone on a wild adventure where it rained the whole time, it was way colder than you anticipated, or everything seemed to break. You did  not have fun in the moment. But you persevered and enjoyed sweeping summit views, crossed the finish line of the race, or found the perfect backcountry campsite. Now you reflect back on that experience with fondness, all suffering forgotten.

This is classic Type 2 fun.

Well, we engineers at Gaia GPS have been experiencing our own version of Type 2 fun, one that we’re calling Type 2 Engineering™. Most of us wouldn’t consider this period  be the highlight of our career—we’ve been toiling away with little to show for it. But as we reflect on what we’ve accomplished over the past year or so, we realize just how strong of a groundwork we’ve laid. We’re giddy about what’s to come.

(Re)building the Team

Gaia GPS was built by brilliant, passionate engineers and outdoor enthusiasts, united around the goal of equipping themselves and others with the best tools to elevate their adventures. These individuals took an idea, their unwavering determination, and a heap of creativity to forge this extraordinary product from the ground up. They forged the field of exploring the backcountry and building the tools that they needed to stay safe and enjoy their own Type 2 fun.

Over time, new adventures began to call them, and Outside Inc. acquired Gaia GPS in 2021. Over the past year or so, we’ve rebuilt the team and are coming into our own as adventurers and engineers.

Bushwhacking

It’s quite unsettling when the trail you are following disappears, you realize that you forgot your paper map, and your phone battery dies. Orienteering is a difficult task on its own and grows more difficult without any kind of map or guide. This experience is not unlike beginning to work on a foreign and established code base–one that’s a forest of classes, database tables, and modules–without a mentor to guide you.

In these situations, you often find yourself looking for someone with tenure to answer questions about how various components were developed, designed, or just thrown together to solve an immediate problem. Well, as mentioned above, the team members who built Gaia GPS moved on. The few who remained didn’t have a map and there was no trail to follow. We were bushwhacking through the code base without a guide, feeling like archeologists attempting to understand the minds of those who built the system. As bushwhacking often leads to classic Type 2 fun, bushwhacking a code base is classic Type 2 Engineering™.

False Flats

Even as we bushwhacked through the code base, we still needed to ship features and fix bugs. You might recall that we released colored waypoints last year. We all know what you’re thinking, “What a killer feature! It must have been soooo difficult to engineer a solution! I mean, how hard can it be?”

We are the first to recognize colored waypoints should have been a pretty trivial feature to ship, but the trail was full of false flats. It looked like it was going to be a quick hike to our destination, but the further we traveled, the more we realized everything was harder than it initially appeared. We encountered scaling issues, constraints from previous decisions, cross-team coordination challenges, and a number of other hurdles to ship what should have been low-hanging fruit. These types of false flats are typical indicators of Type 2 Engineering™.

Finishing the Feature

When you push yourself to improve physically and mentally, you inevitably come across obstacles that seem impossible to overcome. It could be a mountain bike jump you always case or a bouldering problem crux you just can’t complete cleanly. Similar types of challenges crop up in software development.

For us, this feature was shared folders. Collaborative editing is a hard engineering problem. There are large research efforts (like conflict-free replicated data types) and whole companies (like Dropbox) dedicated to it. But we’re not Dropbox, we’re a mapping app. And while we didn’t nail our initial shared folders implementation, we’ve made significant progress squashing bugs and improving our design.

While on our adventure to clean up shared folders, there were numerous occasions when we found ourselves so deep down the call stack, it was hard to even remember the bug we were originally trying to fix. It’s that feeling you get when you’re hiking up high, the clouds roll in fast, and your visibility drops to zero. Adventure with a healthy amount of fear is a hallmark of Type 2 fun and Type 2 Engineering™.

Equipment Failure

Nothing lasts forever. Even the best products wear out after enough use.. And equiptment failure can quickly zap the joy from the experience. You probably know that feeling when your favorite hiking shoes become less comfortable, a portent of inevitable pain.

As software increases in complexity, users grow in number, and the app is used in unanticipated ways (I may be talking about the users who decided it would be cool to use Gaia GPS to record their flights), the system can fail in remarkable fashion. Solving these sorts of extraordinary failures can be filled with numerous false summits. Over the past year, we’ve accomplished a significant amount of work to stabilize our database. It had reached a tipping point, where we experienced some serious instability and unexpected failures. To stabilize, we were required to continually solve issues up and down the stack. We tuned parameters, managed bloat, and optimized query patterns. There was no silver bullet stabilizing the database required a huge yak shave. Suffering is the cornerstone of Type 2 Engineering™.

Suffering Together

So where’s the silver lining in all this toil? As is often the case when adventures turn into Type 2 fun, the shared experience builds a strong bond. The last year wasn’t easy, and to be honest, it wasn’t much fun. But going through it together with shared respect and mutual empathy has coalesced the team. We know each other better, our strengths and weaknesses, our passions, and our sense of humor. It really is the shared experience that makes Type 2 Engineering™ something that we can look back on with a chuckle and small sense of pride in what we accomplished. We haven’t reached the summit, but we’re committed to finishing.

Planning the Next Adventure

We’re feeling good and (mostly) fully recovered from the challenges we’ve overcome over the past year or so. We’ve begun to plan our next adventure and are excited to start shipping some cool stuff. With some tough lessons learned, we’re hoping to keep the Type 2 Engineering™ to a minimum.

June 30, 2023
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a black and white topo map
Gaia GPSNew Maps

See the World More Clearly with New Gaia Black and White Map

by Abby Levene May 18, 2023
written by Abby Levene

Move over technicolor, black and white is back in style. Meet Gaia Black and White, our brand new, very first all-black-and-white topo map. Whether you’re color vision deficient or want a crystal-clear paper map printout on hand, Gaia Black and White is for you.

Styled in the same manner as our other proprietary topo maps designed in-house, Gaia Black and White brings you industry-leading clarity, accuracy, and file-efficiency. Like our other Gaia Series maps, Gaia Black and White provides world-wide coverage. Download the map to use offline for your entire state so you can always find your way—even without cell service.  Read on to learn how this map came to be and how it’s styled specifically to help you explore with confidence and peace of mind. 

Accessibility-Forward

Born out of Gaia GPS’s Accessibility Assembly, Gaia Black and White prioritizes the needs of our community with color vision deficiencies. Our cartographers run each of our maps through a color vision deficiency filter. But sometimes their cartographic goals directly conflict with optimizing the map for color vision needs. Since it’s sometimes impossible to best serve all communities at once, we chose to optimize Gaia Topo for those who see the full color spectrum, and we created Gaia Black and White for those who do not. Distinguish topo lines, public land use boundaries, tree coverage, trail types, and labels quickly and easily thanks to crisp shading, clear lines, and bold fonts.

Printer Perfect

a paper map print-out preview of Gaia Black and White
A paper map print-out preview of Gaia Black and White

Gaia Black and White is also optimized for printing in black and white. (In case you didn’t know, it’s super easy to print any of our maps!) Whether you’re heading out on a family trip to a national park, backpacking over the weekend, or overlanding across the country, it’s never a bad idea to idea to print a paper map backup just in case. On Gaia Topo, trails are color-coded by activity—a useful feature for finding horse-friendly zones, mountain bike regions, and trails devoid of all activities except foot travel. Gaia Black and White translates those color-coded trails into line-marking-coded trails, which means now you can bring a black-and-white map printout and still distinguish trail types from each other.

Full-Featured Topo Map for Your Adventures

The colors may be gone, but the full spectrum of features, detail, precision, and accuracy you know and love in our maps remains. Our cartographers have painstakingly translated our colorized maps into black and white to bring you a world-class topo map rich with the clarity and information you need to adventure safely and confidently:

High-contrast shading 

Landcover shading on Gaia Black and White hits the sweet spot: it’s dark enough that you can distinguish tree cover and find the alpine; find bodies of water for drinking and recreation; and spy screefields from home. And the shading remains light enough that labels, topo lines, roads, and trails pop from the map, making them easy to find and read. 

To keep the map uncluttered and clear, we’ve simplified the land ownership shading schema from our other maps. But easily spy public land for free, dispersed camping thanks to dotted borders with black and white shading, along with labels.

Distinctive Trail Markings

Gaia Black and White expertly uses line markings of various weights and patterns to distinguish various types of roads and trails from each other. Use the map legend to find trails for horses, mountain bikes, motorized activity, and backpacking in solitude.

Bold fonts

We’ve added some new fonts to our catalog to make deciphering labels even easier. Determine which labels refer to rock climbing walls based on the font alone. (Although the associated climbing icon doesn’t hurt either.) Same goes for rivers, roads, mountains, trailheads, towns, and trails.

How to Get Gaia Black and White

Gaia Black and White is available on gaiagps.com and in the app with a Premium membership. To add this map to your account, go to “Add map layers.” From here, you can search for the map or find it under Topo maps.

Gaia GPS Premium gives you access to the entire 300+ map catalog, including high-resolution, world-wide satellite imagery; our suite of National Geographic maps; and specialty maps ranging from historic topos to slope angle shading.

With Premium, you can also download maps for offline use so you can find your way—even without cell service. You can layer maps together to reveal even more terrain, weather, and safety features. And you can print custom maps.

May 18, 2023
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Gaia Classic map
Gaia GPSNew Maps

Gaia Classic: The Only Map You’ll Ever Need?

by Abby Levene May 4, 2023
written by Abby Levene

Calling all diehard map fans! 

Do you yearn for the classic topo maps of old? You know, the ones not busied up with excessive colors and silliness when all you really need to know is how to plot your path from that alpine lake to that mountain pass and down the other side?

Or maybe you’ve found yourself yelling at our cartographers, “why oh why can’t I see the contour lines in this blazing sun!?”

Enter Gaia Classic, the map that just may answer that call of the wild. It’s inspired by a classic aesthetic, from the colors to the fonts to the very textures of the map itself. Maybe it’s totally pointless, or maybe, just maybe it’s the only map you’ll ever need.

Get to know Gaia Classic, our freshly updated map born out of the pages of history.

An Ode to the Maps of Old

Gaia Classic pays homage to the topo maps from the United States Geological Survey, otherwise known as the USGS. Often referred to as quadrangle maps, or quads, USGS maps have been the definitive resource for US topo maps since the 1880s.

Enjoy a classic aesthetic married with the crystal-clear resolution and file efficiency you know and love from our other proprietary maps. Download the map for your whole state in a manner of minutes and never get caught in the wild without a map again.

Our cartography team poured over the USGS map in Gaia GPS to gather design inspiration for Gaia Classic. They paid particular attention to the quads in Glacier National Park, whose landscape teaming with relief, steep terrain, glaciers, and recreation infrastructure makes it ideal for map modeling. These details are reflected throughout every aspect of the map.

Pared Down Color Palette 

If you just want to see bodies of water, clearings, and treeline without the distractions of modern maps, Gaia Classic is for you. Enjoy a pared down color palette that’s easy on the eyes—and easy to reference in the backcountry. While our default Gaia Topo map contains a plethora of shadings for various forms of landcover, water, and land ownership, Gaia Classic sticks to the basics. Which, let’s be real, is often all you need.

Clear Topo Lines

Topo map lovers rejoice! Dark brown topo lines pop on the subtle map shading underneath, making reading ridges, valleys, peaks, and plains a snap.

Simple Tree Cover

Find the alpine thanks to two-toned tree and shrub shading that’s not muddled by other forms of land shading like crops and grass.

Distinct Trails

Find trails in a glance with clear, black dashed trail markings, along with distinct markings for alpine hiking routes, double track trials, and unmaintained trails, among others.

Classic Font

If the font looks familiar, that’s for good reason. Gaia Classic uses Bell Topo Sans, a font designed by cartographer Sarah Bell to resemble the classic typefaces from antique USGS quads.

Navigate Easier than Ever with Fresh Updates

We’ve freshly updated the map to make it even easier to use in the field. Enjoy updated landcover data and richer tree texture in forested and shrub areas. Scout out ridge lines, ravines, and peaks with darker contours. And spy landmarks easier thanks to blacker labels and trails.

How to Get Gaia Classic 

Gaia Classic is available on gaiagps.com and in the app with a Premium membership. To add this map to your account, go to “Add map layers.” From here, you can search for the map or find it under Topo maps.

Gaia GPS Premium gives you access to the entire 300+ map catalog, including high-resolution, world-wide satellite imagery; our suite of National Geographic maps; and specialty maps ranging from historic topos to slope angle shading.

With Premium, you can also download maps for offline use so you can find your way—even without cell service. And you can layer maps together to reveal even more terrain, weather, and safety features. 

May 4, 2023
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