I'm preparing a talk for the ESC Leaders Meet, it's an overview of the tech gadget world and how it can help (or not) in ski touring. Does anyone have any smartphone apps they find useful in the hills? (Tales of apps you tried using but it ended in tears are also welcome!)
JohnRussell
Cathy,
ViewRanger App
I have found the ViewRanger App on an Android phone very useful. The app is free. I downloaded a 1:25,000 map of the Spanish Pyrenees via the app and have used that. I think that the map cost £3.50.
The normal smart phone problems apply. The principal problem is battery life. I have three spares to overcome this. However, I have tended to turn the phone on when there is a problem with ascertaining where we are. It can then take quite a time to turn on the phone and to acquire GPS. However, once done you know exactly where you are without having to grapple with a map and coordinates in wind, rain and dark.
The inability to see a large section of map at one time makes a smart phone no substitute for a map for route planning.
Another problem is that large scale maps are not always available via the app (e.g. Turkey) or can be at much higher prices (e.g. in France).
My conclusion has been that it is a useful back-up GPS, but not a substitute for a map. I am not planning to buy a dedicated GPS.
Anonymous (not verified)
Hello,
I used White Risk avalanche forecast app extensively in Switzerland (first thing I'd check in bed after my alarm went off). Gives an overview for the region and is always up to date.
The Alpine Tours app from Ortovox is also excellent, it has a web based spot altimeter, which although not 100% accurate, is great for dialling your Sunnto's altimeter into the "ball park". It also has a map that can be cached, so you can view maps offline. Although the maps aren't OS quality (I believe it uses OpenStreetMap), they do include ski lift locations and spot heights - again useful for setting altimeters. The app also has a clinometer and some pre planned tours, however most of these are in German.
I've played around with Fat Map, all the information is spot on, pre-planned tours, slope gradients and 3D fly through. However, I’ve found that the app destroyed my battery and crashed constantly. The phone would actually heat up in my hand as I used it.. Would be great on an iPad to pre plan tours, and perhaps a light version that didn’t hog the battery.
The Salomon Freeski app contains Meteo Morris’ WePowder forecasts which are incredibly detailed and usually highly accurate. They also include the predicted snow maps and you can switch between Europe and the States (shame it doesn’t cover Scotland).
Winter Highland is good for Scotland, however the app needs an update, perhaps with a feed from Scottish Avalanche Information Service?
Not an app feature, but I would add all the local resort based Mountain Rescue numbers into the phone, as well as the country’s emergency number (also neighbouring countries) – also adding the country code
Overall, I would never use a phone to track progress or navigate while I was in the mountains. If things go south you need the phone working as a phone to call mountain rescue if required, and not juiced out tracking how fast I got down the back of Mont Fort.
Perhaps we need to develop an Eagle App?
MikeHendry
Cathy - for an altimeter you can't beat Accurate Altimeter: gives you barometer, nearest Wifi (even if you aren't connected to it) and GPS-based altimeter readings; if you leave it running for a few minutes with a network connection it calibrates the barometer from the nearest airport or met station.
I also do have the relevant national maps apps (Iphigenie, SwissMap etc) on my phone - all the planning-type websites I access through a browser (usually before leaving home) rather than a specialised app. Bergfex is excellent for mountain weather. These are great for use in huts.
But I also agree that you need to conserve phone battery for when you really need it - and of course you shouldn't have your phone switched on when touring in avalanche country as it can significantly distort the field from your transceiver.
Best wishes
Mike
Anonymous (not verified)
On a recent cycle touring trip in China I used an app called "My Altitude". It does what it says on the tin using your phone's GPS. I have an android phone and it worked well. I found it very useful in planning acclimatisation stops because I knew we would be climbing to reaonsonably high altitudes but had no topographical information.
CathyOdowd
Great info, many thanks. (WinterHighland seems to no longer be around.)
CathyOdowd
Thanks John, good reccomendation and experience.
CathyOdowd
Great tips, thanks.
CathyOdowd
Thanks Carol, good point about the use for acclimatisation.
BrentMac
I second the use of ViewRanger whether using purchased maps or free ones. I have bought UK OS, French, Swiss & Norwegian maps at 1:50,000. Open Cycle/Ski Maps (which you must save before going off line) and Canadian government topographical maps are both free.
Battery life is an issue for all smartphones but I can carry an Anker external battery (10,000 mAh) which can recharge a flat phone up to four times. You can usually recharge in Alpine huts and even in Nepali Teahouses these days but the external battery means I am independent. I find that using ViewRanger, my phone is good for about 4 hours. After that I have to connect it to the external battery. For that reason, I only use the GPS function when I really need to. Note that because it is so big, this external battery itself takes a long time to recharge when it’s empty. It’s the size of smartphone but weighs bit more.
Other apps I would recommend are GR which simply gives a grid reference.
For avalanche forecasts I use White Risk in Switzerland, Avalanche Forecast Norway in Norway and Avalanche Android in North America. AviRisk is a good check list for assessing risk once you have the forecast. I also have a clinometer app called, Clinometer. I put SAIS as a book mark on the same screen as the other avi apps.
For Scotland you download actual ski routes:
http://www.wintersun.me.uk/scottish-ski-touring/
And the same for Europe and other places:
http://www.gps-tour.info/en/tracks/107/177.html
Aside from battery life, smartphones are not ruggedised and have finicky touchscreens. I have used one in a howling gale with gloves on but they are not designed for such use.
A general warning about apps, whether free or paid for, some companies will update their apps without asking your permission and install a new version which is actually worse than the previous one. When they are good enough to ask permission, I generally say no, wait a few days or weeks and then check the comments online to see if in solving old non-problems they have created new real problems or even broken the App.