Apping the backcountry

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Even though you probably won’t get a cell signal, you should still bring your smartphone into the backcountry. And not just for taking summit selfies. Here are five reasons why:

Geobackcountry

A made-for-mobile guidebook to 100 ski tours in B.C.’s Rogers Pass that includes maps, pictures, descriptions and, with GPS, plots current location.

Device: Android only  *  Cost: $30  Web: geobackcountry.com

Snog and iSis

Using WiFi or Bluetooth and GPS, these apps turn smartphones into avalanche beacons, but they aren’t compatible with traditional beacons and take practice.

Device: Snog for Android, iSis for Apple  *  Cost: both free  Web: Snog, avalanchebuddy.com; iSis, isis-application.com

Ullr Labs MAST

A digital field notebook to create a snowpit profile, record observations, measure slope angles and aspect, compare to avalanche forecasts and share it.

Device: Android and Apple  *  Cost: $10  Web: ullrlabs.com

Backcountry Accessor

Your best friend in an emergency: a trip-planning area, rescue form that auto fills, and avalanche-skills cheat sheets and tutorials.

Device: Apple  *   Cost: free  Web: backcountryaccess.com

CAC Mobile app

Stay up-to-date on current avalanche conditions and forecasts across the country and submit your own observations.

Device: Android and Apple  *  Cost: free  Web: avalanche.ca

 from Fall 2014 issue

Ryan Stuart
Ryan Stuart has a ski for every possible condition and a jacket to match. Well maybe not quite, but the magazine’s Technical Editor has more than enough of both and can’t wait to test out whatever is coming next. When he’s not testing skis or writing the buyer’s guides, you can’t find him exploring his bumpy backyard on Vancouver Island. @ryan_adventures
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