Great Britain is not known for its ski slopes, or even its skiers, but it is known for its adventurers. James Cook, Francis Drake, Ralph Fiennes’ cousin— they were all among the world’s great explorers, and they all relied on their respective era’s cutting edge navigational technology. This era’s explorers are no different, and today’s cutting edge navigational tools are digital and on your phone.
London-based , which recently opened offices in Denver, is creating some pretty amazing tools for mountain adventurers. With their app, you can access incredibly detailed, three dimensional maps of mountains. We’re not talking those topographical maps with all the lines, or artistic representations of mountains, but one to one scaled maps you can rely on. It's like Google Earth on steroids, designed to be relied on by outdoor adventurers.
The company is currently building out their U.S. maps and, for now, they’re focusing on skiers — both backcountry and resort bound. If you’re heading out to the slopes this winter, you’ll be able to see just about every aspect of your run before you head down, in detailed three dimensions. The maps work offline, and your phone’s GPS should work even if you don’t have service. What’s more, through the app you’ll be able to see fly-throughs, giving you a sense of what it’ll actually look like to go hurtling down the side of a mountain.
These sorts of maps were piloted last February at resorts in Switzerland and France and have proved wildly popular there. They are scheduled to be released in the U.S. next month, and will eventually be available at 20-30 ski areas.
While the company is focusing on skiing this year, they are working on becoming the one-stop-shop for all mountain adventurers. They declined to give details, but said that hikers and bikers should stay tuned.
Just imagine the things people like Francis Drake or David Livingstone would have done with an iPhone and FATMAP — then go do it.
