onX Backcountry, a navigation and discovery app for outdoor enthusiasts, is embracing the two-wheel community by adding a new mountain bike (MTB) Mode powered by MTB Project’s vast network of trail data.

onX Backcountry is a multi-season app that helps users find new adventures, navigate in remote places, and get home safely. Outdoor enthusiasts–like hikers, backpackers, backcountry skiers, and snowboarders–of all skill levels will find inspiration from tens of thousands of guidebook and expert-curated adventures, and 770,000+ miles of trails. App users can toggle between Trail Mode, Snow Mode, and now MTB Mode to access tools and content relevant to the adventure at hand.

At launch, onX Backcountry’s new MTB Mode features:

• 167,752 miles of mountain bike trails across North America
• The ability to sort trails by difficulty, length, elevation gain, low/high point, dog and e-bike accessibility
• Robust planning tools including immersive and customizable 3D maps, recent satellite imagery, route builder, and tracker tools
• Offline maps that allow customers to take their maps wherever they ride, even if it’s far away from cell service
• An upgraded web and mobile app experience

“The addition of a mountain biking activity builds upon onX’s all-in-one set of adventure discovery and planning tools,” said onX Backcountry GM, Will Sladek. “MTB Project is a leading mountain bike trail data source. By adding that trail data, which includes photos, trail descriptions, and other information, to onX Backcountry’s leading set of navigation tools, bikers can confidently conquer any trail.”

The MTB Mode is now available to all existing onX Backcountry users on all platforms: iOS, Android, and Webmap. Users can expect to see significant updates and extended MTB coverage in all their favorite riding areas throughout North America in the near future.

An onX Backcountry App membership starts at $29.99 annually. For more information about onX Backcountry, visit https://www.onxmaps.com/backcountry/app

About onX Backcountry

onX Backcountry empowers trailblazers and powder seekers of all levels to find new outdoor experiences and relive old favorites. Unlike other apps on the market, onX Backcountry combines industry-leading GPS tools with expert-curated adventure content. Members can enjoy access to 770,000+ trails and 30,000+ guide-book adventures. Because off-the-beaten-path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land and promote stewardship opportunities. Learn more at https://www.onxmaps.com/onx-access-initiatives

About MTB Project

MTB Project is a free, community-built resource for mountain bikers built by mountain bikers. With the rollout of MTB Project trail data in onX Backcountry, mountain bikers gain an upleveling in navigation tools to aid their planning and rides. Mountain bikers can continue to use and access the MTB Project website for free as they always have.

The post onX Backcountry Launches Mountain Bike Mode with MTB Project Routes appeared first on onX Maps.

Unparalleled participation in outdoor recreation is changing our collective outdoor experience, cites a new report released today by onX, a pioneer in outdoor navigation. The report, Breaking Trails, details the state of the outdoor experience as described by 2,200 recreationists across the U.S. and reveals a substantial gap between an increasing number of outdoor enthusiasts and the percentage of those who engage in stewardship–activities that help protect and restore the public lands that fuel their experiences. While 77% of outdoor recreationists head outside 12 or more times each year, only 19% engage in acts of stewardship in that same timeframe, the report shows. As a result, deteriorating outdoor experiences are on the rise.

“Participation in outdoor recreation is at an all-time high, and that’s a good thing,” said onX Senior Access and Stewardship Manager Becky Marcelliano. “We believe that everyone should have access to nature, and the mental and physical benefits it provides. But we also realize that increased recreation means additional pressure on our public lands. And while most of us see the importance of stewardship, only a handful of folks–less than one-in-five–are doing the lion’s share of the work.”

This “stewardship gap” is one of the primary themes highlighted in the Breaking Trails report, which details the results of a survey conducted in late 2022 by the team at onX in partnership with Southwick Associates, a recreation-focused research firm. Through the survey, the company aimed to better understand how increased participation in outdoor recreation has impacted the nation’s public lands and the experiences they provide.

Key findings from the report include:

• 96% of outdoor enthusiasts think it’s important to preserve and maintain public lands and the access to recreation that they provide.
• Nearly all (92%) rely on the nation’s 901 billion acres of public land for outdoor recreation.
• Nearly two-thirds note that overcrowding has negatively impacted their time in nature over the past five years, citing various challenges from packed trailheads and noise pollution to litter and decreased access. 
• 87% of outdoor enthusiasts report that they have given back to public lands in some way in the last decade.
• However, only 19% of outdoor enthusiasts surveyed say they commit to one of these primary stewardship activities on an annual basis: volunteering, donating, or advocating.

Digging further into the breakdown of those who are engaging in stewardship each year, the survey found the following trends:

• Younger generations are more likely to participate in stewardship activities than their older counterparts, with Gen Z being the most inclined.
• Exposure to nature early in life correlates to participating in stewardship activities as an adult.
• The more outdoor activities someone participates in, the more likely they are to give back.
• Those who identify as experts in at least one outdoor activity are two to three times more likely to engage in annual stewardship compared to those who describe themselves as beginners or intermediates across all their outdoor activities.

Read the Breaking Trails report for an in depth analysis of all the survey findings.

Promoting Growth in Stewardship

While the report reveals a disparity in stewardship, it also proposes a solution. According to Breaking Trails, one of the best ways to “close the gap” in stewardship–especially between experienced stewards and those just embarking on their outdoor journey–is through outdoor mentorship. 

“The goal is to encourage more outdoor adventurers to embrace stewardship as a personal responsibility,” said Marcelliano. “By mentoring other outdoor enthusiasts, we can inspire a cultural shift from being a ‘user’ and ‘visitor’ of the outdoors to becoming a ‘protector’ and ‘steward.’ That is where the real change happens.”

Beginning on June 8, onX is encouraging all adventurers to engage in stewardship through its Navigating Stewardship campaign. Outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds are encouraged to tune into onX channels to learn different stewardship practices–big and small, explore different stewardship communities, test their outdoor knowledge, join a social challenge, and hear from Griffin Post, Jeremy Evans, and Jana Waller during a live virtual event. These three onX ambassadors will talk about how they incorporate stewardship practices into their outdoor pursuits, from backcountry skiing and mountaineering to offroading and hunting. Stay tuned to onXmaps.com for more details.

In an ongoing effort to help steward public lands, onX also devotes a portion of its sales every year to secure and protect public access. Through its Access and Stewardship Grant Program, the company endeavors to help secure or improve public access to 150,000 acres, and to help restore, secure, or build 150 miles of trails. onX is currently accepting applications for its next round of grant funding, which is open through July 7, 2023.

About onX

Founded in 2009, onX is a pioneer in digital outdoor navigation, developing software that helps inform, inspire, and empower outdoor recreationists. onX Backcountry, onX Offroad, and onX Hunt make up the company’s suite of apps, and are built by explorers for explorers. Because off-the-beaten-path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land. Since 2017, onX has worked with various partners to secure and improve public land access through direct funding, and by supporting key legislation with data analysis and research. Learn more: https://www.onxmaps.com/about

The post The Outdoors Needs More Stewards, Finds New Report from onX appeared first on onX Maps.

onX Backcountry, a navigation and discovery App for outdoor enthusiasts, today announces its newest feature: Route Builder, a route creation tool that allows recreationists of all levels to quickly and easily design their dream adventure. With Route Builder, users can now seamlessly create a route with as little as two clicks, on both web and mobile devices – so they can spend less time planning, and more time hitting the trails. 

Because onX Backcountry’s entire mapping platform and Route Builder engine are built on its robust proprietary dataset, the App is able to generate routes at exceptionally high speeds. This also enables unprecedented interactivity, providing users with an immersive real-time experience where they can preview routes in any direction, to compare options and determine the ideal path to their objective. 

“The fastest route builder tool available now snaps to the largest trail dataset in the country,” said onX Backcountry Senior Product Manager, Charlie Von Avis. “onX Backcountry’s Route Builder opens a whole new level of discovery for our users, enabling them to explore every potential path to get from point A to B, and choose the one best suited for their adventure. Whether they’re looking for the fastest route, most scenic, most challenging, or one that hits specific Waypoints… the options are virtually limitless.”

The App allows users to draw routes using a ‘snap to’ function across more than 650,000 miles of rich trail content available on onX Backountry’s mapping platform – removing the friction of needing to use multiple drop points to create a route that navigates complex and windy terrain. In addition to facilitating customization and reducing planning time, Route Builder helps users create more accurate routes to ensure they know exactly where they’re headed, how much distance they need to cover, and how much elevation gain and loss they can expect along the route. Users can also easily share their routes with others. This helps optimize planning adventures with a group and streamlines preparation for even the longest explorations. 

“The route building tool is perfect to plan my multi-day mountain adventures,” said onX Backcountry Ambassador Jeff Garmire, record-breaking thru-hiker, adventurer and author. “Combining multiple trails and having all the trail data and metrics lets me know what I’m in for, and the seamless integration into offline maps makes it reliable even in the most remote areas.”

Route Builder is just the latest among the vast suite of features offered by onX Backcountry. The multi-season App, which allows users to toggle between their preferred adventure settings in ‘Trail Mode’ and ‘Snow Mode,’ continues to steadily expand its capabilities for users this trail season. It also recently debuted its Private Lands Layer feature – another new highlight for 2023. With this tool, which is available to those with an Elite Subscription of onX Backcountry, users can easily see whether land is public or private, and access property owner information, acreage and boundaries on the map. 

Other key features across the Trail Mode experience include: 3D Maps and 3D Landscape Viewing, enabling users to virtually visualize their journey and obtain a comprehensive understanding of the landscape before hitting the trail; National Park Maps and Adventures, providing guidebook-quality adventure descriptions, recreation points and more; 24K Topo Maps; Hybrid Basemaps to combine satellite imagery and 24K topo, so users can plan and navigate with total confidence; Comprehensive Wind, Weather and Fire information easily accessible right in the App; Offline Mapping capabilities, to ensure users maintain real-time GPS positioning to track their route, as well as access to all of their customized maps, even when cell service is spotty or unavailable; Customizable Waypoints to guide exploration and share with friends; and more. 

In addition, the company has numerous other features set to roll out later this season, helping onX Backcountry achieve its goal of being the most comprehensive “all-in-one planning tool” for human-powered adventures.

For more information about onX Backcountry, visit onxmaps.com/backcountry.

About onX Backcountry

​​onX Backcountry empowers trailblazers and powder seekers of all levels to find new outdoor experiences and relive old favorites. Unlike other apps on the market, onX Backcountry combines industry-leading GPS tools with expert-curated adventure content. Members can enjoy access to 770,000+ trails and 30,000+ guide-book adventures. Because off-the-beaten-path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land and promote stewardship opportunities. Learn more at https://www.onxmaps.com/onx-access-initiatives

The post onX Backcountry Unveils New Mobile Route Builder Tool appeared first on onX Maps.

A multi-season adventure app, onX Backcountry has two modes–Snow Mode and Trail Mode. Snow Mode puts resources like local avalanche forecasts, Slope Angle and Slope Aspect map overlays, SNOTEL data, recent avalanche observations, and more, right at users’ fingertips. In addition to providing users with the information to help make informed decisions in avalanche terrain, onX Backcountry also provides inspiration–sourcing 30,000+ expert-curated backcountry ski lines and trail adventures.

“We’re constantly fine tuning and thinking about how we present critical snow safety information to backcountry skiers and snowboarders,” said onX Backcountry Partner Specialist, Joe Risi. “Through our collaborations with A3, AMGA, Beacon Guidebooks, and local avalanche centers, we’ve broadened our community of experts and are continually incorporating their input and ideas. Additionally, we’re excited to share mapping resources and backcountry education opportunities with AIARE, Bluebird Backcountry, and SheJumps. Together, we all have the same goal of providing powder seekers with valuable tools and accurate information, so they can have an epic day in the mountains.”

“The American Mountain Guides Association is proud to partner with onX Backcountry. OnX Backcountry provides accessible and forward thinking tools for navigation and ultimately risk management in the backcountry. Essential features include detailed terrain layers integrated with weather and avalanche hazard tools. Additionally, onX Backcountry is committed to empowering the user through broad educational and training opportunities. Our association of professional mountain guides and climbing instructors is honored to align and support this essential element of mountain craft.” – Jake Gaventa, Partnerships Manager

“onX Backcountry is changing the game. Beacon Guidebooks is proud to partner with this reliable, accurate and thorough digital tool.” – Andy Sovick, Founder

Partnering with onX Backcountry provides a resource for map and navigation education, which is needed for outdoor recreation. We love sharing this amazing tool with our community to help more women and girls adventure with confidence—wherever they may please.” – Claire Smallwood, Executive Director

More on each onX Backcountry partner:

• American Avalanche Association: A3 is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing professional excellence in avalanche safety, education, and research in the United States.
• American Mountain Guides Association: AMGA is a educational nonprofit dedicated to supporting the American mountain guiding community through education, standards, and advocacy.
• Beacon Guidebooks: Beacon Guidebooks provides critical terrain and avalanche information to be used in the ski tour planning process as well as in the field to ensure balanced and informed decision-making. onX Backcountry has incorporated 2,200 routes from Beacon, written by guides and other experts, into its app. New for the 2022-23 season are three new regions: Mount Baker, Washington, Rocky Mountain Park and Cameron Pass, Colorado.
• Bluebird Backcountry: Bluebird Backcountry is an inbounds backcountry ski area designed for learning and adventure in Kremmling, Colorado.
• SheJumps: SheJumps is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase the participation of women and girls in outdoor activities to foster confidence, leadership, and connection to nature and community.
• Local Avalanche Centers: onX Backcountry is proud to work closely with avalanche forecasting centers across the U.S. To learn more about how onX Backcountry supports this critical backcountry resource, check out the Support Your Forecast program.

These collaborations are some of the many ways that onX Backcountry hopes to connect guides, avalanches professionals, and recreational backcountry travelers with the tools they need to approach this season with safety and preparedness.

The post onX Backcountry Announces Partners for Winter 2023 appeared first on onX Maps.

onX Backcountry, a navigation and discovery app for outdoor enthusiasts, launches its “Support Your Forecast” program for a second year, supporting avalanche forecast centers across the United States. During the month of January, onX Backcountry is discounting its membership by $10 and donating proceeds to the country’s 24 regional avalanche centers. Sierra Nevada Brewing is partnering with onX Backcountry to get the word out, helping raise funding and awareness around backcountry snow safety and education as the season kicks off.  

“Avalanche centers are the unsung heroes of winter,” said professional skier and onX Backcountry and Sierra Nevada ambassador, Griffin Post. “Every morning, our local avalanche forecasters provide snow enthusiasts with life-saving information about the snowpack, its stability, and avalanche risk. To operate, many centers rely on contributions from the community–and that’s where onX Backcountry and Sierra Nevada are joining forces to support the people and resources that provide backcountry users with crucial information every day.”

onX Backcountry is a multi-season exploration app that allows users to toggle between their preferred adventure settings in Trail Mode and Snow Mode. Snow Mode provides users with resources including local avalanche forecasts and observations from US Avalanche Forecast Centers, Slope Angle and Slope Aspect map overlays, and SNOTEL data. Along with these mode-specific features, the app allows users to download data and layers for offline use to see where they are on the map even when they are far from cell service.

“Our partner onX Backcountry integrates reliable and timely backcountry safety data from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and other sources in their navigation app to keep our communities informed about avalanche risk,” said Executive Director of the Friends of CAIC, Aaron Carlson. “Combined with education and experience, onX Backcountry is a valuable tool to help backcountry skiers and snowboarders plan routes, check conditions and approach this season with safety and preparedness. We are grateful for their support of avalanche safety in Colorado and beyond.”

To participate in the Support Your Forecast program, new onX Backcountry subscriptions must be purchased between January 6th – 23 through the Support Your Forecast website, and funds will be distributed evenly among the avalanche centers. 

An onX Backcountry membership is $29.99 annually and will be available for $19.99 during the campaign (Jan. 6-23). Follow along with #SupportYourForecast, and learn about the Support Your Forecast Campaign.

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As part of this ongoing work, onX instituted a grant program to aid organizations whose values align well with ours outlined above. The latest partnership to flourish within this program is with the Student Conservation Association (SCA). 

What is the SCA?

The SCA began as an idea by 24-year-old Elizabeth (Liz) Putnam at Vassar College. The paramount problem of the time, circa 1950’s, was that the national park system was under threat of being loved to death. Sound familiar? As it turns out, the issues we hear about today—backlog maintenance, understaffing, litter, social trails, and overcrowding—were just as pertinent then. The program, inspired by Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps, developed by Putnam and collaborator Marty Hayne, set out to connect students, specifically, with energy, drive, and passion with opportunities in the conservation industry where the need was overflowing. In 1957, 53 students gathered in Olympic National Park for roughly three weeks to conduct their first-ever trial project. 

Pre-civil, women’s, and environmental rights movements, Putnam faced countless challenges as a woman trying to better an industry dominated by men. She would often sign letters E. Sanderson Cushman (maiden name) to invoke a sense of gender anonymity. However, that pioneering spirit she had, has carried through the organization’s 60-plus year history. 

They have been at the forefront of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) not just by being a women-led organization, but through a myriad of programmatic structures including working in urban settings rather than just remote national parks. This includes multicultural participants and, most recently, developing affinity crews. These are housed under a program that piqued our interest at onX. The program is known as Urban Green. Read on for more specifics about this program.

onX and Atlanta

As part of our grant to SCA, we funded four trips in three cities this year: San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. All of these were a part of SCA’s Urban Green program which aims to greenify large metropolitan areas, and is an offshoot of their history of working in remote national parks. It meets urban youth in their own environments and proves the climate movement can start within big cities and in communities. In Atlanta, the mission is to “Elevate the youth voice and engage the next generation of conservation leaders in building a more resilient nation with equitable access to green spaces.” 

The crux of what makes this program so special is that students are often paid for their work, as opposed to a volunteer model. The objective is job-readiness, so the participants leave with a set of marketable skills and a fulfillment that they have helped better their own community. Most of these students wouldn’t have the opportunity to take the time away from their families, had the financial compensation not been in place.

The People

This trip was special. It was the first time it was an all inclusive crew team. This means that there was a broad mix of identities participating as crew members. A dream of SCA Community Program Manager, Jonathan Johnson, the inclusive crew supports the mission of SCA through projects such as building gardens and fire pits at the Biggers House—an affordable housing option for aging LGBTQIA community members. They have also spent a few Saturdays working with the Wylde Center and the Aware Wildlife Center where they learned about environmental justice and wildlife rehabilitation. 

The crew of six, meets twice weekly—once virtually midweek to learn from presenters, facilitated conversations, and working groups to talk about topics ranging from urban gardens to food deserts. While Saturdays are reserved for hands-on work in their communities. The crew members are all in high school and have signed on to learn and activate change in their area in preparation for going on to a career in conservation. 

The Big Trip

The six crew members, two crew leaders, and Program Manager Jonathan Johnson departed Atlanta in a van and headed two and a half hours east to Elijah Clark State Park on Friday, November 4. The agenda for the overnight camping trip was filled with tutorials on outdoor skills, safety speeches, s’mores, ghost stories, fishing, and more. The mission is to get them comfortable outdoors on an overnight camping trip.

The students brought a range of experiences with them including folks who have never pitched a tent to boy scout level status. “The first thing they wanted to do was build a fire upon arrival,” reflects Johnson. Fran, originally from Panama, had been camping a couple times before and really stepped up to show leadership and teamwork as they aided the group in building the fire. They share, “I like helping and teaching people, and I’m glad I was able to help.” As the centerpiece of the trip, the fire played host to where the students would go on to share meals, stories, and growth. 

Mars, who had never been camping before, was largely excited and not at all nervous. She helped with the fire and shared, “It was a pure hands-on learning experience.” As a first-timer, “I like camping. This is fun, I’m going to do it again.” When asked how the experience was as a whole her answer was clear, “Go camping, it’s fun!”

Saturday held some surprises, mostly in the form of rain. The day’s activities held in store some breakfast, fishing, and free time. Not to dissuade anyone from the experience, the rain and fishing just happened to be Elijah’s, 18 from Decatur, Georgia, two favorite things, “The raindrops hit the water and you see them bounce back up. It’s just really soothing.”

Bria, from Lithonia, was hooking a worm to fish with when she reflected on the camping trip thus far, “I like camping, even though I smell like fire and burnt wood.” Meanwhile, another crew member, Erin, sheltered both of them from the rain with an umbrella. They went on to advise that if you’re going camping, make sure to pick the right friends, pack a pillow, and if you have braids—bring a bonnet. 

The Recap

Reflecting on the trip a few weeks later, Johnson talked a lot about two things; building community and self-governance. The crew, upon arriving at Elijah State Park, built something of a tent-city, which to Johnson, was both a physical and metaphorical community. You could see how friends were pitching their tents closer together while others, potentially who valued some solitude, were slightly further away. The decisions made in this exercise illuminated some personalities that arose throughout the weekend.

The second key takeaway from the weekend was how the group self-governed. Whereas some folks love music outdoors, whether in their earbuds or at a moderate volume from their speaker, this crew decided that the only audio stimulation would be the rain bouncing off the water, birds chirping, and the stories shared around the fire. Oh, and an alleged “wolf in the night” according to Johnson. 

While camping, things have to get done—that’s the bottomline. How and when those happen is where growth occurs. On this trip, leaders stepped up, other folks learned new skills, and everyone managed a clean, tidy exit of their site according to the practices of Leave No Trace. 

The physical camping trip was a glowing success, but it’s in the coming weeks where each of these students returns to their communities’ that the growth they experienced and skills they learned will truly be put to the test.

The post onX and the Student Conservation Association appeared first on onX Maps.

onX Backcountry, a pioneer in outdoor digital navigation, is the official mapping partner of this summer’s biggest trail races across the West. The company is offering Cirque Series, Rut and Leadville Race Series participants an extended onX Backcountry app trial, and is integrating each course into the app and on race websites. With the industry-leading mapping resource at their fingertips, racers can access a detailed preview of the terrain they’ll encounter on race day and can use the app to train accordingly.

onX Backcountry is a multi-season app that helps users find great adventures, navigate in remote places, and make informed decisions when far from home. Summer enthusiasts–like trail runners–will find inspiration from tens of thousands of guidebook and expert-curated adventures and 770,000 miles of trails. GPS tools empower them to plan long runs, analyze terrain, and connect trail systems before they head out and while they’re in the mountains, even far from cell service.

“Mountain races require stout big training days. You wouldn’t head into the mountains for a long run without sturdy footwear and nutrition, and you should have an offline-capable GPS map as well,” said onX Backcountry GM and long-distance runner, Will Sladek. “That’s why we’re providing participants with a robust mapping resource. onX Backcountry can help them find and plan inspiring training runs, navigate when they’re out on the trail, and feel ready to log serious elevation and mileage when race day arrives.”

“The Cirque Series is proud to partner with onX Backcountry,” said race director and founder, Julian Carr. “We’ve been using the App to easily understand mountain topography and land boundaries and create new race courses. We especially love zooming in on the Hybrid Basemap that combines satellite imagery and topographic maps to get a feel for the terrain. It has been amazing to pass along onX Backcountry to our runners and see everyone benefit from its intuitive features–from logging long adventures to checking the weather and elevation.”

The six domestic stops of the Cirque Series kick off on July 16, 2022. Participants can check out each US course in the onX Backcountry app, or online here: https://www.cirqueseries.com.

“We are excited to partner with onX at the Rut this year. The onX Backcountry app is an invaluable tool for our runners who train and explore year round,” said Rut race director and renowned ultra athlete, Mike Foote. “From discovering new trails, planning a route, or recording a run, onX Backcountry is a solid companion for Rut runners.”

The Rut’s VK, 11K, 28K and 50K races will be held September 2-4, 2022 on Lone Peak in Big Sky, Montana. Runners can explore each course in the onX Backcountry app, or online here: https://runtherut.com.

onX Backcountry is also the mapping partner and sponsor of select 2022 Life Time Leadville Race Series events, which kicked off earlier this summer.

The post onX Backcountry is the Official Mapping Partner of this Summer’s Stoutest Mountain Races appeared first on onX Maps.

onX Backcountry, a pioneer in outdoor digital navigation, is celebrating Great Outdoors Month by encouraging recreationists to get outside and give back to our public lands. To support public land exploration and restoration, onX Backcountry will donate $10 of every online app membership sold this month to Leave No Trace–a nonprofit dedicated to educating about and restoring our outdoor playgrounds. onX Backcountry will also offer members who responsibly recreate a chance to win a donation to help restore their community’s favorite outdoor spaces. 

onX Backcountry is a multi-season app that helps users find great adventures, navigate in remote places, and get home safely. Summer enthusiasts–like hikers, backpackers, and trail runners–of all skill levels will find inspiration from tens of thousands of guidebook and expert-curated adventures and 650,000 miles of trails. 

“At onX, Great Outdoors Month is about awakening the adventurer in everyone, and inspiring them to become stewards of the places where they recreate,” said onX Backcountry GM, Will Sladek.”We want to encourage members to use our app to get inspired, spread out their recreation impact by exploring lesser-visited trails and peaks, and also give back to the places that risk being over-enjoyed. That’s why we’re donating a portion of our sales to Leave No Trace for the second year in a row and directly funding their Hot Spot Program.”

Hot Spots are places that Leave No Trace has deemed in need of rehabilitation and sustainable recovery. Since 2010, the nonprofit has identified over 100 Hot Spots across the US, and worked to restore them by implementing training programs that empower locals to steward their outdoor backyard playgrounds. onX Backcountry users can find these Hot Spots illustrated in the app with a Leave No Trace Hot Spot logo.

“Our access to public lands depends on how well we take care of these places,” said Leave No Trace Executive Director Dana Watts. “We’re thrilled to partner with onX Backcountry again to encourage responsible recreation and to help fund the restoration of places that need it the most.”

Leave No Trace and onX Backcountry are also encouraging outdoor enthusiasts to take part in the #ExploreandRestore Challenge this month. By participating, members can use a tool like onX Backcountry to explore lesser visited places and spread out their recreation impact. They can also give back to their favorite trails and parks by participating in a restorative stewardship activity, like trail maintenance or picking up trash. 

By sharing these experiences on social media with the hashtag #ExploreandRestore and tagging @onXBackcountry and @leavenotraceorg, participants are entered to win one of four $2,500 donations to a local trail advocacy or public land stewardship organization of their choice. Winners of the donation will be announced on August 5, 2022.

To learn more about onX Backcountry and purchase a membership that supports Leave No Trace, visit https://www.onxmaps.com/backcountry/great-outdoors-month  

To participate in the #ExploreandRestore Challenge, visit https://www.onxmaps.com/backcountry/explore-and-restore

The post onX Backcountry Supports Leave No Trace and Stewardship Organizations for Great Outdoors Month appeared first on onX Maps.

onX Backcountry equips trail blazers and powder seekers of all levels with industry-leading GPS tools and rich content, including 770K+ trails and nearly 30K guide-book adventures. As an exclusive navigation partner, onX Backcountry will provide the SheJumps community with a free month-long trial. After that time, users will have the option to purchase an annual membership with a 20% discount. Additionally, a portion of each membership sold through the partnership will be donated back to SheJumps to support the organization’s mission. By putting adventure information at their fingertips, onX Backcountry hopes to inspire and empower girls and women across the country to confidently navigate new terrain, whether on trail or snow.  

“At onX, we create products for those who seek connection to nature,” said onX Backcountry VP of Marketing, Chris Harvey Bate. “Those experiences can be simple, but they can also be life changing–especially when you have the right resources at hand and friends alongside. That’s why we’re excited to partner with SheJumps, a community that has provided girls and women with the tools, inspiration, and camaraderie to hone their skills and explore the outdoors for 15 years. onX Backcountry will be another valuable resource in their toolkit, helping create memorable outdoor experiences.”

“SheJumps’ mission is to foster safe, educational outdoor experiences for girls and women that nurture growth and transformation,” said SheJumps Executive Director, Claire Smallwood. “Partners like onX Backcountry allow us to enrich those opportunities. Not only are we keen on the app’s ability to help us plan and execute outdoor trips, we’re also excited about the company’s commitment to ensure everyone has access to nature and outdoor experiences.”

This partnership is one of the many ways onX Backcountry is celebrating women who thrive on the trail and snow. Check out the company’s blog and social media feeds throughout the month of March, and in years to come, to find more inspiring content showcasing various women who enrich our outdoor community with their passion and accomplishments. 

To activate the exclusive onX Backcountry offer and to give back to the organization, SheJumps participants can head to the onX website here: https://www.onxmaps.com/backcountry/r/jw8f72l 

The post onX Backcountry Teams Up with SheJumps as Exclusive Navigation Partner appeared first on onX Maps.

A multi-season exploration app, onX Backcountry has two modes–Trail Mode and Snow Mode–that allow users to toggle between their preferred adventure settings. Snow Mode provides users with resources including local avalanche forecasts from all US Avalanche Forecast Centers and Slope Angle map overlays. Along with these mode-specific features, the app also boasts the ability to take all maps and data offline and download everything to their device.

Newly released Snow Mode features include:

1. Slope Aspect. This layer illustrates the compass direction that a terrain surface faces. By knowing which way a slope is facing, onX Backcountry users can better understand sun exposure, wind, and other factors that may affect snow stability of one zone versus another.
2. SNOTEL Sites. Across the US, there are 730 SNOpack TELEmetry sites. These are weather stations installed in remote, mountainous areas that provide more accurate snow accumulation, snow depth, and temperature data than localized weather reports from nearby towns. By tapping the map, onX Backcountry users can find the deepest powder or optimal corn skiing to better plan their epic adventure.
3. Historic Avalanche Fatalities. Provided by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and available to all onX Backcountry users regardless of subscription level, this layer maps all recorded avalanche accidents. By providing this information, onX Backcountry hopes to encourage caution among its users and better inform the backcountry community about the risks associated with recreating in avalanche terrain.
4. Beacon Guidebooks. In an exclusive partnership, onX Backcountry has added 924 backcountry skiing and snowboarding routes curated by the experts at Beacon Guidebooks. The App now boasts nearly 4,000 Snow Mode adventure reports that provide rich trip details, photos from past explorers, elevation profiles, and other information to inspire powder seekers to find their next adventure.
5. Integrated Open Street Map Ski Resort Maps and Trail Data. Now, users can navigate in-bounds at their favorite ski resorts.
6. Winter Aerial Satellite Maps. Landscapes can look very different under a blanket of snow. To make the user’s mapping experience as close to 1:1 as possible when in the field, onX Backcountry has provided satellite imagery from when snow covered the ground mid-season the previous year.

“onX Backcountry’s unique suite of Snow Mode tools empower users to easily evaluate critical factors before they head out into the mountains, and make informed decisions while recreating in the backcountry,” said Ethan Greene, Director of CAIC. “With critical information like avalanche forecasts at their fingertips, backcountry skiers and split boarders can really enjoy themselves, the untracked powder, and time spent outside.”

onX Backcountry is committed to supporting the forecasters who provide critical data across the app’s suite of Snow Mode features. Through various regional and national initiatives in 2021, including November’s Support Your Forecast campaign, onX committed $70,000 in funds to be directed to all twenty-six avalanche centers across the country. By supporting these groups and the resources they provide, onX continues to deliver content-rich data so that backcountry skiers can make the most informed decisions before heading out into the field.

New Snow Mode features will begin launching January 2022. To access, download the app or visit onxmaps.com/backcountry to subscribe or trial for free.

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