Backcountry
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Featured Article
In ski touring and life, knowledge is power. Cliché? Sure. But rooted in truth? Absolutely. As backcountry travelers, we constantly make informed decisions, one after another. Skin up the face, or boot the ridge? Stick to the trees, or head into the alpine? Making these choices not only affects whether we ride pow or crust, but can be the difference between having a safe, fun day out or experiencing a close call. Or worse. Especially this season, where finding the powder stash requires more precision than usual. With some storms hitting a few regions at the end of the season, having the right data is the difference between a core shot and the ride of the month.
- Related: onX Backcountry Expands Beacon Guidebooks Content With Hundreds of New Ski Routes for 2025-26 Season
The more knowledgeable we are before hitting the skintrack, the better calls we make while touring – that’s where onX Backcountry comes in. Let’s break down how you can use onX on your next tour to score choice turns and keep it pro out there (p.s. use snowbrains60 to get 60% off onX Backcountry Elite or Premium).
Map Layers
Before leaving the house, study the zone you want to ride. Using onX Backcountry map layers, you can toggle between multiple overlays, all providing key data points that will factor into terrain selection. You can also toggle between topo, hybrid, and snow imagery maps in 2D or 3D, making it exceptionally easy to visualize terrain. Here are the key highlights:
Avalanche forecast: If your local area has an avalanche center, onX Backcountry will pull in the latest forecast so you can see the anticipated avalanche problems for the day and therefore which aspects and elevations to avoid. This is always a great place to start.
Slope angle: This overlay illustrates the steepness of the terrain using color shading. A great use of this feature is identifying which slopes to avoid in unstable avalanche conditions. Knowing that slab avalanches most often occur in terrain between 30-45 degrees, onX Backcountry makes it easy to pinpoint terrain that’s prone to sliding so you can steer clear. You can also use this feature to identify which terrain you can skin and which you may need to boot.
Slope aspect: This layer shows what cardinal direction any given slope faces. If the avalanche forecast shows dangerous persistent slabs on north faces, using this layer can help you navigate accordingly while avoiding northerly aspects. Alternatively, slope aspect can be a great tool for finding shaded aspects for skiing powder in the winter and solar aspects for riding corn in the spring.
Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES): ATES is an incredibly helpful model for understanding the complexity of avalanche terrain on a high level (big shout-out to the Canadians for inventing this). There’s a lot that goes into an ATES rating, so if you want to learn more, start here. ATES is particularly helpful for selecting terrain to ski, given the current avalanche forecast. On high-avalanche danger days, using the ATES model to identify ‘simple’ terrain is a great way to enjoy fresh tracks while largely avoiding avalanche terrain. onX Backcountry also introduced 18 new ATES zones this year, expanding coverage to 15 million additional acres in the U.S.
Avalanche Runout Simulator: This powerful tool is particularly useful on high avalanche danger days. Sure, you can plan to not be in avalanche terrain, but are you under it? Using a complex model called FlowPY, this simulator shows how far avalanches could travel in the given terrain. This allows you to stay out of runout zones should a natural slide occur.
Route Planning: Now that you’ve looked through the map layers, you should have a much better idea of what terrain you want to travel in and ride. Using this information and onX’s custom route planner, you can map out your primary route and potential alternates for your trip. Based on the route you create, onX Backcountry generates mileage, vertical gain, and a profile view showing the high and low points of your route, allowing you to understand how big a day you’re in for. You can also add waypoints to your route to mark key locations (like a food cache for a multi-day trip) along the way.
Tracking: Forgot to plan your route ahead of time? No worries! You can actively track your route in real time. This is exceptionally useful in those “should I go right or left?” moments when you’re tired and hungry at the end of the day. Don’t drop into the wrong drainage, check your track, and save yourself the headache! Plus, onX Backcountry uses precise GPS positioning so you can always see your exact location no matter where you are.
Offline Use: If you’re headed into the backcountry, chances are you won’t have service. By downloading your maps ahead of time, you keep your routes with high-res 3D data and LiDAR-based topos in your pocket even when you’re deep in a drainage with zero bars – never guess where the good snow is.
Using onX Backcountry at home and in the field empowers you to make smarter, safer decisions, find quality snow, and ride rad lines. And when the terrain gets complex and remote, onX lets you go deeper, further, and higher with confidence. From car to bar, onX Backcountry is the ultimate in-field companion.
Ready to send it? Use snowbrains60 to get 60% off onX Backcountry Elite or Premium.
