Here are 8 Apps that Every Skier Needs
Skiing is a great excuse to get away from screens and devices, but our phones are pretty powerful tools that are incredibly useful when skiing. You can find dozens of iPhone and Android apps to help you get the most out of your day on the hill, from weather forecasts to snow conditions to backcountry mapping. In the mountains, either at a resort or backcountry skiing, I use these eight apps most days.
These apps are great for planning a day of skiing because they work together. If I’m heading into the backcountry, I’ll start checking weather conditions and snow forecasts a few days out, then confirm avalanche forecasts the morning of, and use a mapping app on the trail.
On the day of my trip, I’ll check the weather forecast, pull up conditions, and then check the resort’s app for parking updates, lift updates, and maybe even track my runs.
- Best for resort skiing: On The Snow
- Best for backcountry skiing: OnX Backcountry
- Must-have emergency app: Backcountry SOS
- Best weather and snow forecasts: OpenSnow
- Best weather forecast for advanced users: Windy
1. OnX Backcountry
OnX Backcountry’s high-resolution 3D maps are essential to planning your route in the backcountry. The 3D-mapping app FATMAP closed down in 2024 after being acquired by Strava. Many competitors stepped up to fill in the huge gap FATMAP left.
In recent years, OnX Backcountry has been upgrading winter-specific 3D imagery, route descriptions, offline maps and user functionality to create the best backcountry navigation application we have ever used.
Currently, the service is limited to North American maps, but plans are in place to expand its range to worldwide maps in the near future. Free versions of the app are available, but full functionality requires a paid subscription. Here is more information about the app based on our testing experience.
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2. Avalanche Forecasts
Avalanche forecasts are vital to every backcountry skier before heading out for the day in the mountains. When you’re skiing somewhere new, it can be challenging to find the most up-to-date local conditions if you’re not familiar with how your local forecast is posted.
All major North American Avalanche Centers support the Avalanche Forecast App, which layers all current public avalanche hazard ratings on a global map to provide the most accurate forecast whenever and wherever you are.
Forecasts for the future are even available a few days in advance, where they are published. If you plan to ski in the backcountry every day, you should download this app
3. Backcountry SOS
In some ski areas, cellphone service does not exist, so calling for help may be difficult when you’re out on the slopes. In the event of an emergency, it’s always a good idea to carry a SOS transmitter, but did you know that most modern smartphones come with built-in satellite communication capabilities?
You can use the Backcountry SOS app, even when there isn’t enough signal to make a phone call, to send a signal when you are in the backcountry but don’t have access to an SOS transmitter like a Spot or InReach.
Jackson Hole’s local SAR service, Teton County Search and Rescue, developed this app that determines your location and sends your coordinates to local authorities via text message. It is compatible with over 1500 US counties where text-to-911 service is available. Anyone can download it for free.
4. Peak Finder
Sitting on a chairlift, taking in the scenery, do you ever wonder what the surrounding peaks are called? Peak Finder can help you identify summits around you quickly and easily.
Your smartphone will be able to overlay summit names along with other points of interest in the area once you point it in the direction you want to explore.
This one is great for navigation, but I also like to use it for flexing my mountain knowledge. You can download and use the app for $4.99.
5. OnTheSnow
OnTheSnow’s mobile app, based on the popular OnTheSnow website, provides resort information and snow reports for over 2000 resorts worldwide. A user can also upload his or her own condition reports and photos, adding more valuable data to the mix.
You can use this app when planning a ski trip in a new area with multiple resorts to choose from, and you can easily see who got the most snow and where the best conditions are. It is free to download the app.
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6. Slopes
Have you ever wanted trail maps and current conditions reports from every major resort in the palm of your hand? Slopes also offers comprehensive tracking functionality so you can measure your progress and keep track of your stats throughout the season.
Moreover, the app includes a social networking feature that lets you find your friends on the mountain. This is useful if you wish to take a few laps after they have gone home. Most smart watches are capable of syncing with the tracking functionality.
It’s free to download the Slopes app, and you can unlock features such as 3D maps with a paid premium subscription.
7. Windy.com
You’ll have a hard time finding accurate and hyper-local weather forecasts for your next ski trip, so I asked around. Weather data and spot forecasts are available on Windy’s mobile app for guides, skiers, and other mountain pros.
Mountain weather forecasting in remote areas is tough, but Windy takes the data from nearly a dozen weather models (including the ECMWF, HRRR, NAM, GFS, ICON-D2, ICON-EU, ACCESS, AROME, and NEMS models) and overlays it with a global map to create super high-resolution forecasts.
There’s a ski-friendly interface for visualizing temperature, wind, and precipitation, plus you can see the amount of new snow accumulating, visibility, and the depth of the snow.
You can get extra forecasting tools and features with a paid subscription, but the free version is pretty good for most people. You can also plan at home with Windy’s browser version.
8. Open Snow
Is it worth your while to call off work and go powder skiing during that next storm cycle? In the Mobile App, Open Snow’s snow forecasting technology is brought together in an easy-to-read format. Find local forecasts or plug in your favorite destinations for detailed day-by-day snow and weather forecasts up to 10 days in advance.
Tracking the weather and predicting when and where it will snow is what I love about this app. Daily Snow reports, which describe active and upcoming storms and where to ski, are published in addition to numerical forecasts by the Open Snow team.
Originally designed to help skiers, Open Snow has recently added a wealth of new features for four-season use, including a map mode that includes current and forecast radar, fall foliage maps, cloud cover, and wildfire smoke forecasts. To take full advantage of the app, you will need to subscribe.
Resort-Specific Apps
You can find resort-specific apps at nearly every ski resort today (plus the Ikon and Epic Pass). They include trail maps, conditions reports, webcams, terrain openings, parking updates, on-mountain events, and special offers.
Jackson Hole Insider App is one of my favorite tools for checking lift lines, snow conditions, and terrain openings, as well as tracking my runs, lift laps, and days on the mountain. Do you have any idea where I ranked last year?
Conclusion
Skiing can be elevated to new heights when you have the right apps in your arsenal. Skiers can use these apps for safety, navigation, and connecting with others on the slopes.
Skiers of all levels will find apps to make their days on the mountain more enjoyable, whether they’re high-flyers in remote backcountry resorts or casual resort skiers. Take a look at these tools and you might find that they become part of your skiing essentials!
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