The Short Version: When Anna and Andrew Johnson established a walk look website, TrailBehind Inc., their particular major aim was to appreciate one another’s organization and explore a provided desire for the outdoors. That directed them to start the app Gaia GPS during the start of mobile programs during 2009. Since then, the software, staff, and synced tracks have expanded to provide more than 130,000 consumers each month. Gaia GPS is commonly featured in news reports and devoted users â including partners â cannot get enough of the application, and sing the praises both on mountain variety plus in on-line reviews.
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When Gaia GPS designers Anna and Andrew Johnson met, they connected over their discussed passion for the outdoors. In reality, their particular very first time was actually on a hike.
Relating to Ashli Baldwin, Slocal hook upport Manager and designer at Gaia GPS, Anna had been the one who had been huge into walking initially. On their first day, Andrew remembers spending normally entirely out of breath attempting to keep up with her. As his or her really love became, therefore performed their particular desire for discovering new tracks to understand more about with each other. They begun to carry on a lot more hikes, which led these to go over a means that would assist them to discover brand-new routes and monitor their own escapades.
“They quickly discovered that there had been absolutely nothing in the marketplace to enable them to plan visits. They looked for a tool but couldn’t find such a thing â so they wound up producing an answer,” Ashli stated. “they certainly were both designers, therefore, obviously, they made a decision to create an app â Gaia GPS â to help them.”
As Gaia GPS’ Chief Executive Officer, Andrew designs and develops much of the consumer user interface and causes the company’s business and advertising and marketing efforts. Before co-founding TrailBehind, Inc. â the moms and dad business of Gaia GPS â Andrew had worked in advertising in President of SureLogic, a venture-backed business spun-out of Carnegie Mellon college. Anna, at the same time, was actually the designer of TrailBehind methods and, ahead of that, had worked at Bing and Silicon Age as a software engineer. These days, as fundamental tech Officer for Gaia GPS, Anna was one of the primary builders on just about any project in the business.
Jesse Crocker, someone and co-founder of Gaia GPS, is actually paid with creating large monitors of the Gaia GPS app â including map servers and system. Prior to signing up for Gaia GPS, Jesse worked as a ski patroller inside Sierras, assisting with avalanche control.
Exactly what began as a discussed love for character and backpacking translated into an application that has had produced an enormous affect the mapping industry, and assisted generate a lot of warm relationships, friendships, and options for important recollections.
The application’s handy Features interest electricity customers & those that Just love Hiking
Gaia GPS customers include type lovers, record-holding backpackers, look and relief personnel, firefighters, Geographic Suggestions System teams, amongst others.
Ashli thinks that part of the thing that makes Gaia GPS appeal to this type of an array of customers is that the software offers traditional mapping and specialized tracking functions. Sometimes, consumers might not understand they don’t really need cellular phone solution to make use of these features.
“they feel that maps tend to be ineffective when they climbing somewhere regarding cellphone service. But that’s false,” Ashli mentioned. “We in fact try to let folks download these maps onto their cell phones before they leave, along with your cellphone provides a GPS processor involved, in order very long because download this chart, your own cellphone will know where you are, and it will explain to you throughout the chart without having any mobile phone or internet service.”
Another exciting Gaia GPS function allows customers to record and keep track of a whole walk. Customers also can take photographs, record distance information, and discuss their precise path with others. Energy customers have a tendency to delight in these characteristics since they provide the possible opportunity to discuss new channels and adventures with like-minded outdoor enthusiasts.
Gaia GPS Hiking App and Hiking Maps are obtainable on iOS and Android os in addition to the web site.
The internet site also serves as a convenient extension on the software and permits seamless syncing and information backup amongst the website and mobile phones. Consumers might also look at on line maps, manage information, research trips, and produce snap-to-trail routes that sync right to their unique devices.
Search & Safety Aids lets you make use of the Wild
Ashli and the whole staff at Gaia GPS are proud of the reality that numerous expert groups have come to count on the app â specifically those from inside the look and recovery society. Ashli said that understanding the software assists save everyday lives provides her a sense of pleasure.
“I found myself merely traveling and ran into a look and recovery team during a training, and that I requested all of them should they desired to attempt the software out. And were already using it.” Ashli informed you. “They raved about how precisely user-friendly truly and how much cash they may be conserving by making use of Gaia GPS. Plus, we allow the search and recovery area a great rebate.”
In addition to his role as a backcountry manual, Jonathan Preuss additionally serves as a search and rescue volunteer. The guy recalls the full time he was given an emergency call for a hiker missing on Devil’s Bedstead eastern in Idaho. He instantly started the Gaia GPS.
“we saw the look arrive, pulled right up my Gaia app, made sure I had that map saved, and switched around and returned toward trailhead,” he said.
This story had a happy closing, as documented on the Gaia GPS weblog. “a chopper flew by shortly after the phone call and spotted the lacking hiker, but, by that time, Jonathan had already started up the trail. The opportunity to easily access electronic maps from a mobile product enables search and recovery volunteers like Preuss to reply quickly and a lot more truthfully than ever before.”
Enjoy brand-new Passions With Appealing Membership Options
Gaia GPS customers point out that membership has its benefits. With possibilities suitable for suit lovers just who hike from time to time or often, Gaia GPS goes apart from to assist them find the right experience.
Members can choose to view the default map regarding software for free. The default chart is limited to 1 source â Gaia Topo, and members can install maps for offline usage.
Ashli asserted that Gaia GPS shines for those who go fully into the backcountry. “Gaia GPS has actually better maps and GPS attributes, and offers all functions under their fundamental account for $19.99 per year, with added maps,” she stated.
Membership consists of endless downloads and entry to a large number of chart options. The free application provides you with server back-up of all paths, photos, alongside data. Gaia GPS makes it simple to capture data, share excursions, and right back everything right up. It also provides an array of backcountry routing characteristics and personalized options.
A Gaia GPS superior membership costs $39.99 per year and is also created for consumers who would like accessibility worldwide’s most readily useful collection of particular maps and overlays that may be used on any map.
Gaia GPS individual Kalen Thorien talks of by herself as a huge hill skier and adventurer, and she discovers the application simple to use and worth the cash. “Gaia GPS application â get it. This conveniently will be the handiest maps system and GPS that’ll not hurt you wallet. Get and traditional topo and imagery, ready waypoints, track how you’re progressing, and find your location even if you don’t possess service â mostly from your phone,” she mentioned in a testimonial on the website.
Gaia GPS consumers can subscribe to a totally free publication to stay above all membership and item enhancements.
Gaia GPS is on a Mission to aid event & Growth
What began together couple’s desire to experience the out-of-doors with each other is actually steadily becoming one of the more well-known GPS applications obtainable. Gaia GPS has actually seen amazing development in product sales as more individuals find the application since their main source for getting the quintessential of this outside.
“this is exactly a very exciting 12 months for us. During the last 6 months, our very own energetic users have actually doubled to a lot more than 131,000 per month. Mostly, our customers cover anything from 20 to 60 years old,” Ashli said. “its interesting observe town with this software grow. I’m always astonished to listen to about all of the different customers that happen to be utilizing the application â both domestically and worldwide.”
The Gaia GPS group are tiny, however they place their own souls in to the work they are doing. As outdoor enthusiasts by themselves, they get a lot of fulfillment from understanding that the software influences stays in significant and life-saving methods. Ashli informed us your staff is invested in supplying excellent customer care and wishes consumers to take pleasure from their particular knowledge about Gaia GPS.
“the aim is to make the application as accessible as you are able to. So we want to make the onboarding knowledge very easy for many consumers â from the time they download the app to once they carry on their travel,” she mentioned. “That’s what we are centering on this present year â specially with all of of one’s user progress. We really should make certain that we have all good, enjoyable, and easy experience.”