New app gathers avalanche danger data from skiers

An app designed by researchers at Montana State University’s Snow and Avalanche Laboratory seeks to gather data on the risk-taking decisions of winter recreationalists.

Skier in Alaska. Image by Joseph / CC BY-SA 2.0

The app, called SkiTracks, gathers GPS information and data from skiers, snowmachiners and snowboarders to assess avalanche danger and study how backcountry adventurers make their own decisions about safety. The app has gained users from all over the world, but researchers behind the project want more Alaskans to sign up, noting that the Alaska backcountry includes challenges unlike anywhere else in the world. Read more: adn.com