The camera view for Mountain Identification is the default screen on the PeakVisor app. Here, you can identify all the summits around you by holding your phone’s camera up to the horizon line. From this screen, you can access the other features in the app.

1.1 Compass Calibration

You will occasionally need to adjust compass readings and directions in the app to ensure correct mountain identification. In fact, this is the most important skill to master in the app. Doing so helps ensure that the peak labels on your device are positioned properly.

If you see that the mountain silhouettes on your device don’t match the landscape in the camera’s view, you may need to adjust the peak labels. Slide the panorama with the peak labels to the side or up and down until you have a perfect match. This process ensures more accurate peak identification. You can follow the same label adjustment process when you import a photo into the app.

This kind of compass calibration is needed for a number of reasons. First, keep in mind that the magnetic sensors in mobile phones aren’t very precise. Oftentimes, these sensors succumb to electromagnetic noise, especially in cold and windy conditions. PeakVisor is getting smarter every day and soon it will be able to do this calibration automatically. But for now, it needs a little bit of your help from time to time.

NOTE: The sun’s position can be a good reference point for compass adjustment. Align the sun’s position in your camera with the large yellow circle in the peak label panorama. This will quickly align the mountains in your camera’s view with the peak labels on your device.

1.2 Mountain Details

Identifying peaks is only the first step of using the PeakVisor app. The app also provides endless information on other geographic features, such as volcanoes, hills, lakes, saddles, and mountain huts.

1.2.1 Brief Information Panel

All the panorama labels in the PeakVisor are interactive. You can tap any of them to get more information about a geographic feature in the Brief Information Panel. This includes features like mountains, lakes, huts, saddles, or even the sun and the moon. Tapping on a label opens the Brief Information Panel at the bottom of the screen where you can:

• See the elevation of that object
• Access sunrise and sunset times (NOTE: You may have to tap on the Sun Icon to access sunrise and sunset times.)
• Get distance and direction, such as north or south, information to the object
• Open a detailed description of the object. (NOTE: Tap the Up Arrow button or tap on the object’s name)
• Save the object into one of your Favorite Lists using the Star Button. You can remove an object from your favorites by pressing the Star Button again.
• Find out Directions to the object if it is within a 10 mile (16 km) radius.
• Teleport virtually to the object. This lets you see the surrounding panorama from the object’s point of view.
• Make a Flyover Video by tapping the Airplane Button.

1.2.2 Detailed Information Panel

The Detailed Information Panel is a way to learn more about a particular geographical feature. Open it by tapping the Up Arrow button or by dragging the Brief Information Panel to the top of the screen.

The Detailed Information Panel provides essential information about an object, including:

• Full name
• Categories (for example, Ultra, 14er, Alps Top 10)
• Elevation and topographic prominence
• Distance from the current map location
• Location coordinates
• Description
• Photos (if available)

On this panel, you can Favorite an object, Teleport to it, and Suggest an Edit (for example, upload a photo or suggest an correction). The three dots beside the Teleport button open the editing panel.

1.2.3 Improve Maps with Edit Suggestions

In order to keep PeakVisor maps detailed and up to date, we rely on our in-house team and user feedback. If you notice that an object lacks a photo, that there is an inconsistency on the map, or that there is a missing summit in the app, you can upload your edits using the Edit Suggestions tool. This provides our mapping team with the information they need to improve PeakVisor for your future adventures.

Photos of peaks, mountain passes, and lakes are especially useful. These photos help others better understand a destination when planning an outing. If everyone uploads photos from their hikes, chances are high that there will be a photo when you need it on your next adventure.

1.4 Distance Meter

PeakVisor lets you evaluate the distance from your position to an object you see using the Distance Meter tool. Tap on any label in the panorama and you will see distance information in the info panel.

NOTE: The panel may show you sunrise and sunset time for that location rather than the object’s distance. Tap on the Sun Icon to change the sunset and sunrise time to your distance to the object.

You can measure distances to any visible location in the panorama. Tap and hold the screen at any location to put a custom marker there. This will open a Brief Information Panel for that location. You can also zoom in for a finer selection of potential destinations.

1.7 Mountain Photos with Labels

PeakVisor lets you create stylish photos of the mountains on your adventures using the Mountain Photos feature. This feature customizes your photos with peak labels, your current elevation, and other similar. See below for an example photo from Switzerland.

You can take a photo in the PeakVisor app. However, we recommend that you use the Import a Photo tool to import an image taken in your camera app. This often provides improved image quality and additional artistic features. Doing so allows PeakVisor to focus on providing you with quality mountain data.

After you capture your photo, you can customize it by doing the following:

1. Adjust the 3D panorama horizontally and vertically to perfectly match labels to the skyline.
2. Tap on peak labels to keep or hide them in the photo. Tap and hold a label to hide all the other labels in the photo. This is useful when you only want to show a few labels in an image.
3. Tap the Selfie Icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to add your selfie to your image.
4. Press the Title Icon under the elevation label in the bottom left corner of the photo to edit the image title.
5. Tap the green Download Button on the right hand side of your screen to save the photo to your phone’s camera roll.

That’s it! You are now ready to share awesome photos of the epic landscapes you saw on your trek. Please send us some of them or share on social networks with the #peakvisor tag so we can celebrate your adventure!

From planning to tracking, PeakVisor’s 3D Maps feature provides rich insight into landscapes and trails across the world.

PeakVisor has a high-precision terrain model of the whole world. These realistic 3D Maps feature:

• hiking trails
• walkways
• named summits
• mountain huts
• viewpoints
• parking areas

Most of the features in the map are interactive. Tap on a feature to access additional information about that object in a Brief Information Panel. These maps provide nearly all the information you need to plan your next outdoor adventure.

Alternatively, the 3D Map Button in the top right corner of the screen also opens the 3D Map feature.

The 3D Maps on PeakVisor are designed to provide you with an immersive route-planning experience. To navigate in the maps:

• Switch Location. Navigate to any location by placing one finger on the screen and dragging the map to your desired destination. Note that scrolling only works for navigating across short distances due to data storage limitations. Teleport to a new location if you want to explore a destination that’s further afield.
• Rotate & Zoom Map. Zoom in and rotate the map using two fingers. Place two fingers on the screen and twist your fingers to rotate the map orientation. Place two fingers on the screen and slide your fingers apart to zoom in for more detail on the map.
• Change Direction. Move your device from side to side to change the direction and view of the map. Press the North Direction Button Button (upper right corner of the screen) to lock the orientation of the map. This prevents the map direction from moving as you adjust the position of your phone.

2.1 Map Scrolling

PeakVisor contains high-resolution 3D Maps of the entire world. However, the app only downloads terrain models of your immediate surroundings. Doing so reduces the memory space that the app occupies on your device. As a result, the maps lose resolution the further you scroll away from your current location (or the location you teleported to).

Therefore, scrolling only works if you want to travel a short distance from your current position. If you try to scroll further, the map’s detail and quality will deteriorate. To view 3D Maps in a new location, Teleport to a new destination and explore from there.

2.3 Interactive Map Objects

All of the objects and their labels on PeakVisor’s 3D Maps are interactive. Tap peaks, lakes, mountain passes, and even hiking trails to get more information on them.

As is the case in Panorama Mode, when you tap on an item, a Brief Information Panel appears. Double tap on the Brief Information Panel or tap the Up Arrow in the upper right hand corner of the panel. This opens the Detailed Information Panel.

Read section 1.2 Mountain Details for descriptions of these information panels. These panels are useful ways to explore a region where you’d like to hike or ski.

For example, you can use these information panels to decide what mountain to hike next. In these information panels, you can evaluate the panoramic views that you will get from the summit. To evaluate panoramic views from a given location:

1. Tap an object on the map.
2. Tap the Teleport button.
3. Exit the 3D map.
4. See the views from that object.
5. Use the routing feature to compare various itineraries for your hike.

2.6 GPX Routes

PeakVisor allows you to Import GPX Routes to the app’s 3D Maps so you can see your past and future adventures with enhanced precision. PeakVisor also supports KML and IGC file formats.

2.6.1 Import and Export GPX Routes

GPX files are the most common way of exchanging route information. PeakVisor fully supports GPX Files using the Import GPX Routes feature. This allows you to explore any route in 3D. Additionally, you can use the Export GPX Routes feature to export any trail you create in PeakVisor to an external device or platform.

2.6.2 Trails List

All the routes that you import or export can be found in your Trails List. Access the Trails List by tapping Menu > Trails. Both trails that you tracked in the app and trails that you imported from elsewhere can be found in the Trails List.

To Import GPX Routes, tap the Import Button in the upper right hand corner of the screen. This will add (pull) new GPX files into the app.

Alternatively, you can add (push) GPX files into PeakVisor from other apps on your device, such as your phone’s web browser. Simply tap on the GPX file and tap Share To. Select PeakVisor as the file destination.

2.6.3 View GPX Routes in 3D

In PeakVisor, GPX Routes are presented in color. These colors are distinct from other paths in the map. This allows you to easily follow your intended route, be that a hike or a cycling adventure.

2.6.4 Manage GPX Routes

You can manage all your tracked trails and imported GPX files from your Trails List. To manage your GPX Routes, tap Menu > Trails.

From here, you can:

• Change the name of GPX routes
• Trim and edit routes
• Export routes as GPX files

2.7 Flyover Videos

An image is worth a thousand words. With video being basically hundreds and thousands of images, this makes up the whole story unfolding before you in most vivid colours. To help improve your route planning experience, PeakVisor now offers Flyover Videos.

Flyover Videos are a great way to visualize a hiking trail. They also help you better understand the topography of a region.

There are two types of Flyover Videos:

• Circular Flyover Videos – These videos fly around an object on the map, such as a summit, mountain hut, or lake
• Route Flyover Videos – These videos fly through a route. This route can be a tracked hike, an imported GPX file, or a programmed route in the PeakVisor app

To create Flyover Vidoes:

1. Tap the Airplane Button in the Brief Information Panel at the bottom of the screen.
2. Choose either Satellite Imagery or Land Cover Imagery using the button in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
3. Tap on the Airplane Button to start the fly-over. The app will automatically fly to a convenient starting location and it will give you a bird’s eye view of your itinerary.
4. Save the Flyover Video. PeakVisor records your Flyover Video on the go. When the animation stops, press Save if you wish to keep the video.

Planning is the key to any fantastic outdoor adventure. PeakVisor is a perfect tool for location research and scouting. It lets you model the landscape for any location, even those far away from you using the Teleport feature.

The Teleport feature allows you to preview the 360-degree panorama at any location that you would see if you were actually there. It is a useful tool if you’re interested in finding a hike that offers great views

When using the Teleport feature, the app will present a high-precision 3D Map of that area. This lets you fly above the mountains so that you can see hiking trails, roads, parking areas, and other viewpoints. Other features, like offline trails routing, are also available at any teleport location.

To Teleport to any location tap Menu > Teleport. This opens the Teleport Panel. Alternatively, tap the Teleport Button on the Brief Information Panel of any geographical object. This will transport you virtually to the selected destination.

On the Teleport Panel, you can search for a particular mountain, hut, or other geographical object by name. Or, you can use GPS coordinates as a destination too, just type in the coordinates in the search field.

With PeakVisor, you can identify mountains in real time using the camera on your device. Alternatively, you can identify mountains in pre-existing photos from past adventures using PeakVisor’s Mountain Photos feature.

The only requirement for identifying mountains in pre-existing photos is that those images must have a GPS tag. These tags are automatically turned on in iOS devices by default. However, you may need to enable this feature on other devices. Additionally, this feature may not be available on photos taken on certain digital cameras.

If you have GPS-tagged pre-existing photos, you can import them into the PeakVisor app for mountain identification. Tap Menu > Photo Import to choose a photo. Or, you can select a photo in your device’s camera roll and share it with PeakVisor. To do import a photo to PeakVisor:

1. Navigate to your camera roll.
2. Select a photo.
3. Tap Share > PeakVisor.

Once you import a photo to PeakVisor, you can start the peak identification process. This process for pre-existing photos is the same for real-time Mountain Identification.

As is the case with real-time Mountain Identification, you can align mountain silhouettes, choose labels to keep or discard, add captions, and take a selfie to customize your Mountain Photo.

After you finish customizing your photo, tap the green Download Button on the right hand side of your screen. This saves the photo to your phone’s camera roll. Note that your photo may be saved to a new PeakVisor album in your camera roll.

Many mountain adventures take you away from reliable cell phone signal. In these situations, you need to download offline maps in order to access all of PeakVisor’s features. Offline Mapping is available for PeakVisor Pro subscribers.

Due to storage limitations on your device, you will need to download maps for specific regions that you plan to adventure in. To manage offline maps, navigate to Menu > Maps Coverage

To download Offline Maps for a specific area you have two options:

1. Use the Search Bar to locate a peak, city, mountain range, or another point of interest.
2. Tap on the 3D Map to select a certain region.

NOTE: If you would like to minimize the volume of the downloaded maps you can store small custom regions for your next hike. For example, you can save a map of the Dolomites in Italy, instead of a map of the whole Alps. To do that, zoom in the map and tap on your preferred region. This will download a map for your custom region.

To manage your offline maps, navigate to Menu > Map Coverage. Here you can configure your map coverage settings. You can choose between various mapping layers and features, such as:

• HD Maps – High-precision mountain models
• Terrain Types – Land surface types that provide more realistic panoramas
• Hiking Trails – Walkways and roads for navigation
• Satellite – Satellite imagery for more realistic terrain visualization

In the Map Coverage menu, you can also:

• Choose whether the app can download maps only via WiFi or if PeakVisor can download maps using your cellular data.
• Decide how far away from the center of your maps that PeakVisor will be able to identify mountains. Higher distances increase the storage space required by each map.
• Check the storage space used by your Offline Maps and free up space whenever needed.

PeakVisor’s Find Mountains feature allows you to locate any peak on the planet through Local Search or Teleport. These features provide different functionality, depending on if you want to locate peaks in your area or further afield.

6.1 Local Search

Use the Local Search feature if you want more information about peaks and other geographic features in your general area. Tap Menu > Local Search to access this feature.

The Local Search feature has a default radius of 120 km (70 mi). You can control this radius by navigating to Map Coverage > Visibility Settings.

On the Local Search screen you can scroll through a list of nearby mountains and other geographical objects. Or, you can use the Search Bar to search for nearby objects by name.

Note that mountains that are not visible from your Current Location are grayed out while mountains that are visible are written in black text. Keep in mind that weather conditions can affect the visibility of peaks in your location.

You can also filter Local Search results in 1 of 3 ways:

• Wishlist – Any peaks or waypoints added to your wishlist.
• Bookmarked - Bookmarked objects or Custom Waypoints on the map
• Check-in – Any of your past check-in destinations.

Tapping on a peak or object in the Local Search results opens a Detailed Information Panel about it. From here, you can bookmark the object or teleport to that location.

6.2 Teleport

If a peak or an object of interest is outside the radius of Local Search, you can use the Teleport feature instead. This process is covered in detail in Teleport to a New Location.

Peak Bagging is an activity in which outdoor enthusiasts attempt to reach a collection of summits that share a similar geographic area, elevation, prominence, or other feature. Most peak baggers seek to summit all of the peaks in a given list, such as the 100 Peaks of Taiwan.

PeakVisor has an extensive database of peak Bagging lists for hikers of all skill levels and geographical regions. You can keep track of your progress by using PeakVisor’s Peak Bagging feature.

In fact, PeakVisor allows you to track and collect check-ins at more than just mountains. In addition to summits, you can use the app to check-in at passes, mountain huts, and lakes. Doing so updates your Travel Logbook regardless of where your adventures might take you.

To start Peak Bagging with PeakVisor:

1. Navigate to Menu > Travel Logbook.
2. Create an account on the Travel Logbook screen using the Google Sign In Button For Android. Creating an account allows us to save your travel achievements, so you can later access them using a new device.
3. Customize your name and photo avatar to prepare your Travel Logbook.
4. Collect check-ins in your Travel Logbook by heading outside on a hike, cycle, ski, or any other type of outing.
5. Check-in at summits, lakes, mountain passes, and mountain huts during your hikes.
6. View your past check-ins in your Travel Logbook.

If you don’t want to miss check-in opportunities while hiking, then enable check-in notifications. This setting allows PeakVisor to give you a notification when you’re near a check-in opportunity. To enable check-in notifications:

1. Navigate to Menu > Advanced Settings.
2. Check that check-in notifications are enabled for PeakVisor on your device.
3. Collect check-ins on all your future hikes!

8.1 Travel Logbook

The Travel Logbook is your main storage record of your adventures in PeakVisor. Here you can see your highest and the most prominent check-ins as well as the total number of mountains, alpine huts, passes, and lakes that you’ve visited so far.

All the check-ins in your Travel Logbook are listed in chronological order with the most recent check-in at the top. You can filter your check-ins by type tapping on the Check-in Counters under your name. This is useful if you want to review all of the peaks, lakes, alpine huts, or passes that you’ve visited in the past.

All check-ins in your Travel Logbook are also organized into lists that are quickly accessible through the thumbnails under the Check-in Counters. There are several types of lists in the app:

• Peak Bagging List – For example, 14ers of Colorado, Munros of Scotland, 4000ers of the Alps, 46 Adirondack High Peaks.
• Administrative Regions – Including countries, states, counties, cantons, regions, and provinces.
• Mountain Ranges - Such as the Himalaya, Alps, and Rockies.
• Nature Reserves – Including national parks, national forests, and wilderness areas.

If you notice that there is a peak bagging list missing from your region, please let us know! The PeakVisor team would be happy to add your local list to the PeakVisor database.

Finally, note that every month, we will send you an email with information about your Peak Bagging experience. This email includes monthly stats and highlights, so you can reminisce about your recent achievements.

8.2 Summit Registers

There are thousands of summit registers at the summits of peaks around the world. These registers let hikers and climbers leave a text note to those who climb the mountain in the future. They provide a fantastic insight into the people whose footsteps you’re following to the summit.

Originally, this tradition comes from the need for climbers to prove their first ascent claims. Climbers started leaving a note from their ascent in a cairn at the summit, so others could verify that they had, indeed, made the first ascent of a peak.

With more than a million mountains in the world, however, the vast majority of peaks don’t feature a summit book. Thankfully, PeakVisor has come to the rescue.

Every mountain in the PeakVisor app has a virtual Summit Register that you can use to leave your personal message for future hikers. When checking in at a summit you can attach a text note or a photo.

On PeakVisor, you can get extensive information about any peak in the world. This includes the peak’s :

• Elevation
• Topographic prominence
• Distance from your location
• Peak Coordinates
• Mountain range
• Administrative regions
• Categories & Peak Bagging lists
• Wikipedia description and links
• Photos (if available)

To access information about a specific peak:

1. Use the Local Search or Teleport features to select a specific peak. Alternatively, tap on a peak label in the 3D Maps.
2. Press the Up Arrow button to open the Detailed Information Panel for the peak. Note that if you do not have internet access or if your internet access is poor, this information will be limited to the peak’s category, distance, elevation, mountain range, and administrative region.

As previously mentioned, the Detailed Information Panel includes information about a peak’s categories and any Peak Bagging lists that it qualifies for.

There are dozens of different standard peak categories on the app, including:

• Ultras – Mountains with prominence of 1500m or more
• Top 10 – The top 10 highest mountains in a region with a prominence of more than 300 meters (984 feet)
• Top 50 – The top 50 highest mountains in a region with a prominence of more than 300 meters (984 feet)

There are also dozens of Peak Bagging lists on PeakVisor. Some of the most popular lists include:

• 14ers – Mountains higher than 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) with at least 300 feet (91 meters) of prominence
• 13 ers – Mountains higher than 13,000 feet (3,962 meters) with at least 300 feet (91 meters) of topographic prominence
• 4000ers of new Hampshire – Mountains higher than 4,000 feet (1,219 m) in the US state of New Hampshire
• 46AHP – The 46 Adirondack High Peaks, most of which are higher than 4,000 feet (1,219 m) in elevation
• Munros – The Scottish Mountaineering Club’s (SMC) official list of all peaks over 3,000 feet (914.4 meters) in Scotland
• The Great Outdoors 40 – The 40 finest mountains in the United Kingdom as defined by The Great Outdoors magazine.
• 100 Peaks of Taiwan – The top 100 peaks in Taiwan, ranked by their adventure quality, scenic views, and height.

To adapt to your adventure needs, the PeakVisor app provides multiple customization settings. You can access these customization settings by navigating to Menu > Advanced Settings.

From the Advanced Settings menu, you can change or enable:

• Units of Measure – Choose between metric and imperial units.
• Enlarged Labels & Thick Silhouettes – Enable thicker silhouettes and larger labels for Mountain Identification and Mountain Photos.
• Winter Mode – Enables visualisation of ski runs and uses winter time satellite imagery.

Like all passionate outdoor enthusiasts, we want to see majestic mountains every day, even if we’re not currently in the alpine.

With more than a million mountains on Earth, there’s quite a lot to explore. Thankfully, the Peak of the Day widget allows you to see the finest summits that the world has to offer right on your device’s home screen. The list is manually curated by our editorial team every day.

Peak of the Day widgets are available in several shapes and sizes. You can decide if you’d like small or large widgets and how much text you want to see on your screen at once.

Tap on a mountain in the Peak of the Day widget to see detailed information about it. There’s even an option to Teleport to the summit from the widget. Doing so opens the PeakVisor app and gives you a chance to check out the local 3D Map and the panorama from the summit.

To add the Peak of the Day widget:

1. On a Home screen, touch and hold an empty space.
2. Tap Widgets Button.
3. Find the PeakVisor widget and choose 1 of the 4 Peak of the Day widget options available.
4. Touch and hold the selected widget and drag it to where you want to place it.
5. Enjoy a new Peak of the Day every day!