Using PeakVisor’s Brand New Discovery Feature to Find New Adventures
Not all trails are created equal. Everyone wants to discover the best routes, but one of the challenges of travel is knowing where to find the highlights in a new place. So, how do you uncover the finest new adventures?
Here at PeakVisor, we’re also fans of the best discoveries. That’s why we invented the PeakVisor app, and it's why we are announcing our brand new “Discover” feature to help you sniff out the best trails anytime you arrive at a new place.
Not all trails lead to beautiful places, but some do. PeakVisor exists to help you find those special routes. Photo: Sergei Poljak
What is our new “Discover” feature, and what’s so great about it?
Our new Discover feature allows you to view the best hikes in your current area, according to the PeakVisor app. It can be your current location or any location in the world that you choose to explore. That means you can find the best hikes around your own home or check out routes from that vacation rental or mountain hut you’ll be visiting this summer.
- Scrolling through every hiking possibility can be time-consuming. The Discover feature allows you to quickly filter a few of the best hikes or itineraries in any given area.
- The PeakVisor app analyzes many factors in deciding which trails to show you, including popularity, points of interest, summits, and attractiveness of the route. The app also prioritizes loops over out-and-back trails, as well as itineraries that include mountain huts.
- We’ve pre-selected the best photos from each trail so you can get an idea of the scenery.
- You can use the Filter feature to remove hikes that are too long or strenuous by setting your maximum vertical gain and the number of hours you want to hike for.
- If you’re not ready to hit the trail yet, you can save the trail in your profile for the future or share it with friends.
How to use the new Discover feature:
Using the Discover feature is about as easy as it gets. Here are the steps:
- Search the “Explore” tab to find a location or use your current location. Locate and tap the binocular icon in the lower right corner.
- You can choose either “Discover Trails Around” or “Trails From Here.” The first option presents regional itineraries; the second shows routes starting directly from your current or explored location. For example, you can tap on a parking lot and find routes right from that parking lot. The same goes for houses, hotels, mountain huts, etc.
The PeakVisor app picked the Aiguillon as the first trail when I selected “Trails From Here.” Great choice; it’s literally my go-to hike after work. What’s so good about it? Well, it’s a loop, it reaches a summit (with a great view), and you can stop off at a nearby alpine lake (Lac du Pontet) if you wish. The app takes these aspects into account when choosing trails. - Are you looking for a full-day hike or just a leisurely afternoon stroll for a picnic? Use the Filter feature to ensure the app knows the suitable parameters for length and elevation gain.
- Check out the selection of trails PeakVisor generates for you. Tap on each one to see the exact elevation profile and other stats, pictures, or a 3D fly-over video you can download and share. You can also save the trail for later or share the link with other friends who have the PeakVisor app.
I was surprised the app knew about this trail. It’s a bit of a local’s secret, but it’s an incredible trail if you’ve got the stamina. Kudos PeakVisor. It even mapped a route from my house. - That’s all there is to it, folks. Now, you’ve got the best trails in any region at your fingertips.
When I selected “Discover Trails Around," the app chose excellent regional trails. Refuge du Glacier Blanc is a mega-classic where you can view the longest glacier in the Écrins. Le Grand Galibier is also a classic, although it’s lesser known. But it’s a great option because you can start from the Col du Galibier and keep the elevation gain under control.
Looks like you’re ready for a summer full of exploration and new adventures. Don’t forget to track all of your adventures on the app. We’ve recently introduced our Trail Karma feature, which gives users a score based on their hiking and contributions to the app. You can get points for tracking your activities and uploading photos of your hike! It’s also a great way to keep track of all your adventures as the years go by.
We Love Feedback!
As always, we will continue to work to provide a better user experience for our loyal mountain enthusiasts. That means we need your input! Did you successfully find new adventures with the PeakVisor app, specifically the Discover feature? Did the app miss any important trails that we should know about?
More generally, what other improvements would you like to see in the app? What tools would you find useful in the mountains? Please let us know; your feedback is a tremendous help in building the app. Contact us with suggestions and questions at peakvisor@routes.tips.
Subscription Plans
Like most mobile apps, a limited version of PeakVisor is free. In our case, the main limitation is that you can only use the app in one location per day. Like most apps, we offer a subscription to access the full extent of the app’s features. There are slight variations depending on your country, but our subscription starts around $4.99/month, $29.99/year, or $89.99 for a lifetime unlimited subscription.
Compare that with the price tag of any other advanced outdoor app. For example, in the U.S., Strava is $11.99/month and $79.99/year. In Europe, it ranges from €8-10/month to €50-75/year. There is no lifetime subscription option. Any way you look at it, it’s far more expensive than PeakVisor.
We’re a small company, and we don’t have to worry about corporate profit margins. That’s why we work day in and day out to make PeakVisor the ultimate adventure planning app, all for the price of a coffee per month.
