<![CDATA[The Backtrack Log]]>https://blog.backtrackmaps.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!P2sJ!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2229d030-5f72-4670-a010-346a9bf55690_1024x1024.pngThe Backtrack Loghttps://blog.backtrackmaps.comSubstackMon, 04 May 2026 03:46:16 GMT<![CDATA[New on Backtrack: LiDAR terrain layers deliver 10× more detail]]>https://blog.backtrackmaps.com/p/lidar-based-terrain-layershttps://blog.backtrackmaps.com/p/lidar-based-terrain-layersFri, 21 Nov 2025 17:41:00 GMT

All terrain layers have been rebuilt using high-resolution LiDAR data (1m) across the continental US, increasing the level of detail by over 10x.

New overlays—including Aspect, Hillshade, and Slope Highlight—expand your toolkit for understanding terrain.

Start Mapping

The following layers are brand new on the mobile app:

Aspect Shading: Visualize terrain orientation with new aspect shading overlay.

Slope Angle Highlight: New overlay to highlight specific slope angle ranges to identify terrain steepness relevant to your activity.

Aspect Highlight: Highlight customizable aspect ranges to zero in on terrain facing the direction you care about.

Hillshade Layer: A new hillshade layer provides realistic shading and enhances terrain readability across all zoom levels.

Start Mapping

]]><![CDATA[Introducing the Backtrack Log]]>https://blog.backtrackmaps.com/p/introducing-the-backtrack-loghttps://blog.backtrackmaps.com/p/introducing-the-backtrack-logThu, 20 Nov 2025 17:40:00 GMTI launched backtrackmaps.com a little over two years ago to help outdoor recreationists find, plan, and navigate their backcountry trips. Now that we have a growing community of over 5,000 users, I figured it’s time to setup a proper “blog” to give me a way to communicate improvements and updates.

What is Backtrack?

Backtrack is a mapping app designed for outdoor adventure. It lets anyone create, share, and explore highly detailed maps for activities like skiing, biking, hiking, overlanding, and more.

My vision for Backtrack is to make professional-grade mapping easy for anyone, giving everyday adventurers the power of GIS tools without the complexity. I believe the outdoors is safest when knowledge is shared & accessible, including routes, terrain data, and local insights, and I’m building Backtrack to be the platform that makes this possible.

Follow Along

I’ll be posting every few weeks into a couple sections:

  • News & Updates: announcements and improvements to the Backtrack app. Follow the journey of creating the ultimate backcountry mapping tool.

  • Deep Dives: technical articles about the engineering behind Backtrack, including map rendering, GIS pipelines, tile servers, and more.

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