How to Use FATMAP to Find Fresh Powder with the Live Snow Layers
Searching for deep powder, heading out on your annual ski-trip, or planning a ski-tour - it’s great to be able to know where the snow is, how much there is right now and how much is due to fall.
Even for those times in-between seasons when you are planning a trail running route or a mountain biking tour, you need to know where you can go without getting stuck in the snow.
With our three Snow Layers you can do exactly this!
Snow Depth, Fresh Snow and Snow Forecast give you all the information you need to not only plan your trip but also be able to make important decisions on equipment and safety.
All three Snow Layers are available to FATMAP Explore members on both mobile and web and can be found in the terrain tools panel by tapping the button on the right-hand-side of the screen.
We’re very happy to be working with our partners at ExoLabs to provide real-time snow conditions to help adventurers make better quality planning and navigation decisions every day.
“Being able to see information such as snow forecasts, snow depth and fresh snow is invaluable to me for planning better, safer ski adventures. With these new tools I’m better informed about how to stay out of trouble, and more likely to find good snow. Next time you see I’ve skied some powder when everyone else thinks it’s all gone, you’ll know why!”
Snow Depth
The Snow Depth layer is updated every 24 hours and gives you a colour coded overlay going from Trace (very small amounts) up to 250cm+.
Knowing exactly how deep the snow is great for planning freeride route and assessing avalanche risk.
Snow depth is currently available in the continental US and the Alps, coming soon to other parts of the world.
Fresh Snow
The Fresh Snow layer will give an indication of where the new snow lies, ideal for getting those first tracks!
It shows you a colour-coded overlay on the map, going from Trace (very small amounts) up to 250cm+.
The Fresh Snow layer is available for the Alps and is coming soon to other parts of the world. It shows data from the previous 72 hours.
Snow Forecast
The Snow Forecast layer shows data for the next 72 hours so you can plan your next trip and head where the snow is falling!
The Snow Forecast layer also shows you a colour-coded overlay on the map, going from Trace (very small amounts) up to 250cm+.
Currently, the Snow Forecast is available for the Alps and is coming soon to other parts of the world.
“We are always in information deficit when it comes to the snowpack, and usable and accurate tools, like the FATMAP Snow Layers, help us address this deficit, making them a valuable part of our avalanche toolkit.”
In the past, maps were static, unchanging. They were a snapshot of a moment in time, made permanent on printed paper or even on a screen. But today, maps aren’t static - they can be a dynamic, real-time representation of not just locations and places, but conditions and context.
The Snow Layers show the power of combining real-time conditions with spatial awareness, which allows for a more detailed and accurate understanding of the world around you.
Planning with detail by combining the Snow Layers with the Custom Tool
We see the map as a canvas to answer questions. In the same way a calculator returns results for queries, so too can the map return answers to detailed planning questions: not only “where has it been snowing recently”, but “what route options do I have today above 2500m on north-facing slopes, where there is at least 15cm of fresh snow?”
This is the power and flexibility of a map that is built from the ground up for outdoor orientation and navigation.
We are also working on expanding the amount of conditions data powering the platform, from wind, precipitation and more, to build the world’s most advanced and powerful outdoor adventure platform.
Join FATMAP Explore today to access the Snow Layers, as well as many more digital tools and benefits with some of the world’s leading outdoor brands, events, magazines and adventure companies!
See you out there,
Team FATMAP