It just got a lot easier to track your mountain
treks.
Due to an Apple Watch update that combines
GPS and altimeter (altitude) measuring, ski
apps are now able to quantify performance. If
you’re wondering how many calories you’ve
burned or how fast you were going, all that
data is available and more.
The new features are rolling out today, with
Ski Tracks, Slopes , Snocru , Snoww, and
Squaw Valley’s apps all getting updates. They
are most compatible with Apple Watch Series
3 and an updated operating system of
watchOS 4.2.
TechCrunch had the opportunity to get a
sneak preview of the apps.
Slopes was one of our favorites. The app lets
you track your vertical feet, distance, heart
rate, and lets you know exactly how much
time you’re spending skiing versus waiting in
lines and riding lifts. And it’s not just skiers.
Slopes works for snowboarders, too. It tells
you both your top and average speeds. It also
shows you a map of your journey. The app
auto-detects when you’re idle, so there’s no
need to stop and restart with each run. The
app is free, but users can upgrade to “Season
Pass” for $19.99 per year and receive terrain
and satellite maps and more.
Snoww is
another app
that helped us
gauge
performance. It
also has the
added focus of
helping us
connect and
compete with
friends. The
latest update
allows users to
find their
friends’
locations and access the app hands-free via
Siri (important for when it’s freezing cold).
There are leaderboards for tracking distance,
speed, runs, hours and vertical feet. You can
compare yourself against friends and also
other local users of the app. Winners can
unlock virtual “trophies,” although we think
you’ll feel like a winner as long as you’re
performing at your personal best.
And if you are a fan of Lake Tahoe skiing,
check out Squaw Valley’s app the next time
you’re there. The mountain that was proudly
the home of the 1960 Olympics, is looking to
provide a modern ski experience, with an app
that enables users to get real-time updates on
wait times and lift closures. It will even tell
you whether your friends are halfway up a
chairlift, or nearing the bottom of a run. You
can also purchase lift tickets and send group
messages directly via the app. Workout
metrics like average speeds and vertical feet
are available, too.