The 5 Best Apps for Snowboarders

Just like anything else, if you need answers for something related to snowboarding, there’s an app for that. There are a bunch of them. Here are a few of my favorite apps to use while getting some turns in.

1. Strava

It’s not just for your weird ultramarathon running cousin who thinks Hokas double as formal wear!

Strava has been my go-to fitness tracker for everything from running to cycling to rock climbing. Snowboarding is no exception. The app combines the good parts of social media (photos, location tagging) with fitness necessities (total mileage, calories burned, max speed) to be your go-to tracker. It’s not just for alpinists either.

Midwestern rider Tommy Gesme has been posting his tow rope sessions at Hyland Hills in Minnesota. He logged 119 high-speed rope tow runs in a little less than four hours of riding. You can do the same.

2. OnTheSnow

Perhaps the only app that I use more than Google Maps is OnTheSnow. You can follow your favorite resorts and ski areas to keep track of snowfall totals and snow conditions and have them all in one place.

The app also provides weekend snow forecasts to keep you in the loop for the best powder in your area and provides an instant look at ski cams and firsthand reports from resorts across the country. There’s also an interactive feature for users to post their own conditions reports.

3. Ikon Pass App

If you have an Ikon Pass, and you don’t have the Ikon Pass app, what’re you doing?

There are a few key features that set this app apart from competitors. Sure, logistically, you need the app to smoothly transfer buddy passes to your friends, reserve days at ski resorts that need reserving, and find out how many days remaining at each mountain you have. There are so many more key features, though.

My favorite? The ability to share your session with your friends and family, and track where they are on a map throughout the day. That means no more spending half the day trying to track down that friend who ducked into the trees for just a little too long.

The Ikon app also has a leaderboard feature that shows which skiers and snowboarders have logged the most days at each Ikon member resort.

4. Slopes

This is probably the most popular ski and snowboard-specific app for tracking your runs on the, well, slopes. You can use it to keep track of vertical, runs, distance, and speed. The app will also differentiate your time traveling downhill versus uphill.

5. OnX

Sometimes, you want to get into the backcountry, but with the backcountry comes a lack of cell phone service. Usually, that’s a good thing until you need to know where you’re going. OnX gives you essential information on trail networks, campsites, backcountry ski routes, and public land boundaries, so you’re able to combine all the things you need to know into one single app.

There are a bunch of different modes, so you can use it for mountain biking, rock climbing, and backpacking in the offseason. Snow mode provides slope angles, avalanche forecasts, and guidebook-quality routes.

Related: The 7 Best Resorts for Snowboarding in North America