A new mobile app unveiled by Avalanche Canada is providing crowd-sourced observations for public safety.
Executive Director Gilles Valade says this mobile app, called “The Mountain Information Network”, allows users to upload weather, snow pack and avalanche observations in real time.
“It’s basically a crowd-sourcing observation tool used by the public,” he says. “Which means , the public that goes back country skiing or snowmobiling will be able to, with their smart phone , provide some information to other users.”
Back country enthusiasts can also upload photos and the submissions are geo tagged so other people will know where the observations were made.
Valade says this new app will increase safety in more ways than one because users will have to observe their surroundings better.
More information can be found at Avalanche.ca.