Real-time safety network for freeride & backcountry ski groups (no cell signal needed)
Hello everyone,
Looking for honest feedback on an app idea before committing to development.
It is difficult to explain the idea and not violate reddit rules. If i do so, I apologize.
**The Situation**
Most ski groups aren't backcountry expeditions. They're friends of mixed ability who
spend 90% of their day on groomed runs – and occasionally venture into sidecountry,
tree runs, or untracked terrain between lifts. No transceivers, no probes. They didn't
plan a backcountry day. They just followed the snow.
This is the norm, not the exception. It's how the majority of recreational skiers
actually ski.
**The Problem**
When a group splits on off-piste terrain, there's no reliable way to know if someone
is delayed, disoriented, or injured. Cell coverage is inconsistent or absent.
The standard response is to wait at an agreed meeting point and hope.
That works until it doesn't.
The people who need help most in these situations are precisely those without
avalanche equipment – because they never intended to need it.
**The Idea: PowderMate**
A mobile app that provides basic group awareness for recreational ski groups,
designed for everyday use – not just expert expeditions.
Core functionality I'm validating:
- **Automatic alert** when a group member's signal has been absent beyond a
defined threshold
- **Last known position** logged and visible to the group
- **Real-time location sharing** across the group, mountain-wide
- **Offline-capable** via mesh networking between devices – no cell signal required
No dedicated hardware. No subscription. Designed to be opened at the lift, not
studied at home.
**Positioning**
This is not a backcountry safety tool. It doesn't replace transceivers, probes or
shovels, and it doesn't pretend to. It fills the gap for recreational skiers who
operate in the grey zone between groomed piste and committed backcountry – a segment
that existing solutions (Garmin inReach, RECCO, dedicated avalanche apps) largely
ignore because they're built for a different user.
**Where I Am**
Concept stage. Landing page live – collecting waitlist signups to decide whether to invest in development.
Questions I'm trying to answer:
Does this reflect a situation you've encountered in a normal ski group?
What would prevent your group from actually using it on the mountain?
Is there something already solving this that I'm not aware of?
What would the app need to do to become a default part of your ski day?
Thank You @all