Developing an Android/iPhone app for the AT and need some information

[cloud264]

Hey guys,

I'm currently working with some hiking enthusiasts and want to ask a few questions concerning hiking and mobile apps. I'm a Wake Forest University student and working on developing a hiking app that will include social networking and continually updated maps as well as be a one-stop-shop app for basic and advanced needs for through and day hikers hiking on the AT. I can't really go into too much detail at the moment of all the features as we're still developing a business model and what we want to include/exclude. However, with how the app works, it would allow users to send updates of the trail based on GPS and allow all other users to download the most up-to-date map possible. It would help develop a more accurate map and keep things like shelters and water sources completely up-to-date as of the time it was last verified by users (because who really wants to see a shelter demolished or an unclean water source that's supposed to be clean?).

What I want to know is if this app sounds appealing to you and what type of features would you want to see on such an app? The current plan is to focus on the AT and the national/state/local parks the trail runs through as well with intention on expansion. So, what do you guys think? Any feedback is welcomed.

Thanks!

-Jayson

[scree]

First, I'd recommend picking up a copy of The Companion to see what kind of information will be useful: http://www.aldha.org/comp_pdf.htm
Ask yourself, what kind of content is too dynamic for inclusion in a book that only comes out once a year? What would people like to know about immediate and changing conditions in addition to the more static information found in the book? Currently, most of this information is written on paper and stuck to the sides of shelters, on trees, or on signs. While useful and simple, some people do like technology. One thing you might do is hike a bit and see what kind of stuff people post.

A couple things to consider:

- What base maps will you use? Will they be dynamically downloaded or stored on the device? This can take a lot of space.
- The ability to tag things on the trail. Useful items would include springs/water, deadfall or other obstacles, good camping spots, animal or suspicious person alerts / etc. Also allow people to define custom fields/tags/alerts. This is basically a social media model that should also allow other people to vote reports up or down. Alerts will also need an ageing and expiration policy.
-Consider using a limited zone of control. Set a bubble 20-40 miles around the location of the hiker that will be used to determine the alerts a hiker receives. A spring report in Vermont is irrelevant to someone still in North Carolina.
- As an example, consider the following: Mary is a day ahead of Bob. Mary sees that a spring listed in the guide is dry. She tags the spot in the app where the spring should be, selects a report to indicate the spring is dry, and updates it to the server. Bob opens the app that night, and since he's 17 miles away, gets a geotagged alert. He'll then know to get extra water instead of relying on the dry spring.
- The above suggests that your clients would be reporting back to a server, presumably controlled by you, both for updates and to report tags.
- Consider that the GPS won't always be able to find a very accurate location, especially on steep slopes and valleys/cuts with lots of trees. You should consider allowing users to drop pins on the map independent of the reported GPS location, in addition to using rough and/or fine reported GPS coordinates.
- You don't need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to reviewing trail services. For example, it's nice to know that there are restaurants or hotels nearby, but resist the urge to add ratings - Yelp and so on does it just fine.

You'll probably want to play around with Google Maps/Earth API or another GIS set. If you're really intent on going cross platform, code for HTML5 support on a framework like javascript/jquery.

Let me know if you need any other ideas.

[leaftye]

I've mentioned trying to do something like this for the PCT.

My idea was primarily about water sources though. It wouldn't need maps as PCT hikers generally know the water source by name either by memory or by another set of maps. It'd just use the built in gps to present a list of nearby water sources for the user to review. There'd be a few choices, and a comment box. Entries from new or anonymous users would be moderated to ensure the water report gets good data. I would offered moderation duties to a trail angel named Asabat because he had already maintained a water report for years, but he passed away recently while section hiking the PCT.