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Course Details

The Backpacking Light Masterclass How to Use Gaia GPS provides a trusted and methodical framework that gives hikers and other backcountry enthusiasts the confidence to use Gaia GPS to plan their own adventures.

Learning how to plan and track hiking and backpacking trips is challenging because so much information and education has been developed by those who lack deep trip planning and expedition experience or expertise. In this masterclass, expert instruction combined with methodical, intuitive education simplifies and enhances the process of learning.

Hands-on, step-by-step video tutorials featuring both the Gaia GPS desktop and mobile apps combined with comprehensive field case studies are used to solidify key concepts in an easy-to-understand manner.

how to use gaia gps screenshot animated demo

This course is targeted primarily to adventurers pursuing human-powered outdoor sports: hiking, backpacking, trail running, packrafting, mountain biking, bikepacking, mountaineering, canoe & kayak tripping, river-running, backcountry ski touring, snowshoeing, and more. The focus is on backcountry exploration.

This online, self-paced video course provides more than 4 hours of video content in 19 modules (see below for curriculum).

Example screenshots:


Course Curriculum

Module 1

Introduction to Gaia GPS for hiking and backcountry travel

Module 2

User interface / product tour of the Gaia GPS website app

Module 3

User interface / product tour of the Gaia GPS mobile app

Module 4

How to study the Gaia GPS map for trip and route planning

Module 5

How to show or hide map elements in Gaia GPS with overlay vs visibility toggles

Module 6

How to build your personal map library in Gaia GPS

Module 7

What maps should I add to my library for planning backpacking trips in Gaia GPS?

Module 8

How to access your saved data in Gaia GPS – using the map vs. your data library

Module 9

How and why to personalize key settings in Gaia GPS

Module 10

How to download maps to your device in Gaia GPS

Module 11

How does Gaia GPS sync work?

Module 12

How to create, edit, and manage waypoints in Gaia GPS

Module 13

How to create, edit, and manage routes in Gaia GPS

Module 14

How to setup a folder hierarchy and manage your data in Gaia GPS

Module 15

Considerations for sharing geo-tagged routes, tracks, and photos

Module 16

How to print maps in Gaia GPS

Module 17

How to use Gaia GPS to plan, track, and organize day hikes

Module 18

Case Study: How to use Gaia GPS to plan, track, and organize a multi-day backpacking trip

Module 19

Live Q&A with Gaia GPS