Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does AltiTrek require an internet connection?

No. AltiTrek operates completely offline. Your phone connects directly to global positioning GPS satellites without mobile reception. When browsing trails in your area while online, track data is cached to the phone for offline wilderness navigation.

2. How is altitude calculated?

AltiTrek reads data from the phone's internal hardware barometric pressure sensor alongside GPS signals. This delivers responsive vertical ascent and descent readings and enables AltiTrek to detect rapid barometric pressure drops that signal incoming storm fronts.

3. Connecting a Smartwatch / Heart Rate Monitor

AltiTrek pairs with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) smartwatches and heart rate monitors:

• Step 1: Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and open AltiTrek.
• Step 2: In AltiTrek, tap Settings → Sensors & Watch.
• Step 3: Tap "Connect Watch / HR Monitor" and select your device from the list.
• Step 4: Live heart rate (BPM) and aerobic training zones will display on the home screen during the trek.

4. Using the To-Do / Bucket List Feature

Trails can be added to the To-Do list by tapping "Tracks in Area" on the Home screen and selecting "📌 + TO-DO", or manually using "+ ADD TRACK" in the Journal.

When a trail is completed, tapping "COMPLETE & RATE" records a 1–5 star rating and personal review, moving the trail directly into the completed list without duplicating records.

5. Exporting PDF Reports and Social Cards

From the Journal tab, tap on any completed trek and select "PDF Report" or "Share Card". AltiTrek generates high-resolution documents locally on the device, complete with elevation graphs, telemetry summaries, and recorded waypoint photos.

6. Replaying Completed Treks on the Map

Open the Journal tab and tap any completed trek or imported GPX route to open the route replay viewer:

• 2D / 3D Map View: Tap the 3D button to tilt the map and see elevation pillars showing how steep the hills were along your route.
• Timeline Slider: Drag your finger along the slider at the bottom to see your speed, heart rate (BPM), elevation, and hill angle at any point on the trip.
• Trail Highlights: The app automatically detects critical topographic milestones: the Crux (maximum sustained climb gradient), peak velocity, and maximum summit elevation.
• Full Screen: Tap the expand button in the corner to switch between full-screen map view and the side-by-side stats breakdown.

7. Following a Past Trek or GPX Route (Re-Ride / Re-Hike)

To follow a past trip or a GPX track shared by a friend:

• Open any completed trek in the Journal to view the route.
• Tap the green "Start Trek" button at the bottom of the screen.
• AltiTrek immediately loads the route into offline turn-by-turn navigation with bearing compass guidance and spoken distance updates.