GPS Rescue Tool Sees Uptick in Use at Ski Areas
I've never put much effort into learning the names of ski runs. Even at my home mountain, I never thought twice about it. That is until a ski patroller reminded me how much easier it is for them to find injured people if they can tell patrol exactly where they are. Luckily for folks like me or those who are skiing a mountain they're unfamiliar with, a GPS rescue tool called AirFlare has seen a large uptick in use across US ski areas during the 2024/25 season. Want to keep up with the best stories and photos in skiing? Subscribe to the new Powder To The People newsletter for weekly updates.
AirFlare, among other features, allows ski patrollers to find a guest's exact GPS coordinates. Even for guests without an AirFlare subscription, the AirFlare platform allows search parties to request a location from a guest via text message. Upon receipt and approval, the lost person's phone will automatically send their coordinates back to the search party. Users can also get an AirFlare app subscription, which transforms their phone into a mobile wilderness rescue beacon. Across the US, ski areas using AirFlare reported a 27 percent increase in their use of the tool, which helped initiate 2,500 rescues nationwide. One ski area reported 370 searches were done using the AirFlare tool this season, and others averaged 87 searches throughout the season over 57 the previous year. Company officials attribute the increase in use to better integration of AirFlare in day-to-day patrol practices. The tool is also applicable in a wide range of scenarios and has significantly decreased patrol response times as well as the number of patrollers needed to be deployed to find a guest. "When we actually have an AirFlare location for them, we no longer need to send three people to go look for one person. Now, we can more accurately find where they are and narrow it down. So it's decreased response times for sure," said Purgatory ski patrol director Blayne Woods. As of this season, four new ski areas were added to an already impressive roster of resorts using the tool. Currently, Berkshire East, Bridger Bowl, Brundage Mountain, Burke Mountain, Crystal Mountain, Diamond Peak, Jay Peak, Magic Mountain, Mt. Ashland, Mt. Hood SkiBowl, Purgatory, Powder Mountain, Schweitzer, Sierra at Tahoe, Silver Mountain Resort, Soldier Mountain, and Tamarack all utilize AirFlare.
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