SummitPost.org

Hey all - anybody tried this? Seems like a neat idea if you happen to have reception ... think it's worth the $2.97? http://www.peakfinder.org/usa-west/
Thanks!
Howie

Your post inspired me to download it because it was cheap (if it sucks, I'm only out a few bucks).

My first impression is a positive one. I use it on the iPhone.

I think it's pretty cool and will be really helpful when I'm out of town, i.e., out of my local climbing region. I'll be able to identify peaks much easier that I've never seen before.

I haven't looked at every feature yet. I do like the compass tool. It makes the viewing image swing around in almost real time with the speed you swing the phone around (say from west to south). It can rotate this fast because the image displayed is just bare-bones lines so the rendering time is very fast.

The compass tool got me to thinking: if there were no trees and buildings around my house here in Seattle, could I see Mt. Rainier? The app says I would be able to. I'm not so sure, but maybe. I may never know.

Of course, with Location Services turned on, the phone battery will get sucked dry quickly, so one has to remember to turn it back off.

Peakfinder USA will work well in conjunction with the Topo maps app I have installed on my phone.

Very cool Klenke - thanks for test driving it! I think I'll give it a shot as soon as they release the USA West version for the Android.

Thanks,
Howie

I purchased the "PeakFinder" app as well as a free app called "All-Trails" for my IPhone. I regularly will fly somewhere that I have never been before with my goals being to climb and hike until I hurt (3-4 days.)
Peakfinder: interesting and useful in a "for fun" kind of way, even works well with minimal to no reception.
All-trails: great app! was right on with many trail-heads, areas to climb, GPS and terrain:) I used this over 20 times last week in AZ and UT and was VERY HAPPY (for a freebie.)

Hope this helps!

Review update after having used the tool in the Las Vegas area and Zion N.P..

The stick outline for the terrain came up quickly for the new areas I was in but the peak names over the top didn't always load right away or didn't load in completeness (some major mountains never received labels). I'm not sure why this was. Is the database incomplete or something else? In this regard, the tool is slow or not functional. I just don't have time to stand there all day holding the phone up asking "are the peak labels going to appear or not?"

Like my Topo app, the unit works off GPS for locating your position so you don't have to be connected with any cell towers.

I did notice while standing atop Angels Landing in Zion the following:
The Big White Throne is right across the canyon and looms quite a bit higher than Angels Landing. This means you have to angle the camera skyward quite a bit more than usual and even then the outline for TBWT didn't come into view (it was still out of frame). So that nearby higher peak couldn't be identified. So I question the usefulness of Peakfinder for close-by peaks that loom well higher than the elevation of the point you are standing at.

Paul

@Klenke: This is true. PeakFinder has some weaknesses when you use it e.g. from a valley or in front of a close peak. But when you are on top of a peak it's an amazing app!

The app is available also for Android and new areas like 'USA East' and 'Canada West' now (see http://www.peakfinder.org)