New Feature: Photo Waypoints

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We are beyond excited to announce that one of the most requested features is live on CalTopo: Photo Waypoints! This feature is now available to users with a pro, desktop, or team subscription on the web and mobile app.

Have you ever wanted to attach an overview photo of your route or include a picture you took from across the valley? How about uploading an image of a clue from a search that could be really important later? Or documenting an important creek crossing or turn to catch on your approach?

Well, look no further- photo waypoints has you covered.

There are so many uses for this feature and it goes beyond just waypoints. Photos can be attached to markers, lines, polygons, and tracks, or simply uploaded to a map for later reference. 

Photo waypoints allow you to easily capture visual information on your map.

Customize your map by turning on or off thumbnail visibility as desired.  You can also view larger versions of your photos in the media viewer as well as download the full size version to your computer or mobile device.

Side by side screenshots of the media viewer on the web (left) and mobile app (right).

Photo waypoints is available on both the web and mobile app. Like all other maps or map objects in CalTopo, photos added to maps on one platform will auto sync with the other platform, making it easy to add and access visual information on your map.

There are several different ways to add photos from your computer and phone, including taking a photo directly in the app. For more information on how to use this feature, check out the comprehensive guide on the Photo Waypoints page of our user guide.

What are you waiting for? Go try it out! If you don’t have access to this feature, consider upgrading to a pro subscription or higher at caltopo.com/join. If you have questions or feedback, let us know below or email us at help@caltopo.com.

New Feature: Heading Up

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Referred to by an array of names, we are excited to announce that Heading Up (also known as “Track Up”) mode is now live in the CalTopo mobile app!

This feature has come highly requested by many different types of users, including Search and Rescue members needing to follow a predetermined route, drivers navigating dirt roads, and backcountry users wondering which trail to take at a junction. 

Feature requests for this functionality have been frequent, both via email and through our Feature Request Forum. We even crowdsourced user input as we were creating this new feature (thanks to everyone who contributed their thoughts!).

Side note: if you have other feature requests, go upvote existing posts or create your own on the forum! The Feature Request forum is the main place where we track and monitor user feedback.

Mobile App Changes

Gone are the days of only being able to navigate with north up map orientation in the mobile app! You now have two options for orienting your map when you are displaying your GPS location: Locked mode and Heading Up mode.

In Locked mode, your map’s orientation is fixed. The map viewer will center on your location and the blue heading arrow will move to indicate which direction your device is currently facing. This was previously called “Keep Centered” in the 4-dot Location menu.

In Locked mode the map orientation is fixed and the blue heading arrow moves to reflect the direction you are facing.

In Heading Up mode, your map moves with you! In this mode, the map viewer will also center on your location but the entire map will rotate based on the direction that the device is facing. If you use Heading Up while tracking yourself on an outing, then the direction you are traveling will always be at the top of your screen. 

Check it out in action! In the video below you can see how the entire map rotates as you do, keeping the heading (or the direction you are facing) up at the top of the map viewer.

You can find detailed instructions on how to interact with and use Locked mode and Heading Up mode in the Orienting the Map section of our user guide.

We hope you are excited to give this feature a try! Got comments or questions about this new feature? Let us know below or email us at help@caltopo.com.

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