After more than 20 years in print, Canada’s most complete outdoor recreation guidebooks have gone digital. The Backroad Mapbooks series is now available as an app.

Released in May 2015, the new BRMB Navigator app features up-to-date topographical maps, complete with access points, trail information and activity descriptions. It also comes with adventure layers, which allow users to locate all the available locations for their selected activity—be it snowmobiling, ATVing, fishing or other pursuits. 

With the app, users can plan and map out their adventures ahead of time, or track and share them with family and friends via social media.

But what if there’s no cell service? The BRMB Navigator app allows users to download offline maps, which are kept in the phone’s storage, so that they can be viewed with or without cell service.

The Backroad Mapbooks series was the brainchild of brothers Russell and Wesley Mussio, who are both avid outdoor explorers. Their publishing company, Mussio Ventures Ltd., is located in Coquitlam, B.C.

Moving with the times was an obvious reason why the company decided to go digital, but according to Russell, safety played a leading role as well.

“The app is really one of the first to chart all of the backcountry attractions in Canada,” said Russell in a June 1 press release. “We want to let people know all of these great opportunities, and we also want to keep them safe at the same time,” he said. “Detailed navigation aids can be the key to having a safe trip, and I think we’ve really accomplished that with the BRMB Navigator app.”

Go to Google Play or the iTunes store to get the BRMB Navigator app. It’s free for 30 days. More information can be found on the website.