If you are like me, you were excited by the concept of putting web content for viewing on your iPhone. For me, this would be especially valuable in Boulder Canyon, where cell phone reception is non-existent, the routes are plentiful, and the current paper guides are either missing information, or inaccurate. I tried a few methods to get the information on the phone, and found the best way to store content was to save the web pages, and use a special application available at the app store to transfer and view the web page on the phone. Here is how:

1) Aquire Air Sharing from the App Store. It is free until Sept. 22, 2008. After that, you must pay $6.99.
2) Open your favourite Mountain project Guide in Safari, and click the "Print a Mini-Guide - Includes Routes!" link. This will prompt you to select routes for you guide, I usually select all.
3) Select "Save as..." from the file menu, and save the "printable page" as a web archive to a local directory.
4) Connect to the Air Sharing Application on your iPhone by creating an ad-hoc network with your computer, or connecting to your wireless network. I found a very good tutorial on how to use Air Sharing here: lifehacker.com/5047136/air-sharing-transfers-files-between-i>>>.
5) Copy the web archives over to the phone.

To view your guide, open the air sharing application, and click the webarchive you have saved. One nice thing is that folders work with air sharing, so I tend to create a new folder for each area to keep things organized. In the future, I will probably write some code that can grab the pages automagically from the web and keep a nightly updated archive on my computer which I can "sync" with my iPhone. I'll keep you posted.

Don't have a mac? There are a couple of options. Since safari is based on WebKit, if you are running linux, you may be able to use Konquorer (which also uses webkit) to create the web archives. This has not been verified however.

If you are on windows, the only course of action is to save the web pages as a PDF. This can be done by "printing" the page to a pdf. There are a number of free pdf printing programs out there. The problem with the pdfs (as I discvoered) is that they are fairly large, and the iPhone cannot handle them in viewing mode. I recommend saving only 3-8 routes per PDF and then it should work fine, depending on the number of photos. This is kind of a pain, but will work. If I get the program working for nightly updates, it will also work with windows. Again, I'll keep you posted.

Anyway, let me know if you find this useful!

cheers.
-chris

Here is a free method for the less technically savvy (like me):

1) Download the free application called YouNote.

2) Using the browser portion of this application, go to MP and take a screenshot of the page(s) you want. You can then name them, and store it for later viewing at the crag.

I have used this with reasonable success when I just wanted a few pages. It is a bit tedious, but it's free and idiot-proof.

On another note, I went for a night hike last week in an unfamiliar area, and didn't have a trail map. I took a photo of the map at the trailhead sign with my iPhone, and later while on trail was able to view the image and zoom in. Worked like a charm.

Clever, there are other utilities that could do this also: iwebsaver.com/ is another that converts a webpage to a data URL that can be stored as a bookmark. Basically a data URL is an entire webpage encoded into a URL - your bookmarks become the content.

This site describes a few methods to do this conversion:
blog.clawpaws.net/post/2007/07/16/Storing-iPhone-apps-locall>>>

An enhancement COULD be made to MP to do this encoding on-site. Like the "print a mini-guide" link, a link could be generated to "save to iPhone" and then all we'd have to do is just bookmark the MP-generated data URL. The advantage to that is no external software needed, just browse to the page with your phone and bookmark.

Mark, Does that data also include the pictures?

-chris

Thanks for posting this. This is a great solution for anyone who has a mobile phone with a browser.

Personally, I'm going to stick to using Air Sharing, because it allows me to get everything working on my home computer, and organize my personal guide book with folders, and also pick, and choose elements from the guide book to bring to the crag.

cheers.
-chris

Are you guys aware that Mountain Project has an iPhone interface specifically for the routes database?

www.mountainproject.com/v/mountain_project_news/new_mp_on_yo>>>

JL

So maybe I'm stupid but I don't see the link to Print a Mini-guide.

Can someone give me a clue?
Mal

Admin (Nick),

Would it be possible to change some features in MP that wud facilitate better PDF guides like they have on Dr Topo. Currently, the mini-guide prntout is pretty generic, prints all pics & all comments, so pages r v. long. Maybe provide designation of route pics vs glam shots, and allow selection of only route descrption. also good would be a selection of prntng whole area mini guide w/ all crags to one file w/abve selections, so in pretty compact form. Wud hlp desgn/test new features!

Please see our recent mobile app Request For Proposal here:

www.mountainproject.com/v/mountain_project_news/request_for_>>>