Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

How do I start recording my ski day?

Open Carve and go to the Record tab. Tap the "Start Recording" button. Make sure you've granted location permissions when prompted. The app will begin tracking your runs and automatically detect lift rides.

Do I need cellular service to track?

No! Carve uses GPS, which works without cellular service. Your phone's GPS receiver communicates directly with satellites. However, the map tiles may not load without an internet connection — consider downloading offline maps in Apple Maps before heading to the mountain.

Why does the app need location permission?

Carve uses your precise GPS location to track your skiing activities. This includes your speed, altitude, distance traveled, and route on the mountain. Location data is stored only on your device and is never uploaded to external servers.

Recording & Tracking

How does lift detection work?

Carve analyzes your movement patterns, speed, altitude changes, and proximity to known ski lifts to automatically identify when you're riding a chairlift or gondola. Lift data comes from OpenStreetMap, a community-maintained database of ski resort infrastructure.

How do I pause and resume recording?

Tap the pause button on the recording screen when you want to take a break. Tap it again to resume. Paused time is excluded from your activity duration and statistics, so your averages stay accurate even during lunch breaks.

My speed seems inaccurate. Why?

GPS accuracy can vary based on several factors:

• Weather conditions (clouds, heavy snow)
• Terrain (steep valleys, dense trees)
• Your device's GPS hardware
• Movement patterns (sudden stops and starts)

Carve applies smoothing algorithms to reduce GPS noise, but some variation is normal. Speeds are estimates, not certified measurements.

The app stopped recording. What happened?

This can happen if:

• iOS suspended the app to save battery
• You denied location permission
• The device ran out of battery

For best results, ensure "While Using the App" or "Always" location permission is granted, and keep Carve in the foreground while recording.

Speed Heatmaps

What do the heatmap colours mean?

Speed heatmaps colour-code your GPS trace based on how fast you were going. Cool blues and greens represent slower speeds, while warm oranges and reds show where you were at your fastest. The colour scale is based on the speed range of each individual run.

3D Replay

How does 3D Replay work?

Carve downloads real terrain elevation data and satellite imagery for the area of your run, then reconstructs the mountain in 3D. You can watch your run from a cinematic drone camera, an overhead view, or fly freely around the scene.

3D Replay is loading slowly. Why?

The first time you replay a run in 3D, Carve downloads terrain elevation tiles for that area. This requires an internet connection and may take a few seconds depending on the size of the area. Once downloaded, terrain data is cached locally so subsequent replays load much faster.

Run-by-Run Comparison

How do I compare two runs?

From any activity in your logbook, tap the compare button and select two runs to compare. You'll see their GPS paths overlaid on a map, along with side-by-side altitude and speed profiles. A synchronised replay lets you watch both runs play out together.

Data & Privacy

Where is my data stored?

All your ski activity data is stored locally on your device in a secure database. It is not uploaded to any external servers. You can optionally back up your data to iCloud through Settings > Data & Backup.

How do I back up my data?

Go to Settings > Data & Backup and tap "Backup Now". Your data will be encrypted and stored in your personal iCloud account. You can restore from this backup on any device signed into the same iCloud account.

How do I delete my account?

Go to Settings > Account > Delete Account. This will permanently delete your account and sign you out. Note that local ski data remains on your device — delete the app to remove all local data.

Importing Data

Can I import from other ski apps?

Yes! Carve supports importing GPX files from other ski tracking apps like Slopes. Go to Settings > Import from Apps > Slopes and follow the instructions to export a GPX file from the other app and import it into Carve.

What data is imported from GPX files?

GPX imports include GPS coordinates, altitude, speed, and timestamps. Carve will automatically analyze the imported data to detect runs and lift rides, just like a live recording.

Troubleshooting

The app crashed. What should I do?

Carve automatically reports crashes to help us improve the app. Simply restart the app and try again. If the problem persists, try:

• Force-quit and reopen the app
• Restart your device
• Update to the latest version of Carve
• Contact support if the issue continues

Lift detection isn't working at my resort.

Lift detection relies on OpenStreetMap data. If lifts at your resort aren't being detected:

• The resort's lifts may not be mapped in OpenStreetMap yet
• You may be at a smaller resort with limited mapping

You can contribute lift data to OpenStreetMap to help improve detection for everyone!

Contact Us

Can't find what you're looking for? We're happy to help!

Email: angel@angelterziev.com

Please include:

• Your device model and iOS version
• The version of Carve you're using
• A description of the issue
• Steps to reproduce the problem (if applicable)

We typically respond within 24-48 hours.

Feature Requests

Have an idea for Carve? We'd love to hear it! Email us at angel@angelterziev.com with your suggestions.