Terms of Service
Effective March 1, 2026 · British Columbia, Canada
1. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing or using Backcountry Aspect (“the Application”), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the Application.
We may modify these Terms with 30 days' notice for material changes, provided via email or in-app notification. Continued use after the notice period constitutes acceptance.
2. Eligibility and Account Registration
You must be at least 18 years old to create an account. Users under 18 may use the Application with a parent or guardian's consent and supervision.
Account creation requires a valid email address. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials. You may delete your account at any time via app settings or by contacting support@backcountryaspect.com.
3. Subscription Tiers and Pricing
| Tier | Price | AI Assessments |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 1/month |
| Premium | $39 CAD/year | 10/month |
| Guide | $99 CAD/year | Unlimited |
| Founding Member | $29 CAD/year (first 50) | 10/month |
| Day Pass | $5.99 CAD/24hrs | Premium features |
Price increases require 60 days' written notice. Existing billing periods are not affected. Founding Member pricing is locked permanently for the first 50 subscribers.
4. Payment and Billing
Payments are processed by Helcim in Canadian dollars (CAD). Applicable taxes (GST/PST) are added at checkout. We do not store full credit card numbers.
Failed payments are retried up to 3 times over 7 days, after which access is suspended. Annual subscriptions are eligible for a full refund within 14 days of purchase. Day passes are non-refundable once activated. Duplicate charges are corrected within 48 hours.
Cancellation takes effect immediately but you retain access until the end of the current billing period. Your account reverts to the Free tier. Contact: support@backcountryaspect.com.
5. Intellectual Property Rights
The Application is owned and operated by Backcountry Aspect. All intellectual property rights in the Application's code, design, and original content are reserved.
Data displayed in the Application is sourced from third-party providers including Avalanche Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), and others. See the Feature-Specific Disclaimers for details.
User-generated content (saved locations, annotations) remains your property. You grant us a non-exclusive license to store and display it within the Application. User content is deleted within 30 days of account deletion.
Brian AI assessments are algorithmic model outputs, not human expert evaluations. They are not warranted as correct, complete, or suitable for any particular purpose.
6. Limitations on Liability and Assumption of Risk
This Application is NOT:
- A professional avalanche forecast
- A substitute for guide services or avalanche safety training
- Expert judgment about terrain, snowpack, or weather
- Medical or emergency advice
- A guarantee of terrain safety
Data accuracy is limited by source resolution and update frequency. Weather data may be 30-120 minutes old. Slope angle calculations have ±2-5 degree accuracy. Danger ratings are regional forecasts from Avalanche Canada and may not reflect conditions at your specific location. Brian AI assessments are statistical model outputs that may be incomplete, inaccurate, or misleading.
Warranty Disclaimer
THE APPLICATION IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.
IN NO EVENT SHALL BACKCOUNTRY ASPECT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF LIFE, ARISING FROM USE OF THE APPLICATION. DIRECT DAMAGES ARE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT PAID IN THE PRIOR 12 MONTHS ($0 FOR FREE TIER USERS).
By using the Application in avalanche terrain, you acknowledge and accept the inherent risks of backcountry travel including, but not limited to, avalanches, terrain hazards, extreme weather, injury, and death.
7. Privacy and Data Handling
We collect account data (email), usage data (pin locations, assessment history), and payment data (processed by Helcim; no card numbers stored). We do not sell personal data.
Data may be shared with service providers (Helcim, Netlify, Turso) and legal authorities when required. See our full Privacy Policy for details.
Contact: support@backcountryaspect.com
8. Data Retention and Deletion
- Account data: deleted 30 days after account termination
- Usage logs (IP, timestamps): deleted after 90 days
- User content (saved locations): deleted 30 days after account termination
- Billing records: retained 7 years (CRA compliance)
- Aggregated/anonymous data: retained indefinitely
9. Acceptable Use
You agree not to:
- Use the Application for any illegal purpose
- Attempt unauthorized access to any part of the Application
- Scrape, crawl, or automatically extract data
- Reverse engineer or decompile the Application
- Share account credentials with others
- Redistribute data commercially without authorization
Violations may result in immediate suspension or permanent ban.
10. Service Availability
We do not guarantee uptime or availability. The Application may be interrupted for maintenance, updates, or circumstances beyond our control. Service discontinuation requires 30 days' notice with a pro-rata refund for paid subscribers.
11. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Backcountry Aspect from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from your use of the Application, violation of these Terms, or violation of applicable law. This indemnification does not apply to claims arising from our gross negligence or willful misconduct.
12. Dispute Resolution and Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of British Columbia, Canada. Any disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of British Columbia.
Before initiating legal proceedings, please contact support@backcountryaspect.com. We commit to responding within 14 days.
Claims must be brought within 1 year of the cause of action. If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.
13. General Provisions
These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Backcountry Aspect regarding use of the Application. Failure to enforce any provision does not waive future enforcement. We may assign these Terms; you may not without our consent.
Contact: support@backcountryaspect.com
14. Feature-Specific Disclaimers
Pin-Drop Terrain Data
Slope angles are derived from digital elevation models and may vary ±2-5 degrees from actual terrain. Aspect classifications are computed from topographic data. This is descriptive data, not a field measurement.
Avalanche Danger Ratings
Danger ratings are sourced from Avalanche Canada and apply to regional forecast zones. Conditions can change between the time a forecast is issued and your arrival in the field. Local observation always supersedes regional forecasts.
Weather Data
Weather data is station-specific and may differ significantly from conditions at your location. Data may be 30-120 minutes old depending on the station and update frequency.
Brian AI Terrain Assessments
Brian is a statistical model that synthesizes available data. It has never been to your slope. Assessments may be incomplete, inaccurate, or misleading. They are not suitable as the sole basis for go/no-go decisions. Use alongside all other available information and your own field observations.
Historical Data
Historical avalanche and weather records may be incomplete or biased toward reported incidents. The absence of historical events does not indicate safety.
15. Medical Disclaimer
The Application does not provide medical advice. In an emergency, call 911 or use a satellite communication device (inReach, Garmin, SPOT). The Application is not a substitute for emergency communication equipment.
16. Risk Acknowledgment
By using Backcountry Aspect, you acknowledge that:
- •Backcountry Aspect is a decision-support tool, not a guarantee of safety
- •Backcountry travel involves inherent risks including avalanches, terrain hazards, extreme weather, injury, and death
- •Data may be inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated
- •No application can eliminate the risks of backcountry travel
- •You are solely responsible for your own safety and the safety of your party
- •You will verify terrain conditions on-site through direct observation
- •You will seek professional training and expert judgment appropriate to the terrain
- •You will not rely solely on this Application for go/no-go decisions
- •You accept full responsibility for the consequences of your decisions in the backcountry
Questions about these terms? Contact support@backcountryaspect.com