Hikers who have conquered some
of the most challenging trails and want to show off these
accomplishments can now memorialize their impressive feats in stunning
3D-printed sculptures made from their GPS tracks.
Nice Trails, a project started by Oscar Ardaiz, a computer science
Ph.D. candidate based in Barcelona, Spain, creates models, or
"trophies," that visualize GPS-tracked hiking trails, cycling trails or other mountainous routes in three dimensions.
A user can simply upload and save a GPS track to the project's website,
and Nice Trails will create a 3D-printed replica of the path and the
surrounding terrain. The company said it takes about two weeks to
produce each customized trophy, and the models can include such details
as lakes, forested areas, grasslands and snow cover — with the GPS path
traced in red. [11 Outdoor Gifts for Exploring Our Amazing Planet]Ardaiz said the inspiration for Nice Trails came from his own longing for a special keepsake to commemorate climbing Washington's Mount Rainier.
"One day, back from climbing Mount Rainier, I was revisiting the trail
with my phone, and while I was so proud and happy of the hike, I felt
that that line on a flat map didn't quite represent the awesomeness of
the day spent conquering the top," Ardaiz wrote in a description of the
project on the Nice Trails website. "So I really wanted to view my track
in 3D, to see the crests and valleys that I crossed."
The hollow models are made with a gypsum-based powder bound with an adhesive, according to Nice Trails.
The trophies are available in three sizes: The smallest size, measuring
1.97 inches (5 centimeters) long, retails for $55; the medium size (and
most popular, according to Nice Trails) measures 3.94 inches (10 cm)
long and retails for $111; the largest measures 5.91 inches (15 cm) long
and retails for $167.
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