Spotting cliffs before you commit to a line

The problem

Unfamiliar or convex terrain is hard to read from a distance — a slope that looks like a smooth roll from above can end in a drop you don't see until you're on top of it.

Why it happens

The Cliff / No-Fall layer is computed directly from the elevation model's slope angle: 50–60° is flagged as steep, no-fall terrain, and 60°+ as an outright cliff.

How to check it in First Chair

Map layer

Shot line, Steepness lens

Open this view in the app →

1. Turn on the Cliff layer

   Switch it on before dropping into terrain you don't know well.

2. Look along your intended line

   Anything flagged is steep enough that a fall has real consequences, not just an inconvenient one.

3. Point the lens at the slope ahead

   In Shoot/Compass mode, the cliff markings overlay directly on the real terrain in your camera view, so you can read the break before you're on it.

4. Treat flagged terrain as a stopping point

   Stop and look from there, rather than guessing and continuing.