Google Maps just got a big update for your ski trip, and it’s all thanks to the reaction from snow sports lovers.

• Google Maps has brought ski slopes back after removing the feature in October 2024
• The company has also updated its data, using recent satellite images and resort information to correct past trails.
• At the moment, it only supports a handful of ski resorts, but we assume more will be added gradually in the near future.

Winter is upon us and Google Maps is reviving one of its past features just in time for the snow sports season: ski slopes, lodging markers and lifts are back after a year-long hiatus.

Previously, avid skiers and snowboarders could use Google Maps to get trip planning information, but the company removed it in October 2024, stating on a help page that “most users do not turn to Google Maps for this type of information and prefer to use maps directly from individual ski resorts as they are considered the most authoritative source of this information.”

This sparked a backlash from those who relied on Google Maps ski slope details, leading to a petition signed by nearly 3,000 people. Google has now responded in a statement shared with ski site POWDER, revealing: “We’ve heard from a lot of people who missed having ski information on Google Maps, so we’re bringing back the lifts and trails this winter.”

So how is it different from last year? For starters, Google has updated its dataset to include recent aerial and satellite imagery, in addition to information provided by the ski resorts themselves, allowing for corrections of previous trail routes. It also allows skiers to see points such as where a trail ends and where a chairlift leaves it.