A new iPhone application Snocator, as in snow locator, provides your current location on a trail map while on the mountain at your favorite ski resort.   Snocator is from the Denver, Colorado company Useful Networks that specialize in mobile location applications.

Snocator is like an interactive trail map guide that gives the skier information while on the mountain.  Need to find the closest restaurant for a lunch break?  Looking to find your friends on the mountain (not yet available)?  How about finding the fastest non-black trail down at the end of the day when you legs feel like mush?   A skier just needs to tap away on their iPhone to get their locations on the trail map.

Other nice features are up-to-the-minute weather forecasts, mountain camera views and snow reports.  Trail maps are available for 60 plus resorts in 12 US states and Canada this season.

Snocator works anywhere there is cell phone or WiFi access.  It is best to download the trail maps before you are on the mountain in case you are in an area out of reach by the cell phone towers.  Having the 3G iPhone with GPS capability provides the most accurate location information.

The application costs $5.99 and needs to be updated each year.  Snocator application versions are planned for Blackberry and phones using Google’s Android operating system.

According to their web site, features coming in the future are keeping track of others on the mountain and the capability to log your speed and vertical drop.