Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to www.try-ranger.com and the Ranger service operated at that domain. By using Ranger, you agree to the practices described below. For a focused summary of the optional SMS alert program (opt-in, message frequency, STOP/HELP, data sharing), see SMS Terms.

What we collect

We collect only what the service needs to work:

• Account information. Your email address and a securely hashed password when you create an account. You can also sign in with a one-time email link or code instead of a password.
• Google or Apple sign-in (optional). If you choose to continue with Google or Apple, that provider sends us a signed sign-in token from which we read your email address (and, if Apple relays it, a private relay address) to create or match your account. We never receive your Google or Apple password, we request nothing beyond your email, and we do not post to or read anything else from your provider account.
• Trip data. The trips, campgrounds, and trails you plan, save, or set alerts on, and the date ranges you choose.
• Phone number (optional). Only if you opt in to SMS campsite alerts. Used solely to send you those alerts.
• Technical and consent data. Your IP address and browser user-agent, logged at signup and at SMS opt-in as proof of consent.
• Product analytics. Anonymized usage events (pages viewed, features used) to understand what to improve. See "Analytics" below.

Cookies

Ranger uses a small number of first-party cookies. We do not use third-party advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.

• A session cookie to keep you signed in.
• A CSRF token cookie to protect form submissions from cross-site request forgery.
• A preference cookie that remembers which version of the home page you were shown, so it stays consistent between visits.
• A PostHog analytics cookie, set only after you accept analytics, to recognize repeat visits for the anonymized product-usage metrics described under "Analytics" below. Decline analytics and it is not set.

Analytics

We use PostHog for product analytics, served through a first-party path on our own domain. It records how the product is used (for example, which pages and features), not your identity for advertising. We do not sell this data and we do not use it to target ads. Analytics is used only to improve Ranger.

How we use your data

We use your data to run the service you asked for: to plan and save trips, send the alerts you set up, secure your account, and improve the product. We will never:

• Sell or rent your personal information.
• Share your email, phone number, trip data, or personalization signals with third parties for their own marketing.
• Use your data for third-party advertising.

Billing

If you subscribe to a paid Ranger plan, payments are processed by Stripe. Stripe collects and stores your payment details under its own privacy policy. Ranger never sees or stores your full card number; we keep only a Stripe customer reference and your subscription status.

Personalization

Over time, Ranger learns what you tend to look for, so suggestions get better the more you use it. The signals we keep include the campgrounds and trails you view or save, the alerts you set, and the filters you tend to use. This is for your experience only. It is never sold, never shared with third parties, and never used for advertising. You can inspect or reset everything Ranger has learned, or delete your account entirely, from the Privacy and data section of your account.

How we store and protect your data

• Passwords are stored using a strong one-way hash (argon2) and are never stored in plain text.
• If you provide a phone number for SMS, it is stored as a one-way HMAC hash for lookups plus a separately encrypted value used only to send messages. The encryption key is stored apart from the database.
• Data is hosted with reputable cloud providers and transmitted over encrypted connections (HTTPS).

SMS messaging (optional)

• Program purpose: if you opt in, Ranger sends automated text messages to alert you when a campsite matching your watch becomes available, and to confirm or change your watch.
• Message frequency: varies based on campsite availability. Typically 0 to 3 messages per week per active watch.
• Message and data rates may apply depending on your carrier and plan.
• You can opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message. This immediately deactivates all your watches. Reply HELP for help.
• No sharing of SMS opt-in data. Mobile information, opt-in consent, and phone numbers collected for the SMS program will not be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Any subprocessor sharing (such as Twilio for message delivery) excludes SMS opt-in and text-messaging originator opt-in data, which is not shared with any third party.
• SMS is delivered via Twilio, which processes your phone number solely to transmit messages to your carrier, under their own privacy policy.

Data retention

We keep your account and trip data for as long as your account is active. SMS consent records (which contain a hashed phone number, not the actual number) may be retained after a watch ends for legal compliance. When you delete your account, we remove your personal data, retaining only what the law requires.

Data deletion

You can delete your saved data and your account at any time from the Privacy and data section of your account. If you use SMS alerts, replying STOP deactivates every watch on your phone number. For any other data-removal request, email us at the address below.

Third-party services

• Stripe, payment processing for paid plans.
• PostHog, product analytics.
• Twilio, SMS delivery (only if you opt in to alerts).
• Postmark, transactional email delivery (verification, magic-link, and alert emails).
• Voyage AI, which turns our own campground and trail descriptions into search embeddings. It does not receive your personal information.
• A map-tile provider and public weather, fire, and streamflow APIs (for example weather.gov, NIFC, and USGS), which we read to render maps and live conditions. We never send your personal information to them.
• Cloud hosting providers, to run the service.
• Recreation.gov and other public data sources, which we read for availability and conditions. We never send your personal information to them.

Children's privacy

Ranger is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect information from children.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision.

Contact

For privacy questions or data deletion requests, email: [email protected]