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Pro tip: I learned the hard way not to rely on my phone's GPS for trail navigation
I was hiking the Lost Coast Trail in California last fall and my phone died halfway through day two. I had been using it for all my navigation for years without a backup. That night I ended up bushwhacking through poison oak because I took a wrong turn from memory. A pair of experienced backpackers I ran into pointed out that paper maps and a compass are not optional gear. They showed me how fast weather can mess with phone signals out there. Now I always carry a printed topo map and a simple compass in my pack. Has anyone else had a close call relying only on electronics for route finding?
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the_jenny4d ago
Man that poison oak sounds like a brutal way to learn that lesson" - yeah no kidding. My buddy Alex had basically the same thing happen up in the Smokies last spring. He was so sure his phone GPS would get him through this loop trail, didn't even bring a paper map. About 4 miles in his phone got wet from a sudden rainstorm and just shut off. He spent the next 3 hours wandering around trying to find the trailhead before dark. A couple of older hikers found him pretty lost and walked him back to the car. Now he keeps a laminated map and a cheap compass in his pack at all times. Have you started carrying a physical backup since your poison oak adventure?
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