Technology on the trail article

[OzJacko]

As one of the "gray blazers" I would like to point out a few things.
We have hiked well over 95% of the trail to date barring the aqua blaze.
Many whose purity is not questioned have hiked less.
The smart phone gives us accurate weather details as it's most valuable use.
This alone is sufficient reason to take one.
Secondly for me at least it gives me email access to my wife in Australia.
Occasionally GPS is useful and as a phone it of course it can be used to text others on the trail and friends (such as many on WB).
It can even be used as a phone to book shuttles or hotels/hostels.
You don't have to have one but my tent never froze to the ground because I saw a weather forecast.
If the fact that I have stayed in more hotels than most is a problem for anything but my budget I can't see why.

[OzJacko]

I've even been known to use it to post on Whiteblaze...

[HikerMom58]

At least smartphones don't leave poo on the trail!

I'm unabashed. I bring my smartphone. And I virtually never talk on it. When I can get a signal, I'll usually text my wife, because it makes her feel better, and because a text can often get through when a voice call can't. Otherwise, it's in airplane mode to save battery. I warn colleagues when I go hiking that I'm going to be "off the grid." My boss knows me well enough that he answers, "knowing you, you mean that literally!" and chuckles.

About half my hikes are bushwhacks, because trails are suggestions and (thanks D-Low and Mags!) routes are the future of hiking. I use the GPS app but don't depend on it; in fact, the last time I led a bushwhack, my battery unexpectedly gave up the ghost a short way in despite having got a full charge that morning. My partner (nervous when he's out of sight of a white blaze) said that I still made it look like a walk in the park. I'm a computer geek: I use tools like Quantum GIS, Mapnik and MOBAC to make my own smartphone maps of where I'm planning to go, and download them into Backcountry Navigator.

I usually carry a few books on the phone, and sometimes I'll read in the evening or when sitting somewhere waiting for the hail to stop. I usually have some music on it, too, but I seldom find myself listening. I keep thinking I'll want to have it along, but then just never bother to put in the earbuds. (Exception: Something cheerful when I'm 2500 feet up a 3000 foot steady elevation gain can help keep me moving.) I have a movie or two on it, but that's for plane and train rides; it's hell on the battery when I'm off grid.

I have fun with PeakFinder, and find that few other hikers object when I use it to find out, "what mountain is that, over there?"

I use an app to do text memos, although I also carry some paper for notes and journalling.

I'm ridiculously colour-blind, and have an assistive app on the phone to help me distinguish colours. There's one local trail with dark red blazes that I have a deucedly hard time following without having the app to help me spot them. Before I had the app, I always fell back on bushwhacking technique when hiking that one: "I know it comes down to a stream in another mile. If I follow a contour line east, I'll hit it again."

I take the occasional photo with the camera. because sometimes I get magical light when I don't have my other camera along:

Plotterkill in the mist by ke9tv, on Flickr
In any case, I may synchronize the clock on the phone with the clock on the camera and tap 'Add waypoint' on the GPS app when I take a picture, so that I can geotag photos after the fact.

I've even been known - quite against my nature - to use my phone as an alarm clock if I have a long day ahead or need to make a pickup time.

And I can recall at least once changing my headlamp batteries by the light of the flashlight app on my smartphone.

I never talk on the phone in front of other hikers unless I'm doing something like calling for a shuttle for the whole group. I try hard not to let other hikers see the screen light at night. And I mostly have my eyes and ears on the trail and on my companions.

And still I know people who say that my phone ruins their wilderness experience - even when it's in my pack. To me, that's somewhere between 'HMHDI' and '***?' The funny thing was that the last hiker that lectured me on that was thirty years younger than I am. So I don't think it's a generational thing.

AK, that pic is gorgeous!!
Anyone that tells/lectures you that you are ruining their wilderness experience is just being selfish themselves. First of all, we have pretty much determined that the AT isn't really much of a wilderness at all. It's quite crowded & a lot of the trail is really close to civilization. These same people will also tell you anything they don't agree with/like is ruining their "wilderness" experience. *shaking head*. It's all about them.

I'll never forget the time, in PA, when we were at the James Fry Shelter. We don't ever sleep in the shelters so we found a nice campsite away from the shelter. Another couple set up their tent kinda close to ours. They hadn't been out very long at all. I think they were headed for Maine. The girl was really pumped about being out on the trail. She got on her cell phone after dark and talked really loud to all her family members.( yep, even grampa) This went on, what seemed to us, for a good hour. You know what, we were annoyed but it's the AT. The girl was so excited about her adventure, it was nice to hear her excitement for what she was doing-hiking the AT. We should have told her, in a polite way, that it's not good trail etiquette to talk that loud on her cell phone, the next morning. We didn't. I'm sure she didn't realize that she was talking so loud. Whatever... we chose not to let that experience, ruin our "wilderness" experience on the trail. The AT is not the trail to hike if you are going to get your panties in a wad about technology on the trail, TM or whatever.

As one of the "gray blazers" I would like to point out a few things.
We have hiked well over 95% of the trail to date barring the aqua blaze.
Many whose purity is not questioned have hiked less.
The smart phone gives us accurate weather details as it's most valuable use.
This alone is sufficient reason to take one.
Secondly for me at least it gives me email access to my wife in Australia.
Occasionally GPS is useful and as a phone it of course it can be used to text others on the trail and friends (such as many on WB).
It can even be used as a phone to book shuttles or hotels/hostels.
You don't have to have one but my tent never froze to the ground because I saw a weather forecast.
If the fact that I have stayed in more hotels than most is a problem for anything but my budget I can't see why.

OZ... not one of your true friends have a problem with the way you are thru-hiking. I feel like I'm speaking for a lot of us that have meet you & know you. We are actually HAPPY that you are using your phone, computer and staying in hotels/hostels. These are the things that are allowing you to continue hiking. I'm sure it would be the same way for me. You are in another country far away from your wife and family. This technology helps you hike your hike. We love hearing from you on WB too. We don't want you to have to defend yourself constantly about this matter. We love you OZ!! You are AWESOME!!

[hikerboy57]

At least smartphones don't leave poo on the trail!

I'm unabashed. I bring my smartphone. And I virtually never talk on it. When I can get a signal, I'll usually text my wife, because it makes her feel better, and because a text can often get through when a voice call can't. Otherwise, it's in airplane mode to save battery. I warn colleagues when I go hiking that I'm going to be "off the grid." My boss knows me well enough that he answers, "knowing you, you mean that literally!" and chuckles.

About half my hikes are bushwhacks, because trails are suggestions and (thanks D-Low and Mags!) routes are the future of hiking. I use the GPS app but don't depend on it; in fact, the last time I led a bushwhack, my battery unexpectedly gave up the ghost a short way in despite having got a full charge that morning. My partner (nervous when he's out of sight of a white blaze) said that I still made it look like a walk in the park. I'm a computer geek: I use tools like Quantum GIS, Mapnik and MOBAC to make my own smartphone maps of where I'm planning to go, and download them into Backcountry Navigator.

I usually carry a few books on the phone, and sometimes I'll read in the evening or when sitting somewhere waiting for the hail to stop. I usually have some music on it, too, but I seldom find myself listening. I keep thinking I'll want to have it along, but then just never bother to put in the earbuds. (Exception: Something cheerful when I'm 2500 feet up a 3000 foot steady elevation gain can help keep me moving.) I have a movie or two on it, but that's for plane and train rides; it's hell on the battery when I'm off grid.

I have fun with PeakFinder, and find that few other hikers object when I use it to find out, "what mountain is that, over there?"

I use an app to do text memos, although I also carry some paper for notes and journalling.

I'm ridiculously colour-blind, and have an assistive app on the phone to help me distinguish colours. There's one local trail with dark red blazes that I have a deucedly hard time following without having the app to help me spot them. Before I had the app, I always fell back on bushwhacking technique when hiking that one: "I know it comes down to a stream in another mile. If I follow a contour line east, I'll hit it again."

I take the occasional photo with the camera. because sometimes I get magical light when I don't have my other camera along:

Plotterkill in the mist by ke9tv, on Flickr
In any case, I may synchronize the clock on the phone with the clock on the camera and tap 'Add waypoint' on the GPS app when I take a picture, so that I can geotag photos after the fact.

I've even been known - quite against my nature - to use my phone as an alarm clock if I have a long day ahead or need to make a pickup time.

And I can recall at least once changing my headlamp batteries by the light of the flashlight app on my smartphone.

I never talk on the phone in front of other hikers unless I'm doing something like calling for a shuttle for the whole group. I try hard not to let other hikers see the screen light at night. And I mostly have my eyes and ears on the trail and on my companions.

And still I know people who say that my phone ruins their wilderness experience - even when it's in my pack. To me, that's somewhere between 'HMHDI' and '***?' The funny thing was that the last hiker that lectured me on that was thirty years younger than I am. So I don't think it's a generational thing.

AK, that pic is gorgeous!!
Anyone that tells/lectures you that you are ruining their wilderness experience is just being selfish themselves. First of all, we have pretty much determined that the AT isn't really much of a wilderness at all. It's quite crowded & a lot of the trail is really close to civilization. These same people will also tell you anything they don't agree with/like is ruining their "wilderness" experience. *shaking head*. It's all about them.

I'll never forget the time, in PA, when we were at the James Fry Shelter. We don't ever sleep in the shelters so we found a nice campsite away from the shelter. Another couple set up their tent kinda close to ours. They hadn't been out very long at all. I think they were headed for Maine. The girl was really pumped about being out on the trail. She got on her cell phone after dark and talked really loud to all her family members.( yep, even grampa) This went on, what seemed to us, for a good hour. You know what, we were annoyed but it's the AT. The girl was so excited about her adventure, it was nice to hear her excitement for what she was doing-hiking the AT. We should have told her, in a polite way, that it's not good trail etiquette to talk that loud on her cell phone, the next morning. We didn't. I'm sure she didn't realize that she was talking so loud. Whatever... we chose not to let that experience, ruin our "wilderness" experience on the trail. The AT is not the trail to hike if you are going to get your panties in a wad about technology on the trail, TM or whatever.

As one of the "gray blazers" I would like to point out a few things.
We have hiked well over 95% of the trail to date barring the aqua blaze.
Many whose purity is not questioned have hiked less.
The smart phone gives us accurate weather details as it's most valuable use.
This alone is sufficient reason to take one.
Secondly for me at least it gives me email access to my wife in Australia.
Occasionally GPS is useful and as a phone it of course it can be used to text others on the trail and friends (such as many on WB).
It can even be used as a phone to book shuttles or hotels/hostels.
You don't have to have one but my tent never froze to the ground because I saw a weather forecast.
If the fact that I have stayed in more hotels than most is a problem for anything but my budget I can't see why.

OZ... not one of your true friends have a problem with the way you are thru-hiking. I feel like I'm speaking for a lot of us that have meet you & know you. We are actually HAPPY that you are using your phone, computer and staying in hotels/hostels. These are the things that are allowing you to continue hiking. I'm sure it would be the same way for me. You are in another country far away from your wife and family. This technology helps you hike your hike. We love hearing from you on WB too. We don't want you to have to defend yourself constantly about this matter. We love you OZ!! You are AWESOME!!

We don't feel like you are less of a hiker b/c you are doing things your way You are hiking your own hike!! It's cool. We love following you. YOU ARE NOT ANY LESS of a hiker in our minds.

who is this we you're talking about

[HikerMom58]

who is this we you're talking about

Not anyone in particular... somehow OZ is feeling the need to defend himself constantly. IM as well.

[hikerboy57]

who is this we you're talking about

Not anyone in particular... somehow OZ is feeling the need to defend himself constantly. IM as well.

well you can count me in.


Sent from my toilet using pottytalk

[MuddyWaters]

I bring nothing but a small verizon phone, that stay turned off except maybe once every day or two where I may sent a text out to my wife or kids telling them where I am. If I want to know what the weather will be, I sent out a text asking. The weather forecast is pretty good out a couple of days.

Yes, you have access to weather details, up to the minute. But the thing is, you dont need it. You dont need to know if its going to be 20 or 15 tonight. You dont need to know if the chance of rain is 70% or 100%, or even if it will clear up in 2 days. Its all excess information that you can waste large amounts of time pursuing.

Smart phones are toys for people that need toys to play with, and are addicted to keeping up with nonsense other post on social media sites. People are dieing everyday because persons so addicted to their toys cannot put them down, even while driving.

Lame excuses, its a poor camera compared to a real camera, and you dont need a gps on the AT. the startup time to use it as a camera means you need to keep it on, and then the battery goes dead, so you need solar panels or battery packs, etc.


I dont care what someone else brings, if they keep it to themselves, and use it away from me. I.e good etiquette.

[coach lou]

I have a dumb phone. I have a waterproof camera. I hate having to take the phone, but my family wants me to. But then sometimes I do use it, to send pics to my hiking friends not out hiking and to touuch base with Overload...for her piece of mind. 10 years ago, I couldn't get service in Jellystone, now I can get into the deepest darkest parts and just Phone home! Good or bad........it's 2013..........what is wilderness today?

[kayak karl]

[HikerMom58]

I have a dumb phone. I have a waterproof camera. I hate having to take the phone, but my family wants me to. But then sometimes I do use it, to send pics to my hiking friends not out hiking and to touuch base with Overload...for her piece of mind. 10 years ago, I couldn't get service in Jellystone, now I can get into the deepest darkest parts and just Phone home! Good or bad........it's 2013..........what is wilderness today?

I don't know Coach, but when I was out in PA, knocking out another 81 miles, this spring. I was sure that I wasn't in the wilderness.

[atmilkman]

I had a good laugh one time my brother and I took my nephew camping in a spot that had no cell phone coverage. He stared at that thing for 3 days straight and walked around in circles holding it up in the air trying to "connect" until it went dead. Even after it was totally dead he had to keep looking at it to make sure. I mean like every 5 minutes. Kinda like when you get popped in the nose so hard you think it's bleeding but it's not. You keep touching your fingers to it and checking just to make sure. Not to sound cruel but I thought it was funny and would laugh like hell at him.

[hikerboy57]

[/B]
I don't know Coach, but when I was out in PA, knocking out another 81 miles, this spring. I was sure that I wasn't in the wilderness.

wild?maybe.wilderness?no.

[coach lou]

To all my WB friends..................my phone went dead! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!

[Just Bill]

My son reminded me yesterday that wilderness is where you find it. We recently redid the front yard, out of pure cheapness I bought some wildflower seed mix, tossed it in and hoped for the best. We now have an overgrown wild bed that hasn't quite generated the curb appeal I'd planned. So my son and I went to weed it out. For him, each plant, each bug, each weed was an adventure. In that 8'x10' foot garden we encountered wild creatures and wonders of nature at every turn. Dangerous plants that could sting, delicate flowers blooming, and mysterious things happening below the soil where spiders and worms made their home. Even simply sitting to observe was an adventure, "Dada, come here. Sit. It's shady!" If you find nature, wherever that may be, you have found wilderness.

[OzJacko]

Not anyone in particular... somehow OZ is feeling the need to defend himself constantly. IM as well.

It's ok HM.
I didn't post in here to defend myself so much as to defend the smartphone.
Usually all phones on the trail are off or in flight mode. Otherwise they have flat batteries. Smartphones allow "unobtrusive" interaction without the loud voices of standard phones. Some may choose to suffer whatever the weather gods throw at them but many like me prefer to be aware of coming inclement weather and adjust our mileages to best "weather" conditions. I have hiked in rain, thunderstorms and heatwaves. I prefer not to. The smartphone is here to stay. I would rather forego my torch - sorry flashlight.
But to quote the most misused acronym in outdoor endeavour - HYOH.

[Mags]

All I can say it, Hike your own Hike. :-)

Not a HYOH thing..just question this word of "need" for navigation. Know what I mean?

Of course, I've been known to say "I really need a beer right now!" so who am I talk (type??)

I never talk on the phone in front of other hikers unless I'm doing something like calling for a shuttle for the whole group. I try hard not to let other hikers see the screen light at night. And I mostly have my eyes and ears on the trail and on my companions.

Who could complain about that? Discreet, respectful and and if some one complains, they need to concentrate on THEIR hike more.

Nice photo BTW.

ps. Route vs trails

It is the future of thru-hiking!

[hikerboy57]

My son reminded me yesterday that wilderness is where you find it. We recently redid the front yard, out of pure cheapness I bought some wildflower seed mix, tossed it in and hoped for the best. We now have an overgrown wild bed that hasn't quite generated the curb appeal I'd planned. So my son and I went to weed it out. For him, each plant, each bug, each weed was an adventure. In that 8'x10' foot garden we encountered wild creatures and wonders of nature at every turn. Dangerous plants that could sting, delicate flowers blooming, and mysterious things happening below the soil where spiders and worms made their home. Even simply sitting to observe was an adventure, "Dada, come here. Sit. It's shady!" If you find nature, wherever that may be, you have found wilderness.

its great when you have those same experiences on the trail

[HikerMom58]

It's ok HM.
I didn't post in here to defend myself so much as to defend the smartphone.
Usually all phones on the trail are off or in flight mode. Otherwise they have flat batteries. Smartphones allow "unobtrusive" interaction without the loud voices of standard phones. Some may choose to suffer whatever the weather gods throw at them but many like me prefer to be aware of coming inclement weather and adjust our mileages to best "weather" conditions. I have hiked in rain, thunderstorms and heatwaves. I prefer not to. The smartphone is here to stay. I would rather forego my torch - sorry flashlight.
But to quote the most misused acronym in outdoor endeavour - HYOH.

Cool OZ... you came to our country as a good friend and fellow backpacker. I just want to keep reminding you that you are loved and am so proud of you for what you are doing-hiking the AT... so proud!!

its great when you have those same experiences on the trail

That's right... it's really great. I had many of those experiences in PA this past spring... I'm hooked on it.

[Fredt4]

Several times during my 2011 AT thru-hike I helped hikers staring at their paper map & compass determine their location with my GPS enabled smartphone. Perhaps I could have used my many years of experience with paper maps & compass to determine the location but using the smartphone seemed easier. For me it's just another tool with it's own limitations (Battery capabilities and often no service). Couldn't leave it in the car/home since it wouldn't be there when I came to a town (really find Google Maps useful). Didn't have to carry paper maps, (thanks Back Country Navigator - Android). Didn't want to carry a camera so the camera built into the smartphone was very nice. Since I already had the phone for the above reasons I found the many other features useful.

Been looking at the new Sony Experia phone, Supposedly waterproof (30 minutes), better battery management and more.

So the question is: Cuben fiber tent vs. Sony Experia (already have a nice compass, thank you very much)

I'm not saying you have to have a smartphone, I'm just saying.

[Dogwood]

I bring nothing but a small verizon phone, that stay turned off except maybe once every day or two where I may sent a text out to my wife or kids telling them where I am. If I want to know what the weather will be, I sent out a text asking. The weather forecast is pretty good out a couple of days.

Yes, you have access to weather details, up to the minute. But the thing is, you dont need it. You dont need to know if its going to be 20 or 15 tonight. You dont need to know if the chance of rain is 70% or 100%, or even if it will clear up in 2 days. Its all excess information that you can waste large amounts of time pursuing.

Smart phones are toys for people that need toys to play with, and are addicted to keeping up with nonsense other post on social media sites. People are dieing everyday because persons so addicted to their toys cannot put them down, even while driving.

Lame excuses, its a poor camera compared to a real camera, and you dont need a gps on the AT. the startup time to use it as a camera means you need to keep it on, and then the battery goes dead, so you need solar panels or battery packs, etc.


I dont care what someone else brings, if they keep it to themselves, and use it away from me. I.e good etiquette.

It can be hard to reach addicted people to get them to sober up when they are so deeply conditioned and habituated to believe they need something, The need for all these electronics is confused with, and often mistaken for, the desire for them. Often, not until the proverbial shart hits the fan and people are backed into a corner with no alternative do the realities of reckoning with negative potential consequences of their addictions occur.