You Can't Rely on Phone Service

I spent this past weekend on a backpacking trip in the Uinta Mountains. Before heading out, my son sent me a map that he created from CalTopo.com and I printed it on waterproof paper. Actually I printed 3 copies of the map: one for me, one for my son, and another for someone else on the trip. As my son and I have been to the exact same place before, the maps really were not that necessary, or so I thought.

Our group started the hike and everyone sped down the trail to our scenic destination while I pulled up the rear and enjoyed the journey. The first time I hiked this trail, I made a mistake on one section and left the trail because a lot of hikers before me had made a wrong turn at the exact same spot. This time I remembered the error and patiently waited on the correct trail while yelling ahead to the group to turn around and follow me. At that point several of the millennials in the group pulled out their phones and tried to use their map application. We were out in the middle of nowhere with no possibility of mobile phone service. Guess what? Maps don't work on your smartphone unless you have downloaded the maps before leaving mobile phone coverage. I just had to chuckle to myself as I watched this group of kids trying to figure out what to do without their smartphones.

There is a saying that "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." In my case, it is the dude with the paper map. Our hike continued uneventfully until we came to the area where we had to leave the trail and do a meadow walk to get to our destination.

For those that are not familiar with a meadow walk, it is a hiking technique to minimize damage to delicate alpine meadows. Creating a trail in such an area enables devastatingly destructive erosion so it is better for everyone to spread out, walk delicately, and take care not to trample the spectacular mountain flowers. We had three such meadows to cross before arriving at our campsite. Once again, the map proved its worth.

Our hike back to the car followed a different path around various picturesque alpine lakes and completed a loop as opposed to going back down the same trail we used to the previous day. We chose this path because neither my son nor I had traveled it and we wanted to see new places. The trail did not disappoint us and once again the paper map proved its worth.

The United States has great mobile phone coverage and sometimes we take it for granted. Unfortunately it is not everywhere and there is a good chance that it won't work when you are in the wilderness. Should you find yourself heading to camp in a remote area, be sure to print up a paper map before leaving home (or at least download the area to your phone). While it may not necessarily save your life, it may save countless miles of unnecessary detours.