cell phone– bringin’ it?

[ed hyatt]

Evidently they did Nick.

But times move on….along with equipment in all it's manifestations (although you might consider them infestations ;-)….

[Nick Gatel]

Eric,

That is the point. Too many people substitute technology for fitness and skills. Not to mention the advantages of breaking away from the man-world in my first post.

But, I advocate HYOH. However, do not underestimate the glory of breaking away.

[James holden]

one thing to remember is that should something happen, not having a communications device can incur costs and risks to rescuers as well … there was this guy 2 years ago who wanted to hike his own hike somewhere, disappeared, and triggered the largest and costliest search in BC history … money that could have been better spent elsewhere IMO … the body was never found

theres a fine balance between having a device and using it properly IMO …

sometimes despite everything, accidents happen

heres Will Gadds take on it … he is arguably the best ice climber in the world and lacks neither skills nor fitness ….

http://willgadd.com/?p=627

[Chris S]

I'd agree that as technology progresses and becomes more widely available there are probably too many people that substitute it for fitness and skills. But at the same time, I'm sure there were plenty of instances in the days before cell phones where people were seriously injured or died and a cell phone could have helped if it was available.

[Anonymous]

"I go into the wilderness to immerse myself into the wilderness. The less of "man" you bring with you, the more you can appreciate the wilderness."

+1 to your entire post. Couldn't have said it better.

[Anonymous]

"who's not?"

Don't even own one.

[Link .]

+1 don't own one.

[Todd Hein]

If the device is for "emergency use only", wouldn't a PLB or SPOT fit the bill better?

[EndoftheTrail]

Nope.

[Ryan C]

My 406MHz PLB has better coverage than your cell phone : )

Actually, I do take the smartphone as it functions as a camera, camcorder, notepad, GPS (with offline topo), weather, alarm clock… and so that people know I have it (even if I know it probably won't have a signal).

[Art Sandt]

I think that not bringing a cellphone because it makes you feel less in touch with nature is absurd. Humans have been using technology to bet against nature ever since, well, since forever. You might not realize just how "ensnared" by society you already are. That ultralight nylon ripstop backpack on your back is the pinnacle of modern high technology. Think they had rubber-soled hiking boots or 2 pound 20*F down sleeping bags back in the days when man was "more connected with nature", whenever that was? Think again.

Separation from human society and immersion in the wilderness is a state of mind, achievable anywhere. Whether you bring a phone or not doesn't dictate whether you use it for calling people and letting yourself be called by people.

Think of it this way. Most of the water you drink in the backcountry probably doesn't need to be treated in order to be safely drunk. But you use your ultra-technological Aqua Mira "just in case" there's something nasty in the water. You probably don't injure yourself on every trip, but you bring your first aid kit "just in case" you do. These are all examples of "unnatural" technology carried just in case you need them, just like some people carry a cellphone "just in case" it might come in handy.

[Bradley Danyluk]

Art – brilliant. Agree with every word.

[David Thomas]

There's a bumper sticker that only cavers understand,

"Floyd would have pushed it".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floyd_Collins if you want to get it.

In that vein,

"Christopher McCandless didn't have a cell phone"

and

"Sam McGee shouldn't have gone SUL"

[Ben F]

A+ Art. Thanks for the rant I wanted to write.
You're spending thousands of dollars and burning gallons and gallons of fossil fuels to "get away from technology"? Give me a break. The cellphone turned off in my bag isn't ruining "nature" for me (whatever "nature" means, "nature is a modern epistemological category–even your IDEA of nature is a modern form of thought!) or making me any less skilled a woodsman.

This notion of stripping away artifice is inane.

[EndoftheTrail]

Inane is trying to explain for 'everyone' that bringing technology into a hike will or will not be a distraction.

How about if we all agree that a lot really depends on the hiker's personal priorities, preferences — and heck, even his or her mood on a particular day?

[Justin Baker]

Yes. So that if I get lost and come out of the wilderness in a different place than I came in, I can call for someone to help me out once I get somewhere more populated. Same reason I carry my i.d. and a little cash.
I don't agree that a campfire takes away from immersion in the wilderness. I think someone firing up a canister stove and turning on their headlamp every 5 seconds while dressed like a big marshmallow to keep the cold away is what kinda ruins it :)

[Mike W]

…

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

I bring a phone if I'm going to need it. I'm only going to need it if I'll be calling for a ride at the end of the hike (on a short trip) or calling someone at home because I'm lonely (on a long, solo trip.)

[Leslie Thurston]

re: personal safety, yes, agreed, fitness and rationale are lofty indeed.
moreover, i've grown altogether disturbed and disheartened by having to hike/walk defensively. being outdoors should feel liberating, not restrictive…
particularly at night, i walk the logging roads on property and i'm definitely a candidate for who-knows-what, and well, what to do? i can't not live!
philo-speaking i see a disconnect with technology and outdoor endeavors
(be it front or back/country), though admittedly i DO feel more at ease when i tote my cell; whether it's a valid or invaild feeling, i suppose i should exercise better judgement.
a self-defense class– yeah, i should get on it.
bottom line: guys are just plain lucky sometimes…urgh.

[David Thomas]

Leslie: I was hiking out on a weekday on an Alaskan trail (no one else around) and a woman was hiking back. I made eye contact said "hi", but she was looking down, kind of turned away from me. I thought, "Oh, quite worried about her personal safety. That's too bad, but whatever.", I found it striking because I don't see it up here like nearer the big cities. I went to the far edge of the trail as we crossed.

Then I saw her wicker basket and smiled to myself. It wasn't personal safety. She was out mushrooming, probably for chantrelles, and didn't want anyone to know it and possibly backtrack to her patch.

______________________________

Whatever you do that gives you comfort is great. And whatever you do that increases your self confidence will help your personal safety a bit. No one of any gender is ever completely safe, but perps and abusers seem to gravitate towards those they think they can control.

We've had lots of young, single woman live with us as au pairs (many quite out of their element) and the advice I give each one is: A few men will, during an innocent conversation with you, start to spin out some scenerio in their heads which you don't share. If you get any hint of that, you don't need to be polite and you don't need to explain yourself. Have a simple declarative statement ready, "Gotta catch up with my friends now. Have a good hike." And leave.

[EndoftheTrail]

Couple of thoughts re. technology and our want for safety…

1. Twenty years ago, 99.9999% of hikers hiked without phones. And 99.999% returned safely, without issues.
2. Nothing wrong with taking advantage of new, cheaper, ever more useful technology that simply wasn't available in the past.

To me, it's a "balance" between using new technology / techniques on the one hand, but not letting it affect my 'psyche' on the other. What do I mean? I mean it's one thing to carry a phone, but NOT to the point point where I feel "naked and vulnerable" without one!

Used to be when kids got out of the house, they were totally out. And that was fine back then. Nowadays, some parents seemingly couldn't deal with their kids going anywhere without being "electronically tethered"!! And yet, newer technology continues — for better and for worse. Shoes with GPS embedded? Many of us might scoff, but that's where we started with phones.

Nice sometimes when technology / marketing fill in wants that we didn't even know we have. But sometimes very troubling too. All the talk about living simply… hard for most people to do because of their constantly-stroked-and-expanding desires… for safety, fun, fulfillment, and so on endlessly…

[Ultra Magnus]

Art- very well put. Unless you re walking into the woods naked you are bringing some form of technology with you. Back in cave man days a sharp rock and animal skin clothing was their "high tech" gear, and it's just evolved ever since.

There's no difference between technology engineered by DuPont or Motorola. To think differently is just deluding yourself. And I would have to say that a cell phone turned off in my pocket is less of an impact on my communion with nature than a 7d down shirt, capilene base-layers, super high tech trail runners, etc…

BM

[EndoftheTrail]

"There's no difference between technology engineered by DuPont or Motorola. To think differently is just deluding yourself."

I agree — but only in part. There can well be a difference — but much of that centers on the user himself (herself)! If someone hooked on whatever games is carrying a phone, and gravitates toward that game incessantly every break time and all through dinner, then I would say yes, that detracts from the trail experience (doesn't mean the guy is not enjoying himself… but he is that much less focused on the trail experience).

This goes right back to my first post — you can't really look at any piece of gear/technology and say it's going to work for everyone or that it will detract from the trail experience for everyone. YMMV.

[Ty Ty]

I have taken it and not taken it, I have mixed feelings but the following thought has recently lead me to think it would be unfair to NOT bring one.

If you have friends family at home that would send search and rescue if you were overdue, it seems almost mandatory.

[Kattt]

"If you have friends family at home that would send search and rescue if you were overdue, it seems almost mandatory."

I think so too. If I went out alone to a remote area where a phone or a Spot could get me out of a tricky situation, I think it would be the responsible thing to do toward my family.

[Author]

Posts