Hiking and Using Technology…

[Mustard Tiger]

I’d first like to preface that this is into way criticizing anyone, as there are many different reasons for why we all do what we do and everyone has different goals, different approaches, reasons, rationales and different styles style when heading out on a long multi-day hike, thru-hike, etc., and this is meant to be more of an open discussion more than anything. We all obviously have our own opinions (and sometimes we can defend those opinions very passionately), but what I’ve found through open debate and discussion is I may learn something new, or see something in a way that I had not originally considered. In some instances it’s changed my mind and I’ve adopted new practices, and if not it’s given me a better understanding of why someone may do things a certain way. So with that said…

How much technology do you use when you’re out hiking, be it a multi-day hike, thru-hike, etc.? When I was younger there was one or two online forums for to ultralight backpacking and thru-hiking. This was before any ultralight gear was available commercially and books (Like Ray Jardine’s “Beyond Backpacking”). I also used the official guidebook for the Colorado Trail. I took the book apart and carried those sections of the guidebook for the sections I was hiking, and included the sections of the guidebook in my resupply packages I mailed to myself care of general delivery to the businesses and locations the guidebook suggested. But aside from that, once I was not he trail that was it. No cell phone, no internet (unless I went to a library in town if I was lucky), no GPS, no satellite phone, no apps like FarOut, Facebook groups or IG or updating blogs regularly to keep in touch with people or get conditions reports from those ahead of me, etc.

As I’m planning to give the CT another go next summer (only made it half way last time) I find myself wondering if I want to use any of those resources mentioned above or just do it “the old fashioned way”? Part of this dilemma for me is I understand the convenience and practicality of having these resources, but at the same time it seems to take some of the uncertainty and sense of adventure out of it all. I faced many challenges last time. I went pretty early in June and faced a lot of obstacles including weather, fire (was on the trail during the Hayman fire), snow, ice, etc. I wonder if I had the technology then that we have now and knew what was lying ahead, would I have even continued on, or would I have turned back sooner because of what others had reported? There’s also part of me that feels like it’s a bit like cheating if you know what’s going on up ahead, and part of the experience and challenge is having to deal with the uncertain and adapt to the situation and make decisions and change plans on the fly, and that’s actually part of the fun! But I get it, for some those things might not be a priority as part of their experience and would be something they’d like to avoid if at all possible.

I’m going out into the wilderness, especially on a thru-hike, I’m doing it for the solitude and escape from all the tech and electronic leashes that tether us in our everyday lives. Constant text messages, emails, phone calls, etc. Last thing I want to do is send and receive text messages, check Twitter, FB or IG (which I don’t use), or even check condition reports from those that are ahead of me. Heck, when I go out hiking and camping I don’t even bring ear buds and always love them at home.

With all that said, I do see the advantages of utilizing tech when you’re injured and can’t self-evacuate or there’s a true emergency, and carrying a satellite phone or device that links with your cell phone makes perfect sense, but I guess for me that’s where I draw the line using it.

So what’s your take on using tech when you’re out in the wilderness? Do you use it for navigation, download maps, apps, use things like FB groups to stay in touch with other hikers while you’re on the trail and to check conditions, etc. Do you think this is a generational thing, or are there those my age or even older that utilize a lot of tech when luton the trail, or those younger who take more of the “old-fashioned” approach? There’s no right or wrong answers here, and listing to what others could inspire new practices and lead to myself (and others) to try something new moving forward.

[bjc]

Do I use gps maps , especially on long trails? Yes. Do I use a Garmin Inreach to track my hike and keep my family posted? Yes, not just for safety sake but because they enjoy following along. Do I use the camera on my phone? Yes though not as much as friends and family would like. I read on my phone if stuck in camp or can’t sleep. I carry earbuds to listen to music if I need to wind down to sleep(not too often and not hiking). It’s handy for finding hostels, shuttles and the like on long hikes. Social media not so much but I’m sure I’ll check in on the Tour de France this summer! I use it for what works for me. Everything we use is a form of technology, this stuff just happens to be electronic and computer driven. I’m 73.

[Atif Khan]

“It’s better to burn out than to fade away” (Neil Young). Too much technology steals something from the experience, something resembling a vague distraction. If you know the basics, then risks, people missing you, you missing people, boredom, excitement, and not knowing exactly what is going to happen next, all enrich the experience with lovely wrinkles. Technology flattens it. In 53 years of outdoors, nothing truly bad has happened with just a paper map and a compass in the group. The essence of beauty is contrast.

It doesn’t matter if it’s off, according to this study in Nicholas Carr’s 2017 Wall Street Journal article “How Smartphones Hijack Our Minds”: “…students who didn’t bring their phones to the classroom scored a full letter-grade higher on a test of the material presented than those who brought their phones. It didn’t matter whether the students who had their phones used them or not: All of them scored equally poorly.”

True, everyone is different and styles vary. But there are some hard realities before which we are essentially powerless: we all have prefrontal cortexes that release powerful and addictive dopamine hits, strengthened by the prospect of variable rewards.

[Matthew / BPL]

Wonderful first paragraph, Mustard. When I saw the thread title I thought “here we go again” but that was clearly not your intention in this topic

I use technology pretty much like bjc describes. I also journal/take notes occasionally. I tend to use paper maps but I like to confirm my location from time to time with GPS (i’m still gaining confidence in my navigational skills).

Just because I have the device with me doesn’t mean I have to use it. I tend to not use it much other than for photos.

I do carry an app called Minipedia which downloads a text only version of the Wikipedia. I think it’s interesting to sometimes look up a type of rock or I could imagine looking up something medical. I’ve only used that a couple times but I’ve been glad I had it when I did.

[DWR D]

When I did the JMT back in the 80’s there was no such thing as a cell phone… or mapping apps or GPS…

Not even 7 1/2 minute maps; just 15 minute maps and a compass.

I didn’t even take a camera.

Started mid-September and there were days when I saw no one… most days only a couple of people. Also, there weren’t any car shuttle services back then.

It was an amazingly blissful hike. And since there was no such technology, there was no concept of doing without it or missing it…

[W I S N E R !]

Distraction seems to be a big concern regarding technology. So it seems we place a premium on being present, and yet we rarely recognize it as such, nor does our culture place much emphasis on the value of teaching it. There are infinite ways for a person to be distracted, and conversely, those people that cultivate presence are not easily led astray. Ultimately, I don’t think it’s about the stuff you carry.

On Saturday night I experienced one of the most sublime sunsets, light and clouds flowing like water over the ridges below the peak I was camped on.

What was my friend doing? Fussing with gear back in camp. Technology or not, a brain that hops around like a flea will always find something to chase.

I’m reminded of my son, a perpetual daydreamer. When he was little we could hike all day to camp and he wouldn’t even know how we got there, lost in stories, ideas, and conversation on the trail. And in camp he’d bury himself in a book and forget to eat until I handed him a bowl of soup. We’ve been a lot of places together and how does he remember them? By what he read on that trip. But it’s ok. That’s what he does. It’s who he still is and he’s happy.

Presence means a lot to me, but I’ll only preach if asked. I want to resist being the type that will wag a finger at another’s behavior…but I do reserve the right to walk away to watch the clouds.

 

[Terran Terran]

Our trails have been tamed. There is no sense of discovery on a trail that’s been traveled by perhaps thousands. The CT is highly covered not only with the data book, but multiple YouTube videos as well. I’ve never had a data book on a trail. Not unless the rabbits could write. The idea of taking a zero and getting a motel for the night, competing for campsites, that’s car camping. Road tripping. The information is out there, not using it is only hurting yourself. If I wanted to rough it, I’d go off trail, not follow a freeway. As it is, the next exit is always pretty close. We’re not in the wilderness. We’re not Lewis and Clark, who incidentally relied on Indian guides and all the modern tech they could muster. We’re not alone out there.

[Glen L]

Actually there is far less distraction than some make out. Over a thirty year career being an aerial mapping photographer I used quads every day for extremely precise navigation. During the 56 years of backpacking I’ve triangulated hundreds or points for reference in regards to many reasons.
Now I take an iPhone instead of a an SLR or DSLR with me for collecting imagery. It does things far more efficiently though one still must understand composition and lighting. It delivers a much higher dynamic range which is important in outdoor lighting. I have a library of plant reference books right at hand that don’t weigh anything now.
During my mapping career gps came along about midway through. I started using that in 1993 quickly learning that this method should not be ignored. It is an extra tool that is very valuable. Yes, electronics can die, been through that, but maps can blow away and compasses will develop huge bubbles if they are liquid damped. Gone through a bunch of brands that say they won’t develop bubbles and every single one did. I’m still fascinated with magnetic compasses and have various styles.
Our average nights out per year has been about fifty. Phones don’t have to be distracting at all if you are in control or yourself. I don’t check emails or internet nor do I normally take calls. But in a tent bound storm or cold windy night I’ve downloaded at least half a dozen audiobooks and have AirPods. Downloaded some music too. But if I’m using the phone it’s almost always for photography and some nav work. To date this year I’ve photographed and identified 49 flowering plants in the Sonoran desert and one non flowering vascular plant whose seed cone kind of looks like a flower. Five rattlesnakes now, three diamondbacks and two tigers. Tigers are only found in central to southern Arizona and northern Sonora like some of our plants. Three of the pit vipers are also video stars on my phone. Here is a still of one from just last week. We do a lot of off trail and though there was a time I never thought I’d say it but the latest iPhones take some seriously good images.

Also the iPhone I bought in January has satellite connectivity so might make a good emergency signaling tool just in case but never had to rely on anyone but ourselves to date.
I don’t let it distract me at all and it helps me get done what I need to do and actually puts me much closer to the natural world. My central vision has diminished so much that I’m legally blind, can no longer get a driver’s license or read a printed page but my peripheral vision is good enough for getting around. The iPhone increases my vision of the world and provides audio for reading or word processing which I normally don’t do in the wilderness.
That’s actually why we moved within walking distances of the wilderness, mountains and canyons, the places we find most interesting in this world. Discovery is all around. One just has to try.

[Kevin M]

hey

Similar to the others, technology only has to be distracting if you let it.

I’ll always have a phone with me, as well as my Zoleo emergency SOS device.  It provides a level of safety for me, and on solo trips allows me to reassure family that I am safe, lets me send a quick message to say goodnight or good morning. And also just as importantly gives them a way to get in touch with me should there be an emergency on their end rather than mine that I need to come back early for, even if I’m out of phone signal and relying on the Zoleo’s satellite coverage.

Also gives me GPS and maps in addition to my backup paper map and compass.

It also acts a more than enough camera for every day photos, and I would only take a bigger SLR now if I knew there was some very specific photo I was wanting to capture that required it.

And should I desire, if I’m having a lazy day or camping in one spot for more than one night, lets me relax and pass some time by quietly listening to an audio book or podcast. I don’t do this all the time, but it’s nice to have the option.

For most of my trips that’s all I take. Two little boxes and a battery bank if I’ll be away a couple of nights, and it covers pretty much everything I need, has many uses that make it invaluable.

However I do make a point of not going on social media, checking the news or anything else, again unless I have a very specific reason.

Occasionally I’ll take more. A bigger camera or even a mini drone if I want to film something particular, but only on rare trips.

kev

[Bill Budney]

I’m probably an outlier, but I carry two phones. It’s like having two windows. One for listening to podcasts (because there isn’t enough time in a week to learn everything); the other for interactive stuff: GPS, note-taking, Wikipedia, etc.

The majority of the time the phones are in my pack or pocket.

I have never been able to figure out how to use wireless earbuds without dropping and/or losing one, so I use neckband earbuds; attached to each other by a short cable. They are wireless, but I can hang them around my neck when not using them.

Matthew: Thanks for the tip on Minipedia. That’s awesome.

[Glen L]

“I carry two phones. It’s like having two windows. One for listening to podcasts (because there isn’t enough time in a week to learn everything); the other for interactive stuff: GPS, note-taking, Wikipedia, etc.”

 

Bill, I’m able to multitask all of the above with my one iPhone 14 Pro Max while listening to a podcast and navigating with Avenza. Perhaps not all phones can accomplish multitasking? I say this because my iPhone is kind of heavy to be carrying two. The phone I’m carrying above with the old Eagle Creek cross body bag that just barely fits the phone weighs very near one pound. I did pad the little bag with 3/8” ccf for shock protection and insulation against the heat. I like the cross body bag as it keeps the phone very accessible.

[Bill Budney]

Yes, theoretically I could get by with a single phone, or a phone and a watch. However, the choices are more limited; you have to use an app that is well-behaved in the background, and you have to have some way to control the app while it is in background (perhaps with headset controls). If it works for you, then yes, it is lighter to use a single device.

Two phones gives me more options and a second foreground “window”. I can use the free version of YouTube with minimal annoyances, which is not at all what I would call, “well behaved”. Shrug. The second phone weighs as much as a quarter of a water bottle. It’s worth it for me to have a more seamless environment, and may not be for most people.

I’m not trying to persuade anyone to do it my way. I’m just answering the OP’s question. :)

[Glen L]

Bill, your explanation makes sense. The phone I’m using has a very powerful processor so it will handle quite a lot all at once. However I have to use the App Switcher to go back and forth. Apple hasn’t provided Split Screen multitasking for the iPhone yet like they have for some iPads. I do use that feature on the iPad Air. There is a third party iPhone app that provides Split Screen for web based functions but not for individual apps.

[Lowell k]

I like to supplement my learning with my hiking. I listen to various podcasts and audiobooks for learning purposes, and I like to hike while I’m doing this studying, but the studying is the primary purpose. It’s a great environment for learning.

When I’m on a backpacking trip the hiking is the primary activity and there’s no podcast listening going on.

[AK Granola]

25+ years ago, I was working in Denali during the summer. I remember being on a bus with loads of tourists heading out into the park. We stopped for a grizzly close to the road. As we watched of course people were clicking their cameras like mad. I knew I didn’t need another non-professional photo (I’m not a very good photographer), so I just watched. A passenger nearby ran out of film and spent 5 minutes or so digging in their bag, then loading the film, etc. and by the time they were ready to take a photo, the bear had gone.

I always think back to that incident when I wonder if I should I take this or that bit of entertainment. Or if I forget when I’m out there observing, that my goal is to observe, not try to take it home. While I now bring a smart phone and use it for photos, I always put it in airplane mode, bluetooth off, and limit how much of the trip I try to “capture.” No texting or emailing or connecting with work or home, except for a 1-per-day location ping on the inReach. But I have loads of apps that are nice in the backcountry, for limited use. Skyview, flower, bird, tree and animal ID apps, some reference tools, a knot tying app (because I forget), the compass, and notes for keeping a journal. I can use the camera in reverse to see if there’s a bug bite on my butt. A book downloaded for restless evenings in the tent (they are few). Trail navigation apps as well, with Gaia, FarOut or Avenza.

It sounds like a lot, but I use them selectively as needed/desired and it’s nice to have ONE multi-use tool like a smart phone. I also love to just hike quietly, chat with friends, sit and take in the view, look for the little things out there. I love to dip in a stream or lake and lie down to dry in the sun. Naps outdoors are the best, with legs up on a rock. Going to sleep or waking up to the sounds of birds, frogs, crickets. And snacks! Who cannot say they love snack time on trail. Coffee break! Simple wonderful pleasures. Pure joy.

I’m glad some people love using the tech to capture their adventures, because I enjoy seeing their videos and photos. I take just enough myself to remember, for a little while anyway.

[David D]

To keep battery life without background app cannibalism, disable screen awake on motion, shut down all server fetches unless app is open, close app while not in use, turn off at night etc.

Majority battery use is searching for cell towers (use airplane mode), GPS acquisition (kill any tracking app when not in use, & only use for direction confirmation not tracking), followed by bluetooth (I use wired headsets).  Low power mode doesn’t hurt

In day-day use at home I get up to 5 days on a charge on my iphone. On trail I can stretch to 3 days while having comfortable buffer for GPS when needed.

Understand the efficiency of your charger and capacity of your battery to know how many full chargers you can give you phone.  I’ve calculated on paper then tested at home and its dead on equivalent with relatively new batteries.

I have a 6000mAh and 10,000mAh charger and can go from needing no charger on 3 day trip to needing the 10k one on a 10 day trip.  This lets me minimize the extra weight taken by the tech.

Beyond the weather/SOS/texting safety provided by tech, I also use the phone to enhance safety by downloading key documents ahead of time: maps in jpg/pdf, a document with first aid techniques & symptoms of concern (gastro, bug, altitude sickness, etc…), a file with knots to practice on trail.

Finally, I also prep a map with fish species held in all the lakes I plan to fish and the lake topos so I know where to plan my bushwhacking route and concentrate my casting, and d/l that to the phone

Tech is great so long as its used to enhance the trip and not as a distraction.

[AK Granola]

Great tips on phone battery, David. Side question – have you ever had a 10k mah battery suddenly lose most of its charge? it happened to me on my TRT trip last summer. I charged it up fully when in town and then bought a small one “just in case.” But it’s extra weight. That same larger battery seems to be holding now. I just don’t know why it happened. It’s an Anker 10k one, and have used it for many trips. I wish I knew more about reliability on these things. I carry a paper map when I hike, and could live without the other apps. But it would be darned inconvenient to get to town and have zero charge on my phone. There’s always a way around it, just harder.

[Bill Budney]

David: I like the idea of reference info on the phone. Any favorite links?

AK: It is normal for batteries to lose charge gradually over time. Heat or cold can reduce efficiency; heat  can damage the battery. Rapid discharge usually has some cause, such as connection to something, or even a temporary “connection” due to moisture or touching something conductive in the pack. If it happens repeatedly then one of the cells may be damaged. If the battery discharges normally with full expected capacity then it is probably OK.

Maybe test it by having it run down using something like a fan or bright light and see if it behaves normally over its expected cycle. You should not be able to discharge an Anker battery fully, which is a good thing (it protects the battery).

A USB meter can be helpful for troubleshooting.

[David D]

Hey AK, if it did that spontaneously, I’d get rid of it, that’s not normal.  I’m an EE and used to work on battery circuit design years ago and the only thing I can think of that would cause a battery to quickly self discharge is an intermittent short in the circuit board or a short internal to the battery cell itself.  Either would also cause high heat but you’d miss that symptom if it occurred in your pack, or the battery could now be deformed (bulged) but not visible due to the thick Anker case.  Either way, in my opinion, its a safety risk now, best to recycle it.

You might remember the Samsung Galaxy Note 7’s catching fire or blowing up due to internal shorts in the battery.

Which model battery is it?  It’s possible it was dropped (circuit board) or you got a dud (cell shorting).

Things that normally affect battery reliability:

alkaline: hate cold

Ni MH: overheating (too fast charge or discharge due to poor design). OK cold tolerance.  NiMH have almost as much life at 32F as at room temperature. At -15C, they retain 75% capacity.  I used to just throw alkaline AAA in my Spot headlamp until one day I went exploring on a winter day hike and had to bushwack or be under complete cover for the last 2 hours at night at -20C.  The fresh alkalines were toast in 20 mins.  I switched to NiMh rechargables and can easily get 13 hours @ 1hr/day at the lowest setting

LiI (like the Anker): overheating (too fast charge or discharge due to poor design). Best cold tolerance. OTOH, in general, start out with much higher capacity per weight than NiMH but after 50 cycles have less capacity than NiMH.  I’d prefer to see Nitecore switch to slightly heavier NiMH but deferred rewards don’t sell many gizmos

[David D]

Hey Bill, I made all my own files from scratch from many sources.  I usually cross reference to make sure its reliable.   For example, don’t rely on sanitizer (use soap), BPL tips on water avoidance, managing inflammation, not to forget:

Bears!  and a related Friday afternoon yikes video

I also download videos from youtube for emergency med stuff.  I figure its easier to digest on the spot in video format if my brain is scrambled with adrenaline, rather than trying to read from a doc.

[jscott]

I’ll bring my early vcrsion Kindle that doesn’t have a back light, so it holds its charge really well. I need to have a book, and this Kindle is only a few ounces heavier than a thin pocket book. Other than that, I bring no electronics. Futzing with batteries and having to bring charging tech isn’t my cup of tea, and all of that is heavy. AND, I like disconnecting. It’s funny to me that people will complain about running into ‘people’ on the trail, but go on-line while in their hard to achieve wilderness solitude.

I’m mostly hiking on trail so I sure don’t need GPS. I bring the last if I’m out skiing in winter. It’s true that in the early spring especially I’ll be off in snow and isolated to some extent. Ah well I’m careful and tend to know my limits. I don’t worry at all about safety when I’m hiking solo. In a way, that’s part of what I’ve learned: trusting myself and the wilderness when alone. Having a device to send an emergency message wouldn’t make me feel more secure. I feel secure as it is. I’m usually at my most calm in the wild, alone.

[Glen L]

1. This was observed this last Thursday in a desert canyon and is my main use and reason for the iPhone which so much less weight than the old DSLR, two lenses and a carbon fiber Gitzo mountaineer and a gps, reference books etc. It is a pleasurable path into photography and learning with a unique view of the wild and very strange world that is full of surprises every day.

[AK Granola]

My battery is the Anker PowerCore 10,000 PD+ – Model  A1236.

It seems to be working fine now. I’m going to charge off it for the next few weeks and see how it goes. It’s really tough to find any kind of portable charger in my town, and of course they won’t ship to Alaska directly. The little one I bought on trail isn’t enough to charge my phone more than 2 times so it won’t do for my upcoming trip.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

I really liked using FarOut on the Arizona Trail. In the morning I would go over the day’s likely water sources. I’d read the comments to determine if they were dry or good. Then I’d pick the best next water source and that would be my first goal for the day.

A few times my head was in the flowers and clouds and I missed my water source. So then FarOut would help me see if the next one would work. And quite a few times if they were way off trail, I would use FarOut to just go cross-country and find it.

Finally at the very end of the hike I looked at FarOut and saw my position so close to the end. I took a screenshot because I’d probably never see that again. It’s like seeing your odometer roll over in your car. Lol. Of course actually reaching and touching the monument at the end brought the real tears.

Sometimes I would send a picture of me somewhere on the trail to my mother’s digital picture frame to surprise her.

Technology isn’t all bad.

[HkNewman]

do it “the old fashioned way”?

At least a couple hikers this year are attempting to compete the PCT without tech/only using paper maps.  In years past that’s how it was done.  There’s also been a glitch where parts of a widely used nav app temporarily vanished on trail this year.  A paper map and mini-compass are at least a good backup.

 

There’s also getting away from it all and now the “digital detox” movement.   Being into the moment in all sorts of ways.  Hiking I’ll always use “airplane mode” though, so that’s a big help.  In town I’m even taking the advice of one “shark tanker” and just scanning the headlines of a major broadcaster (British Broadcasting fwiw) before concentrating on the day’s tasks.  Except when it comes to reading about gear (lol).

The apps are pretty labor saving however.   Combining navigation with frequent updates, photo taking/storage, .. having back home financial info at one’s fingertips is a pretty sweet deal.  There is the temptation to keep looking at the apps and turn on the phone, but I find a watch is helpful once I get my pace (normally hike x miles per hour/compare to time).

Maybe not relevant to the CT but on the PCT there’s been 2 rattlesnake bites this year (maybe due to overgrown grass?); having an emergency communicator makes evacuation much faster now.

[Author]

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