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Hot take: GPS route planning killed the spontaneity of backpacking
Back in 2015 I did the JMT with just a paper map and a compass. Last year I tried the same trail with Gaia GPS on my phone. The paper map made me actually read the terrain and talk to other hikers about water sources. With the app I just followed a blue line and barely looked up. I ended up missing a side trail to a lake I'd been wanting to see since 2010. Has anyone else felt less connected to the route using digital maps?
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simon_sanchez5812d ago
That quote from kelly968 nails it. I had the same experience on a section of the PCT near Donner Pass. Staring at my phone the whole time made me miss a whole valley that had some amazing granite slabs. Kinda felt like I was just checking boxes instead of really being out there.
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