Unpopular opinion: paper maps beat GPS for route planning in remote areas

I used to rely 100% on my phone for trails, but after losing signal for 4 hours on the Rae Lakes Loop last summer, I switched back to topo maps and felt way more aware of the terrain. Which do you trust more when you're miles from any cell tower?

2 comments

2 Comments

wendygrant11d ago

Phone GPS gave me a nasty surprise on the Sierra High Route when the battery died at 2pm on a 10 mile stretch with zero shade. Topo maps all the way now. I actually trace my route with a highlighter and check elevation profiles against landmarks I can see. Got caught in a surprise storm near Dusy Basin once and the map let me find a sheltered gully that my phone would have never shown. Paper also saves battery for emergency calls, which is huge.

logan63211d ago

That "saves battery for emergency calls" part really hits home, @wendygrant. I had a very similar wakeup call on the JMT when my phone went from 40% to dead in the cold, and I realized I had zero backup plan. Now I do the same thing with a highlighter and it's honestly way more fun than staring at a tiny screen anyway.