Warning: I used to trust my phone's GPS for hiking trails until last Sunday on Mount Tam

I was out on the Matt Davis trail, a route I've done maybe 20 times. My phone showed a shortcut that looked legit on the map, so I took it. 45 minutes later I was stuck on a ledge with no signal, sweating through my shirt. I had to backtrack and lost 2 hours. Now I carry a paper map from the ranger station and a cheap compass. That GPS nearly got me airlifted out. Anyone else ditched their phone for paper maps on real trails?

2 comments

2 Comments

nancy52414d ago

Oh man, I gotta push back on this a little. Paper maps are great for backup but I've had way more close calls trying to read a soggy map in the rain than I've had with GPS. Lost more time fumbling with a compass than I ever did following a bad shortcut.

price.tara14d ago

Lol fair point about soggy maps @nancy524, but I gotta correct the compass thing a bit. Compass navigation is actually way faster once you get the hang of it, you just have to practice a little. I've saved tons of time not having to stop and pull out a phone or wait for a signal, especially in areas with spotty coverage. Maybe give it another shot on a dry day and see if it clicks.