Part 1- Physical Mirrored Compass

Part 2- Digital Map (and maybe a physical backup)

Part 3- Headlamps… plural!

Part 4- First Aid Kit & Training!

Part 5- Water and Water Treatment

In my last post I shared my opinions on why carrying a physical mirrored compass while hiking is still relevant. Physical compasses are important in both outdoor recreation and professional SAR despite modern smartphone technology. In this post will show my preference for digital mapping over physical maps.

There are some disclaimers and caveats to get out of the way here. Relying on only a cell phone app with no foundation of true navigational skills with traditional map & compass is really a gamble. At some point your cell phone battery will die. It will be too cold for your cell phone to function. You’ll drop your phone in a raging current or deep powder snow and have to go without. I’ll say it one more time…

DO NOT rely on smartphone navigation as your ONLY source of navigation.

But can it be your primary source of navigation? Heck yeah! It’s been 10 years since I wrote this article, Should you use a Smartphone for Wilderness Navigation? in which I make a strong case for the use of smartphone apps for navigation.

Ten years later I still stand behind my arguments in this opinion piece. Even better smartphone batteries have made large advancements in how much juice they can store. Digital displays have improved in resolution, brightness, and color. When I first wrote that piece I was using the iPhone 6 model! Today my iPhone 13 Pro is my main digital navigation tool with some apps I will get into below.

I still do not own a stand alone GPS unit. However, they still have a place in the outdoor recreation and rescue industry. They have a few advantages of smartphone GPS apps for navigation.

1. Much more durable. Quality handheld GPS units are typically waterproof to at least 30 feet. They can withstand significant impacts that would destroy a smartphone.
2. Much longer battery life. Most models can run full tracking for over 150 hours without being recharged.
3. The best models can double as a two-way satellite communication device. This point is less important if your smartphone has satellite communication ability as well.

I would invest in a standalone GPS device if I often embarked on extended trips (a week or longer). This device would serve as a backup communication device in remote parts of the world. After looking at the current market of these devices, I would lean toward the Garmin GPSMap67i. It is a well-reviewed high-end choice in the field of GPS navigation devices with satellite communication feature.

You can rely on your smartphone for navigation like I do. You can find success if you follow a few key tenets. Here are my 8 commandments.

1. Thou shalt use a proper mapping navigation app (NOT AllTrails).
2. Thou shall pre-download maps and topographical data while connected to a WIFI or Data network. Do this before leaving civilization.
3. Thou shall start the hike with a smartphone charged to 100% when you leave the trail head
4. Thou shall close all unneeded apps. Turn off WiFi and Bluetooth manually. Turn on Airplane Mode. Turn down screen brightness to the lowest usable level.
5. Thou shall keep your smartphone warm.
6. Thou shall carry battery backup on extended trips.
7. Thou shall use Bluetooth headphones if one must listen to music
8. Thou shall still be capable of navigating should thou smartphone unexpectedly stop working

For more than ten years I’ve been using CalTopo.com on my laptop to create custom maps for both recreational hiking, guiding, and search and rescue missions. I then download the created geospatial PDF’s into the free Avenza app for off-grid use in the field. CalTopo does have an excellent app that you can use. However, I still find it more efficient to create the detailed maps I want on a laptop or desktop platform. It is easier than doing it on a smartphone app.

One of the coolest newer features of the CalTopo software is the ability for SAR teams to enable live tracking. Any group who purchases a “Teams” account can do this for everyone on the team. This feature can allow team members and rescue commanders to see real time locations of members of the search team. Members must be connected to the network by either cellular data. Alternatively, they can link a GPS device like the Garmin inReach Mini 2. This is a powerful tool that rescue commanders can use to track dozens of search teams over large geographic areas!

Other apps worth looking at are MilGPS, Gaia GPS, PeakFinder, and Theodolite. I will do a more detailed breakdown of these apps in a future post.

Smartphone apps are complex. They could be using a lot of power in the background. The safe bet is just to close all apps you are not using. I pretty much only have Avenza/CalTopo, Strava, and the Camera app occasionally running during my trips.

While Airplane mode should turn off WiFi and Bluetooth, these can both be turned back on while in Airplane mode. I think it is best to turn them both off individually. This way, if you come out of Airplane mode to make an emergency call, you don’t accidentally leave WiFi on. You don’t accidentally leave Bluetooth running. This also applies to an “I’m running late” call when you don’t need those connections.

Screen brightness probably has a smaller effect on battery life but every bit can help.

Cold can drain cell phone batteries even if the phone is powered down. Do not carry your smartphone in the top pocket of your backpack in cold conditions. I prefer a hip pocket or chest pocket for winter conditions.

If I’m expected to be out for more than 48 hours, I will pack a backup charger. I prefer options like the Anker Portable 325 PowerBank. There are dozens of other options out there but I would look for store at least 20000mAh of juice!

If you need to listen to music or podcasts while hiking, Bluetooth headphones are a great choice. They will save your phone a lot of battery. This is especially true compared to using the smartphone’s external speakers. The same applies if you’re sleeping in a tent during windy conditions or in a crowded, snoring bunkhouse.

Having a backup paper map is easy insurance against a smartphone failure. I will be honest and say I do not always carry a paper back up with me. I justify this by being very diligent with conserving my battery life. I keep my phone warm in cold environments. I also keep it secure in either a zippered pocket. In a more vertical environment, I tether it to my body with a retractable lanyard.

If you have access to a quality color printer you can print very detailed custom maps directly from CalTopo. If I have the time, I often send the Geospatial PDF’s I’ve created to the local UPS Store. Sometimes, I send them to Staples for laminated color copies. For a SAR mission that is likely short, I rarely carry a detailed paper map. These missions usually conclude in less than 24 hours. I will have the regional AMC White Mountain National Forest Maps for the area I will be in. This way, I can perform resection from any vantage points along my route. I will do this if my digital tools are failing.

Get Skilled

There are some great, and not so great, books on navigation you can learn from. A couple of my favorites:

The Essential Wilderness Navigator: How to Find Your Way in the Great Outdoors, 2nd Ed.

Wilderness Navigation: Finding Your Way Using Map, Compass, Altimeter & GPS

The Natural Navigator, Tenth Anniversary Edition: The Rediscovered Art of Letting Nature Be Your Guide

Pinpoint: How GPS Is Changing Technology, Culture, and Our Minds <- thanks Zeb for pointing me to this one, just started reading it and it’s good!

Guided Instruction

If you would like to work with me directly, I have a custom 8-hour Wilderness Navigation Course. This course covers everything from Survival/Improvised Navigation to creating detailed “White-Out” navigation plans. It also includes using modern smartphone apps. It’s a couple hours of morning classroom followed by real life field practice of all skills. Reach out if you’d like to learn more!

Summary

This topic is slightly controversial. Almost any hiking authority will urge you to carry a paper map at all times. I’m not arguing against that. From a search and rescue team member’s experience, I think back on the dozens of missions I’ve been involved in. I struggle to recall pulling out my paper map at any point during a search. I always have very detailed pre-downloaded topographic data in a smartphone. I carefully conserve power and keep a backup. This combination has always gotten me to my next checkpoint. I continue practicing following a compass bearing through thick woods to a target. I do this because I want that skill to stay sharp and support the existing technology I’ve decided to embrace. I hope sharing this mindset with you encourages you to evaluate your own capabilities.

Support New Hampshire Search and Rescue

Wondering how you can contribute to New Hampshire’s amazing volunteer Search and Rescue community? First, buy an annual Hike Safe Card! If you want to go above and beyond consider making a donation to the NH Outdoor Council. This organization helps efficiently dispersing donations to the multiple volunteer search and rescue teams in the state of New Hampshire. If you would like to donate specifically to teams I am currently a member of you can find their donation pages here:

Androscroggin Valley Search and Rescue Donations

Lakes Region Search and Rescue Donations

While not currently a member I am proud of the decade+ I spent serving on the Mountain Rescue Service Team and their donation page can be found here.

Comments? Questions?

Let me know below! Ask me about anything related to digital navigation, maps, or my suggestions. Let me know what your favorite mapping app is! Do you feel competent with digital mapping navigation?

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

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