That time I stopped relying on my phone GPS for route finding

I was hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail last fall and my phone died 3 miles from a junction I needed. Spent 2 hours backtracking because I had no paper map backup. I see so many people now who only use AllTrails or Gaia and never carry a physical map. The issue is batteries fail, screens crack, and service is spotty in the Sierra. Since then I always bring a folded USGS map and a simple compass. Costs like $12 total and weighs nothing. How many of you still carry paper maps on multi-day trips?

3 comments

3 Comments

faith_shah881mo ago

Yeah this actually made me rethink my whole setup honestly.

gavin4691mo ago

Huh yeah, my buddy swapped his whole rig after trying a friend's and never looked back.

the_olivia1mo ago

Swapped my old chair out for one with better lumbar support and it changed everything. Really fixed my back pain after long days.