Used to doubt paper maps, now I carry one on every trip

Back in 2019 I did the Lost Coast trail in California and my phone died on day 2. I had the route saved but no backup, ended up backtracking 4 miles to a ranger station. After that I bought a decent topo map for like $12 and practiced with it on a few weekend hikes near Tahoe. Took maybe 3 trips to really get comfy with contour lines and pace counting. Now I bring one even on short overnights, just in case. Any of you still carry paper or am I the only old head left?

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finley_bennett288d ago

Oh man, I felt this one. I had almost the exact same wake-up call on a trip in the Sierras a few years back, but my phone just froze on the trailhead, not even a full day in. I sat there like a fool for twenty minutes trying to reboot it before I finally pulled out the old gas station map I'd bought on a whim. Now I'm that guy who keeps a folded topo in his jacket pocket even for a simple day loop, and my buddies give me grief about it. But hey, better to look a little silly carrying dead weight than to be the one who has to explain to the rangers why you don't know which ridge you're on. At least with paper, you can drop it in a creek, dry it out, and still find your way home.