Photo By Adam Riser, Backcountry Employee
The use of electronics in the backcountry offers an enhanced experience for those who use them wisely and a presents a danger to those who choose to use them lightly. In order to stay alive and unharmed, wilderness veterans must remember and rookies must discover that total dependence on technology can be a hazard. Why? Either group is vulnerable to the hubris that these devices can encourage.
Well less than a lifetime ago, the map and compass were gold standards of navigation. A highly affordable handheld GPS device wasn’t introduced until 1998, and advanced mapping software that allowed you to plan a route from a computer was released in 1995. Easily portable iPhones, MP3 players, and digital cameras were far off in the future, and the idea of carrying many existing electronics into the backcountry was laughable. You certainly didn’t have a cheap Deus ex machina button to tell someone exactly where you were when you needed saving.
Prior to 1971, when the first avalanche transceivers (beacons) were released, you would need a trained dog and a prayer to have any hope of finding a friend buried under an avalanche before he or she expired. Multiple burials would be disastrous. Pure experience with pushing your body to the limit would determine the amount of food you needed for a trip, and many would depend on an old injury to inform them of an approaching storm.
Now, advanced mapping software and GPS devices allow you to plan out a good route to your destination from the comfort of your home. A personal locator beacon can even send a signal to search and rescue from deep in the wilderness if you get stuck and don’t have the guts to cut off a hand. You can now use electronics for days in the bush without carrying pounds of batteries thanks to advances in solar power. Avalanche transceivers reduce the certain-death factor of being buried in a slide, and watches with built-in heart rate monitors and barometers heighten your awareness of how terrain affects you.
Though using these new conveniences can keep you safer than the old way of doing things, we all need to keep in mind that they are not futuristic force fields. Use the features of these devices to your advantage, but don’t take unnecessary risks with your life simply because you have a little padding.
Navigation
Photo By Neu2752296 Ranked #17,817 on Leaderboard
The ability to get where you want to go and track your progress is essential in anything you do outdoors. When you enter unexplored terrain and wilderness areas far away from help and the comforts of home, getting lost can become a harrowing and, perhaps, fatal experience. These modern conveniences can help you avoid ending up in a bad spot, but consider bringing a map and compass too, for backup.
The National Geographic TOPO! State Series mapping software provides a way for you to plan out routes without learning the hard way through failed shortcuts and many hours of retracing your steps. This software gives you the advantages of being able to view terrain in 3D before setting foot there, loading your routes and waypoints to a GPS device, and having a hard copy of your route in case your GPS fails or gets stolen by a giant bird looking to score points for Mother Nature.
The Garmin’s 60 CSX GPS Unit gives you the power to navigate using the waypoints you set up from home. Or, if you’re in mellow, familiar terrain, you can use the electronic compass and a few waypoints you set in the field to figure out where you are. Make sure you have downloaded accurate maps of the areas you wish to explore, or you may miss important turns and end up miles from your destination.
Just because you have a McMurdo FastFind 210 PLB that will send out a signal to search and rescue the minute you get in too deep does not mean you should attempt to tackle something out of your league. This puts you and all of the rescuers attempting to recover your inexperienced ass in serious danger, especially if you get scared of the dark (or need a drink of water) and send out a signal at night. However, it is a great item to have if you’re constantly pushing farther and farther away from civilization. If you or a buddy breaks a leg deep in the wilderness, this PLB offers you a way out of a deadly situation.
Solar Power
Photo By Adam Riser, Backcountry Employee
Advances in solar technology have given everyone an Earth-friendly and effective way to keep their electronics alive deep in the wilderness. Charge your iPhone, MP3 player, or laptop when needed. Although we recommend keeping your cell phone charged in case of emergency, if we hear you talking about anything other than a life or death situation when all we should hear is the sweet symphony of nature, we’ll probably express our frustration.
The Brunton Solaris Flexible Solar Panel weighs in at less than a pound and comes in either a 6- or 12-watt option. If you’re looking for maximum power, go with the 12-watt, and enjoy the luxury of being able to charge a satellite phone or laptop. Chances are, unless you’re a professional explorer or heading to a Himalayan base camp, you won’t need this luxury. With the 6-watt option you can keep your GPS, cell phone, digital camera, camcorder, iPod, or other small electronic devices going as long as you have sunlight.
When you are expecting some dreary days and still need to recharge your gadgets, the Brunton Solo Personal Power Plant will come to the rescue. Charge the power plant using your car on the way to the trailhead or your Brunton Flexible solar panel in the field.
Avalanche Safety
Photo by Aaron Clark Ranked #839 on Leaderboard
Going into the snow-covered sidecountry or backcountry without a beacon is nearly the least-intelligent thing a person can do. Even if you’re familiar with the area and know everything there is to know about the snow pack, you should still beep. The absolute least-intelligent thing someone can do is venture out of bounds with a beacon and no knowledge of how to use it or understanding of the backcountry terrain. Take an Avy 1 class before you even think about touring the backcountry, and always practice with your beacon. If you spend enough time out there, you’re going to have to dig out a friend, and you’ll want to know how to do it beforehand.
One of the best all-around beacons for the price is the Backcountry Access Tracker DTS Beacon. The Tracker is extremely simple to use and can reduce the amount of time it takes for you to find a buried comrade. If more than one person gets buried, you will have the ability to track them all.
The Ortovox S1 Avalanche Transceiver is one of the best options out there if you have the money to spend on it. While the Tracker is a great beacon and will do the job extremely well, the S1 does it a little better. A larger range and better ability to track multiple burials make this beacon ideal for people who spend a lot of time in the backcountry and normally tour with more than one friend.
Awareness
Photo By Andrew McLean Ranked #26 on Leaderboard
Being aware of your body’s limits is one of the most-effective keys to streamlining your experience in the backcountry. Many outdoor athletes and enthusiasts have spent years finding this out the old-fashioned way, and there’s nothing wrong with that method. But, knowing exactly how many calories you burn on certain kinds of terrain and what kind of pace you can maintain for days at a time can always help you plan out your next trip more precisely. With this data you can carry just the right amount of food to get you where you’re going and streamline the weight of your pack.
It’s also extremely important to be aware of what’s happening in the moment. Is the weather changing? Are you pushing too hard? Is there any possible way you can make it down the wall in five hours? These are all questions you want to be able to answer in real time. The answers could save your life, or at least spare you from serious discomfort.
If you’re climbing and already know how your body performs, then the Suunto Vector Altimeter Watch will be a better tool than a full-blown heart rate monitor setup. A built-in barometer will warn you when a storm is on the way so you can prepare to ride it out. The altimeter can tell you just how much farther you have to go to get to the bottom of the wall so you can decide on whether you have enough time to get down before the storm hits, or you should batten down the hatches.
If you want to track the weather, your altitude, and your heart rate, the Suunto T6 Watch is the way to go. Keep an eye on your ascent and descent rate to get an idea of how long the next pitch or section of vert is going to take, and plug all that info into your computer when you get home to put the big picture together. Being able to review this information at a later time will give you the power to plan more precise routes in the future.
Although electronics have definitely given us an enhanced ability to safely play outdoors, they are never a total substitute for instinct and working knowledge of the feat you are attempting. Because technology gives us the ability to explore areas we wouldn’t be able to reach without it, there is always the danger of overextending yourself. Novices can get a false sense of confidence from electricity that could lead them to their doom.
A GPS isn’t going to magically lead anyone anywhere–in fact, it can get you seriously lost if you don’t know how to use it correctly. Solar panels and the devices you use are not indestructible. A beacon isn’t going to prevent avalanches from happening. Barometers don’t turn you into a meteorologist, and knowing your pace over dry terrain won’t totally prepare you for a waterlogged adventure.
Technology gives us the potential to achieve great feats in the outdoors, but it is never a healthy substitute for common sense. Geek out with all the gadgets you can afford, but remain aware of the wisdom you are attempting to replace with technology, and always be prepared to do without it.
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Tags: avalanche safety, outdoor survival, technology, wilderness survival
March 8, 2010: The body of 15-year-old Daniel Head was found face-down in shallow water in the Altamaha Wildlife Management Area near Darien, Ga. The teen had been hog hunting with his stepfather, Brian Gale, who told investigators the pair became lost after their GPS unit failed due to lack of battery power. Gale left him to go for help. SAR replaced the old batteries with new and went to the last recorded position on the GPS unit which eventually lead them to the body. The cause of death was suspected to be hypothermia.
As you might tell from the above. I’m a map and compass guy. A map with me, a compass with my map, and a compass on my wrist. I have at least another in the group with an extra map in a different place. Everyone has a compass – and the amazing thing is I have never been lost, only temporarily disoriented.
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It’s a shame that people are abusing those tracking beacons. It would be an even bigger shame if this led to the decrease in availability of such devices. I hope that the ‘citation’ that hit the button three times in three days was hefty enough to keep the rescuers happy.
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On March 13, 2010, two highly experienced hikers in their late 40′s went on a day long hike in the Catskills. The got lost when a heavy snow storm eliminated the usefulness of their map and compass. They built a snow cave but they suffered from advance hypothermia through the night. Later the next day they were found by the SAR team searching for them. One had died, and the other could not walk.
The daughter for the deceased hiker wrote a letter to a local newspaper to clarify some of the erroneous information that had been published about the events leading to her father’s death. In that letter she concluded that if they had a GPS her dad would probably be alive today.
A map and compass is great for keeping you from getting lost. But a map and compass can’t always tell you where you are or how to get back from where you came, As in the case of the Catskill hikers. A GPS and a map will tell you where you are, where you have been, and how to go back the way you came.
I would not substitute a map and compass with a GPS, but neither would I substitute a GPS with a map and compass.
And there is no excuse for not having a second set of batteries for any electronic equipment you are relying on. Someone who dies because their only set batteries ran out did not die because they relied on the electronic device – they died because they didn’t have a second set of batteries.
Lastly, is the first picture really of a group of guys sitting around a bonfire in lawn chairs they carried into the “backcountry”?
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I am an old guy….I have all the modern gadgets as I can afford them. What I rely on is a topo map and good compass. I beleive if you want to experience the out of doors than do it. Get wet, cold, and hungry and than when the good times come you can say “Once I did it this way” Experience is the best teacher and that takes getting old and cranky…
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All good points I must say. Its a little more tricky to use just a map and compass when you are very easily disoriented due to terrain conditions. Its much easier to get lost in the plains states where eveything is seemingly full of trees in every direction then it is to get lost where there is a towering landmark of some sort at every turn.
Being aware of your surroundings is probably the most important thing you can do in any situation and I think we all agree that goes weather you have electronics or not.
Being aware of how not to get yourself into the situations where ‘life saving techniques’ are not needed in the first place is always the first rule of the land.
But I have to agree that if you do choose to carry electronic items that you should at least have one set of backup batteries.
Whatever happened to just using the GPS to interpolate your position on the map itself? It seems that all these amazing map products cost a fortune for map detail thats not always that good. Seems invention has become the mother of necessity largely due to GPS companies.
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Thanks for the stories revdocrick and Nogods… they both mirror the possibilities living in this article really well… In one case, a lack of keeping electronics powered was fatal…..in the other case, nature was just too much to overcome..
Having the gps could have made it easier for them to navigate in the storm but theres no telling what the outcome would have been…. In the end you can only be as well prepared as possible and you still might get totally hung out to dry… There’s only so much we can do to go into the heart of mother nature without getting swallowed up..
Electronics can help, experience is better, and knowledge is always the most powerful tool available to you…
Andrew, I’m with you on that one…Those rescuers deserved a fat check for putting up with that nonsense…I’m hoping that stiffer fines and rescue costs will keep the technology alive for those who know how to use it when needed.
Nogods, I’m sorry but that picture isn’t from super deep in the backcountry : / I thought it was a good picture but realize it isn’t as tightly related to the rest of the article as it could be…Thanks for pointing that out
may not be able to respond to everyone’s comments but love what’s going on here and thought I’d get in on the action a bit
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You know I did not want to start anything but there is nothing like pre planing and making a few day trips before you start major treks. Everyone should take first aid and advanced techniques if they can. Knowing your limitations and packing for emergencies is not a bad thing it saves lives and your feet.
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First – Cole, great article. For less experienced enthusiasts (like myself) who can depend too much on electronic technology, your article is a MUST READ!
Second – I have a concept to offer from many years of experience with 4×4 emergency vehicles in wildland fire environments. I see parallel truths between the wise use of 4×4 (All-Wheel-Drive capability) and the proper use of technology available in backcountry electronics. In driving off-road toward a fire, firefighters are trained to do so without 4×4 engaged. 4×4 is the margin available to be used to get “unstuck” and safely away from danger. It should never be used in a dangerous environment to take you where you wouldn’t be able to go otherwise. I hear you saying the same thing about today’s backcountry electronics. Use them, enjoy them, let them enhance your experience and help you move out of danger. But don’t be a fool and depend on them by going places with them that you wouldn’t consider without them. Ask yourself, “Do I have a good plan B for when they don’t work?”
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Having a map and compass is no use unless you know how to use it. I trained at Glenmore Lodge in Scotland (among other courses) and still practice how to use it. In poor conditions I will take a map and compass any day. I’ve navigated in blizzards with near zero visibility and freezing conditions. The only battery item I had was a flashlight.
I have a GPS but never rely on it and only use it for day trips and short walks. Anything else I buy the map and grab my trusty Silva (and a spare).
The problem I have with GPS units in the hills, are they remove you from the process of navigation. If I’m in the mountains and my map blows away, I’ve already spent most of the day looking at it, orientating it with my surroundings and becoming connected with where I am. When the map disappears, I stand a good chance of still knowing where I have to go. If you follow an arrow on a screen you just blindly follow it. When the unit dies, you have no idea where you are.
I experience this in my car. I have a GPS to get around and am literally, lost without it even to places I’ve been before. When I had to use a road map, or directions, I could find a place I’d visited years ago. If my GPS fails in my car I have to pull into a gas station. If it fails in the hills it can be serious.
I met a guy coming up Atlantic Peak in Colorado in February a few years back. I was already helping one near hypothermic guy down with a busted jacket when I saw what appeared to be a drunk, stumbling on the trail. I stopped him and chatted. He’d just flown in from sea level (Texas) and was in bad shape by 11,500ft. He was trying to convince me he wasn’t an idiot by showing me his electronic gadgets all hanging around his neck. It was like the money he’d spent on stuff, qualified him to be a climber. He didn’t convince me, but I did convince him to head down. The small fortune would have bought him training that would have been far more valuable.
Our party screwed up that day too. When I got to the trail head where we were parked, one car was locked with the key in the pocket of a guy still on the hill. The other car was gone, with those who turned back already having a beer. The guy with the busted jacket was kind enough to hang around and let me stay in his car. But if he hadn’t I had a small portable shelter (2 man bothy) and a stove (MSR Pocket Rocket and small cylinder inside jacket pocket). I could have spent the night if needed in reasonable comfort. No battery powered gadgets required, just a tiny increase in pack weight and common sense and fore thought.
When you plan your next trip to the hills consider these things will happen with 100% certainty. Your electronic gadgets will fail, so will your compass. Your map will blow away and you’ll get separated from your group. These kind of things happen all the time in the hills, it can be no big deal if you’ve thought about it beforehand, but it can kill you quick too if you haven’t.
“Everyone should take first aid and advanced techniques if they can” – darrell
Everyone _can_ take training courses and learn, but not everyone will!
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If you want to have a look at an awesome GPS unit then you need to have a look at the Satmap Active 10 (www.satmap.com). This rugged little device has mapping on SD cards which you insert for the area that you are going and is so easy to use. On top of that it has the most reliable GPS receive strength of any GPS units that I have used, it even works inside concrete buildings without an external antenna.
They are a UK company but the US military are expressing an interest and so it’s likely that their map catalogue (which currently extends to Western Europe) will expand to cover the US & Canada.
For a small fee they will tailor the map card to a specific area and can load different scales of map and even aerial photographs onto the same map card!
If you are considering buying a Garmin Oregon or similar GPS unit then have a look at Satmap – you need to be able to map read though, it’s not a satnav!
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I really appreciate the value of this article. Being given information about the technologies with examples of use and safe methods for outdoor adventures is so helpful! Thank you.
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Cole,
Great article and very informative. The Brunton Solaris Flexible Solar Panel offers weight reduction and an infinite power source relative to extra batteries.
In general, I believe integrating the new tools and technologies discussed in the article with more conventional tools and skills including use of map, compass, watch, and good terrain association.
provide the best approach to maintaining situational awareness and mitigating risk
I look forward to seeing you again soon!
Pete
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great info right here.
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