Cell phones offer many useful features, even when you find yourself far away from cell towers. In the backcountry, they’ve become a go-to navigation tool, an alarm clock for alpine starts, and the place to conveniently store guide books and maps. Check out these ways you can use your cell phone in the backcountry even when cell service is sparse to none.
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Last July, Andrew Baldwin set out southbound on the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail thru-hike. His previous year, filled with untethered travel throughout the US, left Baldwin searching for a purpose. Determined to find clarity paired with unbridled challenge, he joined just three percent of hikers who choose to hike north to south on the AT. Along the way, he found his trail family, wrangled the voice inside his head, and emerged with a new outlook on his life.
Read more to meet the host of the new Out and Back podcast.
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Smartphones are an excellent alternative to conventional GPS devices because they are lightweight and compact, and their large screens are ideal for viewing detailed topographic maps while using an app…