Hiker asked for a rescue...via Facebook

[JoshandBaron]

I've never had that experience with an iPhone. Plus, they do not hold up well in cold, adverse conditions, and touch screens do not work well when wet. Compass, paper map, rugged GPS for serious endeavors. Keep the phone for Starbucks orders and Tik Tok.

I guess I can only speak from my experience. I was out on an overnight this past weekend. Rain, snow, hail, graupel, sleet, thunderstorms, temps both sides of freezing, and bushwhacks. Used bluetooth headphones at times while hiking and watched a movie at night. Never plugged in, never turned off. Returned with a 63% charge remaining Sunday afternoon.

 

[Mike P.]

I guess I can only speak from my experience. I was out on an overnight this past weekend. Rain, snow, hail, graupel, sleet, thunderstorms, temps both sides of freezing, and bushwhacks. Used bluetooth headphones at times while hiking and watched a movie at night. Never plugged in, never turned off. Returned with a 63% charge remaining Sunday afternoon.

Age of device and the knowledge of how to adjust your settings for optimal battery usage would be things to know if you are using your phone for navigation. Keeping your device on your person, especially near your torso will keep it warmer than in a loose hip or leg pocket or in the top lid of your pack. Batteries don't like the cold, however, they don't just die in it though. The colder it is, the worst it is. (talking -20 or so near freezing isn't really that cold for a battery, and easily warmed by being near your body.)

My phone is old, 2014, and I'd only use it for pictures and if in the front country, maybe keep caught up on current events at night in my tent. That usually drains it. Since my initials are MAP, my choice is paper, although at this point I seldom find a need to pull the map out. I use it more so I can show scouts how to use a map and compass.

In this case, the hiker's lack of knowledge on where Valley way went, the terrain and shelter that trail provides made his day longer with a more elevation gain and exposure then was required. Had they actually needed a rescue and did not have the ability to get below treeline, this would have likely ended quite differently

 

[NHClimber]

Yeah, in my experience very few people optimize their phones for a particular activity and iPhones have a long history of rapid and inefficient battery usage. As such, I would discourage the use of phones for navigation in challenging environments. A GPS unit is made for the challenge and is the better choice, along with a compass as a backup and as Mike noted, knowledge of the geography and terrain. And I’m a tech head but there is no debate that under adverse conditions a paper map is easier to read that a dim and wet touch screen (even on a GPS, though at least on a GPS you can turn up the brightness without massive battery drain and can carry spare batteries).

 

[B the Hiker]

In this case, the hiker's lack of knowledge on where Valley way went, the terrain and shelter that trail provides made his day longer with a more elevation gain and exposure then was required. Had they actually needed a rescue and did not have the ability to get below treeline, this would have likely ended quite differently

From this discussion, what I am seeing is that, regardless of one's device (even if it had functioned), one still needs to be able to divert from the planned route. By the young man's own description, the snow was blowing sideways, and that was not the moment to start thinking about alternatives. I suspect if any of us had been on a new route, above treeline, in winter conditions, that we would have sat down with a proper map and considered alternative ways down if things didn't go well.

This gent did not do that.

Even if he had a map and it got blown out of his hands, or his phone or GPS died, if he had considered alternatives before he left, when he stumbled upon Valley Way (as he almost certainly did), he would have known that was an alternative to Airline--even if he didn't know it was actually a better alternative.

 

[hikerbrian]

I had multiple replies of traveling “fast and light.” Tiny backpacks and cellphones for guidance I think is the new norm among new hikers.

Yep. The thing that bugs me is the conviction among said 'fast and light' hikers that they're actually safer that those of us with more stuff in the pack. "Hey man, that heavy pack makes you slow. Don't you know, speed is safety?!" I think inexperienced hikers confuse the modest value of speed in the Whites with the actual value of speed in, say, an avalanche or rockfall runout that must be crossed in the Karakoram. Maybe they've read some Mark Twight and fancy themselves to be cut from the same cloth. It's also true that I like some comforts in the woods. I'm not there to torture myself or get it done as quickly as possible. And having a bit more of a safety cushion puts my mind at rest and allows me to appreciate my time in the woods more than I'd be able to otherwise. To each their own.

Anyway, I had to read the FB synopsis several times to convince myself the hiker actually had hiked past Valley Way several times, and in the final case forewent that easy jog down in favor of the alpine zone on the shoulder of Adams. Better to be lucky than good, I suppose.

I'll leave it to others to have the 'iPhone vs dedicated GPS vs paper map' argument. I feel like we've been down this road. ;-)

 

[B the Hiker]

There's something the young man didn't say which is bothering me. When he realized he was in trouble, he reached out to Facebook. This suggests that he didn't tell anyone where he was going.

I would hope that anyone on Views, hiking alone, in winter conditions, on two of the most challenging mountains in New England, would have someone looking out for them who knows hiking and knows the area, and who would know what to do if they got a text asking for help.

He simply didn't have anyone in the world who knew where he was! No one, anywhere. No one knew where he was hiking, no one knew where he was parked, what his planned route was, and appears not to have been a plan if he didn't check in by a certain time. If there had been, he would have texted that person.

 

[TEO]

Used bluetooth headphones at times while hiking and watched a movie at night. Never plugged in, never turned off.

Why? The sounds of the woods and hills are just as much of the experience as the sights. Some of the coolest mountain experiences of the past year were aural: a raven babbling as it seemingly followed me down a ridge, trees cracking like a rifleshot in the cold, moose clashing in the rut just out of sight, coyotes howling throughout the night all around my bivy.

What happened to going into the woods to unplug?

 

[skiguy]

Why? The sounds of the woods and hills are just as much of the experience as the sights. Some of the coolest mountain experiences of the past year were aural: a raven babbling as it seemingly followed me down a ridge, trees cracking like a rifleshot in the cold, moose clashing in the rut just out of sight, coyotes howling throughout the night all around my bivy.

What happened to going into the woods to unplug?

Camped above tree line, the wind howling, pinned in your tent with the unrelentless flapping of nylon. I'll take the earbuds and a good flick.

 

[JoshandBaron]

Why? The sounds of the woods and hills are just as much of the experience as the sights. Some of the coolest mountain experiences of the past year were aural: a raven babbling as it seemingly followed me down a ridge, trees cracking like a rifleshot in the cold, moose clashing in the rut just out of sight, coyotes howling throughout the night all around my bivy.

What happened to going into the woods to unplug?

It's not like they were in all the time. I got my fill of coyotes and vultures before and after the storms. I was camped on a cliff in the middle of every precipitation that exists, the only sounds being missed were that of water and wind on silpoly.

 

[skiguy]

A lot of discussion about Paper Maps vs. Electronic devices in this thread. Also, without a lot of detailed info it's hard to really know what happened here. Although I'll take a shot at it. IMO having a compass and knowing how to use it could have saved a lot of time and effort for this fellow. When it's blowing and in low visibility navigating with a map can be tough. Prior to doing a hike like this I usually prepare a laminated crib sheet pocket size with critical compass bearings. Like what is the bearing to descend off the summit of Madison to reach the hut. It provides a quick and viable reference in order to be headed in the right direction. Best part it can be handled with low dexterity handwear and no need of batteries. Sounds as if he was trying to descend via The Watson Path and got disoriented. Having a bailout and knowing where that is on the compass is always prudent. I agree knowing where and using The Valley way would have been prudent.

 

[Mike P.]

From this discussion, what I am seeing is that, regardless of one's device (even if it had functioned), one still needs to be able to divert from the planned route. By the young man's own description, the snow was blowing sideways, and that was not the moment to start thinking about alternatives. I suspect if any of us had been on a new route, above treeline, in winter conditions, that we would have sat down with a proper map and considered alternative ways down if things didn't go well.
.

The time to look at bad weather alternatives is before you start your trip, not above treeline in the teeth of the storm. If I think I am going to need a map, I have it folded in a quart zip-loc with the area I am in visible and if the scale is such that it won't all fit on one side, it's folded so the back is also usable. (It does sometimes make re-folding them properly to put back in the book difficult)

 

[NHClimber]

I will also note that the time to test the weather is not when it is upon you. Maybe I am conservative, but I have always been able to see weather developing and be in a position to bail before I get too high on a summit. Maybe I have just been fortunate though. I prefer hanging around at a comfortable spot below the summit cone to test weather conditions before heading up to tag a summit. I have seen others go for it when there are clearly bad winter conditions developing and come out fine, but have never understood why bother taking the chance. But to each their own of course. That's the age-old risk tolerance spectrum.

 

[iAmKrzys]

[...]
On Sunday, said hiker posted a follow-up:

[...] At this time, visibility was maybe 20-25 feet. Eventually I decided it was time to make an attempt to descend. I hiked down and through the trail junction that was on my map only to never find the trail. I ended up in trees and deep snow. I decided to follow my footprints back up to the junction sign. Unfortunately, the snow had blown over and covered my footprints so I lost that trail. [...]

One thing that hasn't been discussed here yet (or I haven't noticed it) is that an always-on device with GPS and track recording capability makes it easy to retrace your steps even if the maps on your device are bad.

Paper maps are great if you know where you are and / or you can see some reference points but if you don't have a clue as to your current position and you can see only up to 20-25 feet then a paper map can only provide a general idea of where to go or perhaps what other exit options might be available.

 

[Mike P.]

One thing that hasn't been discussed here yet (or I haven't noticed it) is that an always-on device with GPS and track recording capability makes it easy to retrace your steps even if the maps on your device are bad.

Paper maps are great if you know where you are and / or you can see some reference points but if you don't have a clue as to your current position and you can see only up to 20-25 feet then a paper map can only provide a general idea of where to go or perhaps what other exit options might be available.

He did retrace his steps so he could descend on the Airline trail which he came up when the weather was better. With the weather as bad as he said, if escape was his plan, Valley Way was the best choice, he seemed unaware of that fact though. Assuming Watson was likely his initial planned descent route, the trail description (as I recall) says that it should not be considered a bad weather route as the cairns are small and blend in with the landscape. That would be particularly true with snow and ice on the ground with blowing snow lowering visibility. He only mentioned his phone going dead, he never mentioned any other electronic equipment. I think he knew where he was in general, he just didn't know other trails in the area (& where they led) and in that area, there are many.

We all hike our own hike, some bring music, some lots of electronic navigation tools, some none at all. Some go light and fast, some well equipped, and many somewhere between those two camps. In sharing this with some friends so they can learn too, One replied he wasn't familiar with the area as he hikes mostly in the ADK. I was trying to think of a similar ADK location, but I don't think one exists. There are a couple of ways off Marcy but no large trail system leading in several directions above treeline. There is no Thunderstorm Junction or a way or reason to go around the Marcy Cone above treeline. Closest thing on Marcy where some people have got in trouble was not recognizing the junction where you can go down towards JBL or take the Van Hovenberg. If I recall, that's more in the scrub than above all the vegetation, it's been a while though.

 

[NHClimber]

I consider a dedicated handheld GPS to be the best tool. Mine has the trails on it. Plus you can set a track as noted above, which allows for easy retracing if necessary. Paper maps and compass are backup tools. Knowledge of the trails in the area and distances to junctions is smart. Given the technology we have today, there really is no reason to get into a panic situation.

 

[Nessmuk]

I consider a dedicated handheld GPS to be the best tool. Mine has the trails on it. Plus you can set a track as noted above, which allows for easy retracing if necessary. Paper maps and compass are backup tools. Knowledge of the trails in the area and distances to junctions is smart. Given the technology we have today, there really is no reason to get into a panic situation.

I look at recreational wilderness travel in the opposite way. I consider a dedicated GPS (certainly not a cell phone) as the best/necessary tool for SAR and for canoe racing (primarily just for speed monitoring if on known routes). My goto primary navigation method is to use paper maps and compass as the most pleasurable way to enjoy exploration of remote wild places. My goal tends to be finding remote places using the traditional M&C techniques and observational skills I learned long ago. I gain knowledge of trails by careful pre-trip map study, and on-site exploration. I may have been temporarily confused a time or two, all as part of the adventure, but I can't think that I have ever been in any panic situation. YMMV

 

[skiguy]

He did retrace his steps so he could descend on the Airline trail which he came up when the weather was better. With the weather as bad as he said, if escape was his plan, Valley Way was the best choice, he seemed unaware of that fact though.

This is deductive reasoning which potentially implies assumptions. Again I would agree Valley Way probably would have been a better way but I am just assuming myself to say so. He was obviously not familiar with Valley Way and even with a map or some other source it might have not been the correct choice for him. The problem with reading about incidents like this is they are usually incomplete with all that was going on in a given incident. We all extrapolate here thinking we all thought what happened and what should of happened that didn't. In this particular incident it is entirely possible that the Airline was a better choice for this individual because that was what he was familiar with. Therefore being safer for him relative to the situation given the tools and resources he had at his disposal. Yes he probably should have had other tools that he did not. But he adapted to the situation and used what he had. Then got his own arse out of the woods unscathed and alive. Incidents like this more than likely happen more often than we hear about. They just don't get published somewhere.

 

[NHClimber]

I look at recreational wilderness travel in the opposite way. I consider a dedicated GPS (certainly not a cell phone) as the best/necessary tool for SAR and for canoe racing (primarily just for speed monitoring if on known routes). My goto primary navigation method is to use paper maps and compass as the most pleasurable way to enjoy exploration of remote wild places. My goal tends to be finding remote places using the traditional M&C techniques and observational skills I learned long ago. I gain knowledge of trails by careful pre-trip map study, and on-site exploration. I may have been temporarily confused a time or two, all as part of the adventure, but I can't think that I have ever been in any panic situation. YMMV

I respect that. Probably the best preparation is situational awareness and, in particular, not allowing yourself to get into super adverse weather conditions.

 

[Mac]

This is why you should always bring snowshoes when hiking the high peaks this time of year - even if there's little to no snow above treeline, the snow in the woods is still deep and will require snowshoes to make an emergency exit.

Agreed. A few years ago, in late May, I turned around at treeline (below Madison) due to not bringing snowshoes. Weather was good, but increasing snow depth would've made an emergency exit problematic, if I'd required one.

 

[DayTrip]

Incidents like this more than likely happen more often than we hear about. They just don't get published somewhere.

I would agree with that. I absolutely marvel at how often people have no idea what summit they are on, what trail they're taking, etc. even in good weather. A lot of people carry GPS apps and GPS units and even maps but have no idea how to use them at all. A couple of Summers ago I was sitting on the summit of Adams when I overheard the couple next to me (with map in hand) discussing their plans to cut across onto the Star Lake Trail to summit Adams. When I said "Are you guys summiting Adams?" they asked me how far it was, at which point I had to tell them they were sitting on it. They were well equipped for the weather and had every thing they needed for navigation yet still they did not understand where they were. This is an all too common occurrence in my travels.