What do you find helpful in Trail Conditions?

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I recently stopped at the bottom of a spur path. Several people in another group were dropping their packs, and they were essentially 'good to go' because they had 2 cell phones in their pockets! :eek:

It's hard to know how many people actually consult trail conditions/reports before they go. At least reading a report shows some form of due diligence. I've read too many reports of folks that just head out because they're confident they know where they are going (no map, no compass), hit an unexpected condition and then get lost, on a trail that isn't.

I use my phone to take crappy photos. That's about it! :rolleyes:
I will admit that once I took a gorgeous photo from the summit and sent it by phone to my wife back at home. In retrospect, I don't think that went over too well. I won't do that again. :(
 
I would find it helpful if people would just start hiking with laptops, blackberries, iphones,... and send out hourly updates on trail conditions and cell phone coverage. It would also be helpful if they posted their cell phone number and/or email address so that I could call and ask specific questions while they are still on the hike. I personally don't feel safe leaving the house without this info.
 
I would find it helpful if people would just start hiking with laptops, blackberries, iphones,... and send out hourly updates on trail conditions and cell phone coverage. It would also be helpful if they posted their cell phone number and/or email address so that I could call and ask specific questions while they are still on the hike. I personally don't feel safe leaving the house without this info.

You mean like this?! :eek:
 
:D
I would find it helpful if people would just start hiking with laptops, blackberries, iphones,... and send out hourly updates on trail conditions and cell phone coverage. It would also be helpful if they posted their cell phone number and/or email address so that I could call and ask specific questions while they are still on the hike. I personally don't feel safe leaving the house without this info.


:D:D:D Actually, if you would include audio and smells there would be no further reason for me to waste all that time hiking! :D
 
I would find it helpful if people would just start hiking with laptops, blackberries, iphones,... and send out hourly updates on trail conditions and cell phone coverage. It would also be helpful if they posted their cell phone number and/or email address so that I could call and ask specific questions while they are still on the hike. I personally don't feel safe leaving the house without this info.
This would actually be kind of interesting experiment. Post your trip report before the trip -- list your cell phone number or IM handle so that people can contact you in real time while you're out hiking the trail. Instant trail conditions.

-Dr. Wu
 
I think cell phone users would be wise to turn them off until they are needed and be at the luck of the draw as to whether a signal can be obtained when needed ... and be prepared for the eventuality that it can't.

Concerning keeping the phone turned off, I understand the point. For me, however, almost no one knows my cell number; I still have land-lines for home and my office. The only occasion when I'd receive a call on the trail would be in a family emergency.

I've been in the company of hikers who lost power by keeping the phone on and at other times we've each had different luck, at the same location, in getting either a signal or a connection.

My phone is a plain-vanilla Nokia and it holds a charge for a couple of days, sometimes three days, even when it's constantly on. The point about varying luck picking up a signal is well-taken; that's why I think noting the carrier is important.

My conclusion is that including cell phone information is 1) of no interest to me personally, 2) can mislead others as to when and where to get a signal and a connection, 3) can mislead others into a false sense of security and perhaps inadequate proper preparation, 4) distracts from and clutters what should, IMHO, focus on the essentials of what draws us to the trails.

The information could be misleading, yes, if it isn't complete. Regarding the false sense of security: the same argument could be made about GPS units. I think the person who would be lulled into a false sense of security by carrying a cellphone is a person who would feel a false sense of security by all manner of safety gear.

I consider a cellphone a useful piece of safety equipment when hiking alone. It's small, light and unnoticeable. Please understand: I do not advocate cellphone use during hikes and in the wilderness -- emphatically so. (I also don't advocate carrying a cell when hiking in a group; there's plenty of help and assistance already at hand.) I use my cell on the trail strictly on two kinds of occasions: 1) emergencies (mine or someone else's that I've encountered), and 2) if someone expects me to return to my car or home by a certain time, to let them know if I know I'm going to be late by, say, more than an hour, especially in winter (I think it's rude to cause people unnecessary worry).

I appreciate the argument of turning the phone on only when an emergency occurs and being "at the luck of the draw as to whether a signal can be obtained when needed ... and [being] prepared for the eventuality that it can't." However, if I'm in an emergency situation where there's no signal and I know from a VFTT or ROT Trail Conditions report that there is a signal from my carrier a mile up the ridge or over on that nearby peak or down at the closest trailhead, that could be the difference between an unfortunate circumstance and real disaster (again, especially in winter).

Any smart hiker, especially a solo hiker, is prepared to deal with difficult situations where no help is available. But in an emergency where there is coverage, or coverage nearby, a cellphone can bring help that much more quickly.
 
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I would find it helpful if people would just start hiking with laptops, blackberries, iphones,... and send out hourly updates on trail conditions and cell phone coverage. It would also be helpful if they posted their cell phone number and/or email address so that I could call and ask specific questions while they are still on the hike. I personally don't feel safe leaving the house without this info.

I've seen other sites where people are doing just that...I guess we're behind the times here. How about you start sending Tweets from your next hike? Or for us Luddites, carry a cage full of carrier pigeons, and release them to Scooter's cabin, where he can Tweet for you!
 
My phone is a plain-vanilla Nokia and it holds a charge for a couple of days, sometimes three days, even when it's constantly on. The point about varying luck picking up a signal is well-taken; that's why I think noting the carrier is important.
Battery life in weak signal areas is less than that in strong-signal areas because the phone has to transmit at a higher power level.

Anytime a cell phone is on, it attempts to exchange messages with the closest tower so the system knows how to contact it in case of an incoming call.

My cell phone is normally off when it is in my pack.

Doug
 
Battery life in weak signal areas is less than that in strong-signal areas because the phone has to transmit at a higher power level.

Anytime a cell phone is on, it attempts to exchange messages with the closest tower so the system knows how to contact it in case of an incoming call.

Good point, and thank you. I ought to have added: My phone holds a charge for two or three days, even when constantly on, in areas (like my house) where I have no signal at all.
 
Good point, and thank you. I ought to have added: My phone holds a charge for two or three days, even when constantly on, in areas (like my house) where I have no signal at all.
Depending on the details of the protocols for establishing a connection, a no-signal area could result in either a high or low average drain.

If the phone listens for an initial transmission from a tower, then it will not waste energy transmitting when no tower can hear it. However, it probably has to keep the receiver on at all times. (Standby would save power.)

If the phone sends the initial transmission, then it will waste power transmitting "is anyone there?" messages when no one can hear it.

So the power consumption in a no-signal area could be more or less than the power consumption in a weak-signal area. I don't know the protocols well enough to know which.


It is a pretty safe bet that the battery will last longest when the phone is turned off. FWIW, when I called 911 after my accident, the operator wanted me to stay on the line while waiting for the evacuation personnel to arrive on scene. Fortunately my battery lasted the ~1.5hrs at a temp of ~20F. (I was tempted to ask about hanging up to reduce the risk of the battery dying.)

Doug
 
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This would actually be kind of interesting experiment. Post your trip report before the trip -- list your cell phone number or IM handle so that people can contact you in real time while you're out hiking the trail. Instant trail conditions.

-Dr. Wu


Live video feed would be helpful too. Sometimes it can be a real pain to have to translate words into pictures.
 
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