Cell Phones

[lipbiter]

Halhiker,

I feel compelled to respond to your post under "Two ways to reduce..." and I started this as a separate topic with the hope that others read this message.

It sounds as if your bragging about your freedom from tech in the wilderness ("No GPS, no cellphone..."). But please stop and think about how you would have felt if you had been with your friend Ellen when she broke her leg and you had no means of communication.

... or if on one of your many hikes you came across a person in distress who needed urgent care. How much does a cell phone weigh??? Almost nothing. You might carry it 99 times and not need it, but on that one occasion it could be worth its weight in gold, and it might just save a life.

Granted, cell phones don't work everywhere on the mountain, batteries die, and they aren't foolproof, but many rescues have been initiated because lost people were able to call 911. And they've helped make the rescue operations faster and safer.

I encourage everyone to carry their cell phones. Many are now equipped with GPS. Even if you can't get service, at night the helicopter crew can spot the light from your cellphone from miles away with their night vision goggles. Just remember to turn them off before you start your hike to conserve battery power.

Accidents happen. Even to the most experienced hikers (like Ellen). Be prepared for the worst; always carry the 10 Essentials and that now includes a cell phone (a sat phone would be even better, esp. for solo hikers).

[AlanK]

I carry my cell phone when hiking because it weighs next to nothing and could help in some subset of possible emergencies. So that's my vote.

However, in my experience, getting a call through from the summit of San Jacinto is far from assured and getting a call through from the hut is dicey at best. I have seen more than one person standing next to the hut and frowning at his phone because it either had no signal or cut out before completing a call. And, for all we know, Ellen had a cell phone with her.

Recently, Dean Christy had extensive cell phone contact with authorities while lost a short distance from his home. He still hasn't been located. So even completing a call assures one of nothing.

So, a cell phone can help but one had better have other options!

[halhiker]

There are instances where a cell phone MIGHT be a good thing to have with you but I have never had use for one. I tried to use a friends on the PCT a couple years ago to call my wife and tell her we were late but it didn't work. My aversion to a cell phone is that people tend to rely on their gadgets rather than their skills. I think we've seen it where people head out into the wilderness woefully unprepared but figure if they get in trouble they can use their cellphone. (Witness all of our recent Skyline rescues).

The case with Ellen was an extreme accident and even then she managed to make without the use of any modern gadgets. Sure, a cellphone would have been helpful but I have to point out that people knew Ellen was missing and responded even without one.

I am not discouraging the use of electronics (cell, GPS, PLB). But they shouldn't become--as they have for many people--a substitute for real wilderness skills.

I have carried a cellphone. I've considered a GPS (Garmin has a great looking new watch type that is tempting). But I will also continue to, at times, go without because if I'm depending on my phone I'm not really depending on myself. And there is one important thing I take home from the wilderness --the knowledge I can face and overcome extreme difficulties on my own. It makes the rest of life seem easy.

[glamisking]

For a period of time I stopped carrying my cell while on the trails because I was never able to get service. But just this last November I started up the Ski Hut trail on Baldy and for some odd reason tossed my phone in the pack before leaving the car. 2 hours later as we were headed for the summit to watch the sun set we heard the cries for help some where up the trail. As we ran towards the voice we found a 70 year old man lying on the trail with a broken femur. He had no cell phone, no one knew he was hiking, and was he too incapacitated to retrieve his jacket which was wrapped around his waist. Immediately we realized we would need some help and reached for the phone. I was astonished to hear the 911 operator's voice; it had worked. A hour and a half later Baldy search and rescue, fire fighters, the forest service had hiked up and a sheriff helicopter was over head preparing to hoist the man out.

Thank God for the cell phone and fortunately for him we happened to be going up the trail at just the right time. Because no other people would have passed him the rest of the night. Every one agreed that he would not have survived the night.

Needless to say I now carry my phone for every hike. Although my phone had never worked prior it worked flawlessly to dial 911. I am not sure but I think 911 calls have priority and work even when normal calls don't.

[phydeux]

I'll support halhiker's position above. Too many folks rely on electronic gadgets and get a false sense of security from simply bringing them along on a trip. Nothing substitutes for doing some basic planning, bringing proper equipment, and exercising good judgement when going on a backcountry trip, even somthing as innocent as trail hiking from the Tram to San J's summit. I've been on too many hikes where I've run into folks with cells phones and GPS units who have no clue where they are. My first question to them is "take out your map and I'll show you where you are"; as you can expect, they don't have one. I get out my map and compass and have to show them where they are.

As for cell phones, be aware that in the next few months all mobile calling systems will be converting to pure digital systems, and your cell phone will become LESS reliable in the backcountry and away from towns and major highways. The digital signal is not as powerful and the analog system, so the farther you go into the backcounry, the less reliable it will become.

[Asleep@theReel]

I believe in bringing a cell phone while hiking. For something so small and light, it's usefulness is second to none. My wife is allergic to bees, so when we hike, that is always in the back of our minds. Worst case scenario, the cell phone could really help. Her epipen buys her an extra ~15 minutes, but once we are more than a 1/2 hour up, we do the math, and the cell phone just makes a little more sense.

-Asleep

[AlanK]

A cell phone can be a life saver -- if you can get a signal. There are many places, even in the Southern California mountains, where that is not possible. If relying on a phone, that needs to be taken into account.

[Rob]

A cell phone can be a life saver -- if you can get a signal. There are many places, even in the Southern California mountains, where that is not possible.

I'm surprised by where I do and do not have service. (We know that cell phone coverage varies by: carrier, year-to-year antenna changes by the carrier, quality of handheld device, type of signal (voice or text) and atmospherics.) Contrary to line-of-sight assumptions, I've not succeeded in connecting by voice from Mt San Jacinto summit; however, I do have reliable voice service on north-facing slopes of SGW (i.e., Johns Meadow Trail). My younger trail buddies are able to text from SJ summit and SG summit.

[44cmpd]

You all have valid points. However, the reason we have all taken to the 10 essentials is not because we will need them, it's the what if. I'm part of RMRU and I can say that almost 100% of us take ours with us. If your pack is to heavy, it's not due to a cell phone or GPS.

"Mountains and wilderness don't care, you take care, be safe."

D. Potts

Good to see Ellen is recovering.

[simonov]

I am not dogmatic about it. Last night on top of Villager Peak I asked the hairiest-chested hiker among my group if he thought our Wilderness Experience™ would be unacceptably diluted if I were to call my wife and ask her to check the up-to-the-minute weather forecasts on the Internet. He thought that was a great idea, and a few minutes later his cell phone rang and he asked the caller to check Weather.com. From that call we learned there was rain forecast for the night, which was a good thing since until that moment I hadn't intended to rig my tarp.