Stranded on a trail? My offline map trick was a LIFE saver

I was hiking alone in the Rocky Mountains last summer. My cell service dropped completely after an hour on the trail. I had no idea which way to go and started to panic. Then I remembered downloading an offline map app before the trip. I opened it and found my exact location without any signal. The app showed all the trails and even had points of interest marked. I followed it back to the trailhead without any more issues. Now I ALWAYS download maps before any solo adventure, and it's a simple trick that prevents a lot of stress.

3 comments

3 Comments

margaret87916h ago

Three hikes ago, my phone died, so now I always bring a backup battery.

phoenixmiller19h ago

Two months back in the Grand Canyon, I almost took a wrong turn when my phone died. I had a paper map as a backup (which saved me, because my offline app was on the dead phone). Now I always carry both, like on my recent trip to Zion where the trails can get confusing fast. It's not just about having the map, but knowing how to read it, which I learned the hard way. So yeah, offline maps are key, but don't skip the old-school methods either.

mary_hernandez11h ago

Yeah, I had a creek dry up on me once and got real thirsty before finding another source, kind of like how @margaret879's phone dying added a new problem. Just another thing to worry about out there.