Posted on 11/12/2023 11:49:40 AM PST by george76
Maybe this hiker should have Googled where he could buy a paper map.
A hiker had to be rescued via helicopter in British Columbia after he got lost — because he followed a made-up trail on Google Maps.
It was the second time in two months that a hiker got lost relying on the high-tech map app
...
stranded on a cliff on the backside of Mt. Fromme, just north of Vancouver, after attempting to reach the peak’s summit.
A pair of rescuers were brought in by air and dropped into the heavily forested area during the Nov. 4 rescue.
After locating the lost hiker, who according to NSR had minimal gear, no flashlight and poor footwear for his trek, the rescuers brought him down to an area where the helicopter could retrieve the trio.
NSR said the rescue was the second in two months for hikers trapped on Mt. Fromme, both of which appeared to be the result of people following the fake trail displayed on Google Maps.
... NSR advised would-be hikers to avoid using Google Maps for hiking and instead use apps designed for the outdoors like CalTopo or Gaia or a paper map and compass.
It also insisted people who rely on phones for hiking navigation pack a backup battery, and that they research areas where they plan to hike to make sure they know the terrain and if trails are even available.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
“Google maps is not all it’s cracked up to be.”
No kidding. We get out in the secondary roads in Montana where there’s no cell service and Google Maps is absolutely useless. You might pick up one bar on LTE now and then and it takes five minutes to load one page.
You have to remember to map a route before you leave home so the app will cache that route for you. If you forget to do that, you are hosed.
I don’t believe area was ever logged or trail was overgrown, it was just never a real trail, a google invention.
Guy went down a steep slope and got stuck, couldn’t go up or down. Vancouver area trails are easy to access as roads or gondolas go up 3 different mountains on edge of urban area, to parking lots and visitor centers, and trails spread out from open areas, over a plateau but one deeply indented by ravines. Forest cover is spotty on plateau but dense in ravines, never logged out. Trails are well marked and nobody needs to be fooled by google pretend trails. But once you commit to one and get too far in, it can be difficult to reverse up a slope.
Cell service has improved here on the reservation a couple months ago. Before then, I had pretty much the same results.
Come to think of it, the satellite internet Hughes net has gotten better. Less Bufferjng and better resolution for YouTube videos.
But I would still recommend paper maps, road maps and topographic maps for the backcountry.
When it absolutely positively needs to be there over mountain...
Cheryl mills
Blassey Ford
Anita shrill
Ugh
Marxine waters
Ugh ugh
Tech can be wonderful until it isn’t
“still recommend paper maps, road maps and topographic maps for the backcountry.”
Absolutely agree. We generally are on simple out-and-back trails or loops that are well marked and under 10 miles. Haven’t done any real backcountry hiking or exploring for years. But you can get eaten by bears even at those short distances.
I found out when climbing a steep mountain covered in ice, that it is much easier climbing up icy rocks than climbing down.
The only way out was to continue to the top and climb down the sunny side of the mountain.
ROFL
Yeah unfortunately I do.
And supposed professional drivers pointedly ignore signs because “my gps said”.
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