Cell Phones on the trail

“Mine goes with me but stays turned off. On a longer trip, if I could get a signal I could maybe see using it to check up on the kids, and of course for emergencies but otherwise. NO. You are there to get away from all that crap.”

“A group hike I was on in the past had a cell ringing and ringing in camp with no one answering it.

I thought that was kinda over the line.”

“I have taken mine on a few trips (always off and stashed away). A few years back on a kids hike we were able to call the ferry service and change our return reservations, it worked out very well. I have also used mine on paddling trips to contact the livery with changes in our plans.

For general conversation, no thanks but for logistics its nice.”

“I think it's understood that with kids, all things must be used to protect them.”

“At some point I will have to protect my kid form the darn phone LOL.”

“Agreed with both of you.”

“Like Meangreen, there switched off for emergency use. Emergency means finding anyone who needs external help, fast.
Maybe it will have a signal when needed, maybe it will not, but it is one more item in the first aid kit.”

“Looks like we are all in agreement here.

The planets must have aligned. I'm waiting for the heavens to burst asunder.”

“Yeah, HPM, it kinda sucks when we do that, doesn't it? ;-)”

“I have changed my mind!!!
I will use my cell when ever and where ever I please and F--- anyone who doesn't like it! Let them go somewhere else! I'm hikin' my own hike!











Better Stovie? ;-) LOL!”

“Hee hee hee
I hear a buffet callin'”

“mmmm jimmy buffet.....”

“Late lunch is calling.”

“we have leftovers form an office potluck here for lunch.”

“I'm eatin Chinese take out.”

“Hehe, I called my wife before I went to bed at the Deam last weekend. I always do if I have a signal. She gets superparanoid when I'm in the woods, so I just do it if I can.

When we first started dating I took her canoeing a few times. Someone died on the river the last 3 times we were out. The last time, we actually watched the kid go under and were swimming around trying to find him. Now she gets pretty freaked out at anything. I don't know if there's much chance of bringing her around.

I tried explaining that all of those kids who died were not only drinking, but were found to have been taking pills as well. They didn't know which way was up, which is most likely why they drowned in 3.5 feet of water. I tell her I understand that it's possible for a sober person to get into trouble, but it's much, much more likely they'll be able to handle it.

Anyway, now I call if possible so she knows I didn't fall off a cliff. Other than that, I usually leave my phone off.”

“acceptable but i keep mine turned off until i need it. mine has a gps built into it so it doubles as a navigation device in a pinch. the newer phone are pretty darn light but i always make sure i buy one the can do analog since that's generally what i'll get if i am out in the sticks. the remote chance it might help in an emergency merits the weight.”

“I liked the Sat phones & older 3 watt bag phones better then the little handy-dandy cell phones. 99% of the time, I could reach out with the Sat or Bag phone and call she-who-must-be-obeyed and extend my trip by a few days without her calling our forest ranger neighbor on me. (He's since moved North & up in rank)

Occasionally, I've gotten a signal out from the peaks & called my wife. That comes in real handy if I don't want to turn around & keep hiking thru. Normally, I'll never get thru again off the peak so I have her give me PLENTY of time to reach where I'm going. I can always relax by the road until she comes. Beats turning around or walking the long road loop back to my car.

Most of the time, you HAVE to turn the cell off in the boonies because it will die trying to get a signal. (I have 3 batteries) Text messages tend to get out where voice won't.

My brother-in-law snapped a photo of me on top of a mountain 50 miles from no-where explaining to my wife that I wouldn't make it for dinner. The call was so clear that she didn't actually believe me until she heard her brothers voice (he lives 3+ hours from me) & saw the pic.”