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If there's a trail — be it snow, dirt, water or concrete — outdoors nut Carey Kish will find it. Follow his Maine outdoor adventures in his blog.

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May 30, 2006

Where the heck am I?

When it comes to navigation, be it on the trail or on the road, I'm a map and compass and DeLorme Maine Atlas & Gazetteer type.

I learned to read a topographic map and use a lensatic compass way back at Bangor High School while with the JROTC Rangers. Topo maps have gotten better (most are 7.5 minute quads now) and I've long since upgraded my compass to a trusty Silva Ranger. I can use both with little or no thought, important when the s--t hits the fan on a winter climb or a nasty bushwhack.

But this week a reader posed the idea that I might start adding GPS, or Global Positioning System, coordinates to trailhead and backcountry locations that I mention here, since he says most people use a GPS now.

Do they really?

Hmmm.

Well, I must admit that I'm not much for high tech gadgetry in the backcountry. And please don't get me going on cell phones out there!

I've always preferred to employ good common sense, years of experience, and a few rudimentary and reliable tools to get where I'm going and back again safely.

But I have to say that a GPS unit and an altimeter watch could possibly make life a little easier on the trail sometimes (until the batteries die, of course).

After a good experience on a remote canyon backpack in southern Utah in 2000, where my buddy used his hand held GPS to guide us through some of the wildest country either of us had ever been in, I went out and bought one of my own.

But on a traverse of the Presidentials shortly thereafter I fiddled and farted around with the thing for a couple of days, finally giving up on it, muttering something nasty about technology.

And that was the end of it.

Until now.

Because I'm actually considering jumping into the trail technology fray again.

So...

Since apparently everybody out there owns these GPS gadgets, tell me: What are your recommendations? What GPS unit do you use, and why? And how about altimeters? Which one and why?

Yes, that's right. This crusty map & compass guy wants your advice on purchasing a lightweight, hand-held GPS unit. And an altimeter watch.

I'll never part with my map & compass. But maybe you can get me to tinkering with some of this digital-satellite-LCD readout stuff. I might even enjoy it.

Maybe.

Posted by Carey Kish at 08:38 AM

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Comments

I had a GPS and it was fun to play with in the open. Go in the woods with it and it could not find you. I sold it on Ebay. I still have my compass. Save your money unless you have it to waste.

Posted by Phil
May 30, 2006 12:29 PM

I have a Garmin Etrex. Don't fear technology, it can enhance your outdoor experience. I also always carry a compass and map on the trail but why not have a tool capable of locating your exact position (usually withing 25 feet). I was really impressed a few years back on a 100 mile float trip above the arctic circle in Alaska. We of course had map and compass but the terrain was very similar in the tundra. It was very hard to keep track of your location and find unnamed mountains in order to orient yourself. The GPS kept us right on track every day.

I also discovered geocaching within the last year. You would be really surprised how many out of the way places you can discover through this hide and seek game with your gps.

Posted by Dick Gregory
May 30, 2006 08:43 PM

I want one just because I want one. I also suggest a nice little Iaudio MP3 player which will record those primal screams when the GPS batteries die at the worst possible moment, or you drop it in the lake.

Never fear technology unless it goes by the name, "Soylent Green".

Posted by Max
May 31, 2006 02:41 AM

I really like my GPS and as long as I'm keeping it directed at the sky, I don't lose my connection - even in heavily wooded areas - that often (I have a Garmin E-Trex).

But the really great thing about my GPS is that I can download coordinates recommended by geocachers (and hikers who like GPSs) to some of the most interesting places that may have taken me years of hiking - and researching/networking - to find. Geocachers seem to have the best suggestions for off-the-beaten path trails. And I don't have to rely on the "take the second left just down the road where there is a line of trees" or other not-so clear directions because I have coordinates to the exact location of the trailhead. It makes getting to there so much more pleasant!

And if I may be so bold as to say that in some ways, geocaching.com might take over as being one of the best free trail guides out there...

Just my 2-cents from a girl who loves her gadget :-)

Posted by Wendy Almeida
May 31, 2006 06:45 AM