Ditched my paper map for a GPS app after getting lost near Glacier

I used to swear by paper maps on every trip, thought GPS was for people who couldn't read terrain. Last summer I hit the Highline Trail in Glacier and took a wrong turn at a cairn, ended up 3 miles off route before I noticed. My buddy pulled out his phone with a downloaded topo app, showed me exactly where I'd drifted and how to cut back via a side trail. Took me 2 hours to get back on track, but that was the moment I realized paper maps don't show your dot moving. Now I still carry the paper as backup, but I navigate with the app and it's saved me from two more sketchy splits since. Anyone else made the switch after a close call, or do you stay old school on purpose?

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1 Comment

cooper.mark1mo ago

Haven't you noticed how your phone dies at the worst possible moment, especially in the cold or after a day of shooting photos? A paper map never runs out of battery and never needs a signal, and that's a real comfort when you're deep in the backcountry. I get the appeal of seeing your dot move, but I'd rather trust my eyes and a compass than a screen that can just go black on me.