The
days of using the sun and stars for purposes of navigation
are quickly fading into the history books. So too are
the days when being stranded on your own with an injury,
50 miles away from any civilization, could have meant
your end. The 21st Century has brought about new technologies
that explorers like Lewis and Clark could have only
dreamed of. Rugged backpackers, campers and yuppie day
hikers alike are discovering that having hi-tech items
such as GPS receivers and cell phones on their pack
lists isn't such a bad idea, and can be a lot of fun
as well.
Global
Positioning System (GPS)
The Global Positioning System, more commonly known as
"GPS", is a technology originally developed
for the United States military. It was lifted into the
world spotlight 
during
the daring rescue of Captain Scott O’Grady from
behind enemy lines in Serbia. Since the Bosnian conflict,
GPS technology has quickly become a technology for the
general masses. Its versatility is evident in its wide
range of applications. Presently, GPS can be found in
activities such as scientific research, agriculture,
vehicle navigation systems, fishing, camping, and the
list goes on.
Many fundamentalist backpackers frown on people who
use the handheld GPS units designed for backpacking,
and camping. They consider the use of them to be cheating
or consider them to be nothing more than an insult to
the theme of "getting back to nature". If
you can get past such beliefs, you might find a GPS
receiver to be a light, compact, affordable, easy to
operate and fun addition to you pack. They can also
be very handy. A press of a button is all it takes to
mark your base camp for easy relocation. Many GPS units
allow you to order or download trail and road maps via
the Internet or slug mail. With pre-downloaded maps
you can plot your ideal off-trail course, know exactly
how far of a walk it is, what your elevation gain will
be, and you'll probably be able to make it to your destination
in record time. Like anything else, you get what you
pay for. A high end GPS receiver can run upwards of
$400 or more while a basic model that will do you just
fine can be picked up for around $80-$200.
Cellular
Telephones
In recent years, cell phones have been proving their
worth as something more than just a tool to conduct
business or a social life. Only in
the last couple of years have better phones, service,
and greater affordability put cell phones into the 
hands
of hundreds of millions all over the world. This huge
increase in cell phone use gave way to the inevitability
that every couple of months a new story would be headlined
about someone using their cell phone to get them out
of trouble in a remote part of the world. It seems people
everywhere are finding comfort and safety in knowing
that no matter where they are in the world, they're
only a phone call away from anything they need...and
for the most part they have every right to feel that
way.
Bringing a cell phone along on a camping or backpacking
trip can prove to be a life-saver....literally. The
need for a cell phone is especially great when traveling
alone. If you are seriously injured on your journey,
it can take hours or even days before you are realized
missing. Even then your exact location can take some
time to pinpoint and by that point you might have suffered
irreversible damage to your body, or worse, you might
be dead. The likelihood of something like this happening
to you is slim, but it's important to illustrate how
cell phone technology can be invaluable given the right
circumstances. More common uses for a cell phone in
the backcountry would be: emergency contact with friends
and family, weather reports, and of course as a means
to conduct work related business and/or a social life.
Some of the newer cell phones even come equiped with
a GPS receiver!
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