The paper map goes in before anything
We've spent a good chunk of this course on water and storms and training hills and socks. Today we're talking about what's in the pack before you even get to snacks and a first aid kit. Paper map. First thing in, every time.
Here's the thing about phones. They're great until they're not. You lose signal up the canyon more often than you'd think, and even when you have bars, cold weather eats batteries fast. I've had a phone go from 40 percent to dead in under an hour on a chilly morning, just sitting in my pocket doing nothing but being cold. If your only map is on that phone, and the phone dies, you don't have a map anymore. You have a very expensive rock.
I learned this one the hard way. Forgot the map once, figured the phone would cover it, and lost signal about a mile up the canyon. I got down fine, it wasn't a disaster, but I was rattled and quiet about it for the rest of the day. That's the kind of mistake that doesn't feel like a big deal until it almost is. Now the paper map goes in the pack before anything else. It's the first thing I pack, not the last thing I remember.
What I actually mean by "map"
Not a photo of a map on your phone. An actual paper map, or a printed trail sheet with the elevation profile on it, folded up and stuck in a pocket of your pack where you'll actually find it. Most trailheads have a map posted at the kiosk. Take a picture of that if you want, sure, but that's a backup, not your main map. Your main map is paper, in your hand or your pocket, no battery required.
You can print these for free most of the time. Look up the trail before you go, find a map with the route and the elevation profile, print it at home. It costs you a sheet of paper and two minutes. That's the whole investment.
A small habit that's turned into something bigger
I started taking a picture of the trailhead sign at the start of every hike, mostly out of habit. I do the same thing with my canning jars when I finish a batch, snap a photo so I remember what I made and when. It just felt natural to do the same thing with a trailhead. Name of the trail, the mileage, sometimes a little map printed right on the sign.
That habit has turned into a whole folder on my phone now, every trailhead I've ever done. My 8-year-old likes scrolling through it, actually, picking out ones we should do again. It wasn't the point of the habit, but it's a nice side effect.
The actual point, though: that photo is a good backup. If your paper map gets soggy or blows out of your hand (it happens), you've still got a picture of the sign with the trail info on it. Belt and suspenders. The paper map is the belt. The photo is the suspenders. You want both, but you especially want the belt.
What to actually do before you leave the house
A few practical steps, in order:
- Look up the trail and find a map that shows the route and the elevation profile, not just a line on a satellite photo.
- Print it. Regular paper is fine. You don't need anything laminated or fancy, though if you hike a lot, a gallon zip bag to keep it dry doesn't hurt.
- Fold it and put it in your pack first, before water, before snacks, before anything else. If it's the first thing in, it's a lot less likely to be the thing you forget.
- Snap a photo of the trailhead sign when you get there. Costs you nothing, and it's a nice backup along with being a fun record later.
- Check your phone is charged, but don't count on it as your only map. Bring a battery pack if you've got one and the hike is long.
None of this costs money to speak of, and that's kind of the point. I'd rather you spend on good wool socks than on gear you don't need, and a paper map is basically free. It's not about buying the right thing. It's about doing the small, boring step of printing a piece of paper and putting it in your pack before you forget.
Before next time
Pick the trail you're planning to do for this course and print a map with the elevation profile on it. Bring it to our next session, we'll read it together.