Hiking With No GPS And A Dead Battery, Help!

In 2013 my doctor told me I was overweight, that I had high blood pressure and that I was headed in the wrong direction healthwise. After eliminating a bunch of good food from my diet, I started walking, running and then hiking (I don’t like gyms or structured exercise routines). Another thing I don’t like is hiking on a busy trail, with people brushing up against me and crazy dogs growling at me. Ok that's my excuse for not liking regular hiking, but hardly a big issue in reality. As an alternative, I started off-trail hiking in Southern California which turns out to be straight forward. Just walk down a trail, find a point with low lying brush and go for it. Usually I head towards a canyon or some interesting feature and about half the time I discover a grand view or a neat natural feature.

After off-trail hiking for a while, I got more ambitious and started going on tougher, steeper and farther off-trail hikes. A key element in the adventure is using gps to ensure I could find my way back. Google maps’ satellite view did the trick and I could keep a mental note of features to watch for on the way back. Thick pants, a long sleeve shirt and a neck gaiter were all part of what made the adventures work even in the 105+ F degree heat. I typically carry a gallon of water and use hydration techniques like powdered electrolytes. Extra calories and complex carbs were part of the mix as well. This is a good time to go over in a bit more detail what it takes to prepare for both an off-trail hike on a hot day. Here are some steps you can take the night before:

Hydration and Nutrition

1. Hydrate: Start hydrating the night before by drinking plenty of water. Consider adding electrolytes to help retain fluids and maintain balance.
2. Meal Planning: Eat a balanced meal with carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats to fuel your body. Avoid heavy, greasy foods that might upset your stomach.

Gear Preparation

1. Clothing: Thick pants are a must for pushing through the brush. Otherwise choose lightweight, moisture-wicking, and light-colored clothing to reflect the sun. Lay out a hat and sunglasses for sun protection. Pro-tip, use ripstop pants and shirts where possible, it goes a long way when dry brush snags your clothes.
2. Footwear: Check your boots or trail shoes for any signs of wear and tear. Make sure they're broken in to avoid blisters.
3. Backpack: Pack your backpack with essentials, such as:
   • Water: At least 3 liters, plus a backup method like a filter or purification tablets.
   • Food: High-energy snacks like nuts, trail mix, and energy bars. For longer hikes ensure to include a full meal source, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches work well but there are ‘just-add-water’ options available for sale.
   • First Aid Kit: Include band-aids, antiseptic wipes, and any personal medications. A small roll of elastic bandages goes a long way as well.
   • Navigation Tools: Map, compass, or GPS device. Make sure to pre-download maps of the area you are in and bring an external battery pack to keep devices charged.
   • Sun Protection: Sunscreen with high SPF, lip balm with SPF, and a lightweight, long-sleeved shirt.
   • Emergency Gear: Whistle, multi-tool, and a flashlight with extra batteries.
   • Protection: Depending on where you will be hiking, bring personal protection like bear spray or a hunting knife.

Physical and Mental Preparation

1. Sleep: Aim for a good night's sleep to ensure you're well-rested.
2. Mental Preparation: Familiarize yourself with the route and potential challenges. Inform someone of your plan and expected return time.

Safety Measures

1. Check Weather: Double-check the weather forecast to confirm conditions.
2. Plan Breaks: Plan for frequent breaks in shaded areas if possible. Know signs of heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
3. Travel Early: Plan to start your hike early in the morning to avoid the peak heat of the day.

Taking these steps will help you stay safe. Some experiences highlight how to improve your preparation for future excursions but in some cases lack of preparation can really cause problems. The check-list above is a head start on your personal adventures but not exhaustive advice to keep you safe in all situations.

Regarding my hike, things took a wrong turn when I was 5 miles out from the starting point and I lost cell reception. I could no longer see a map at all, just an arrow indicating well nothing. I could see the blue arrow moving based on where I moved but without the map it was useless. A fog rolled in, limiting my visibility and threatening rain as well. Without the ability to head back to where I came from I couldn’t regain cell reception so… effectively I was lost.

Now, here is where at least some experience went a long way. I didn’t panic, I paused and thought about my situation for a few minutes. The fog seemed to be getting thicker and the temperature was dropping at an alarming rate. The rain hadn’t let loose yet, and really I just had to get on the right track to ensure I was heading back towards where I did have cell reception. I kept moving in one direction for a while and looking for any landmarks I would recognize but because I kept my screen on hoping for the map to show up again, the battery was on low.

Now, the phone is off, I have no external backup battery and the fog isn’t letting up. I’m really starting to worry and even though I’m only 5 miles from where I need to be, heading in the wrong direction meant I could go for 30 miles or more without getting to a road or any signs of civilization. What I ended up doing was zig zagging my way around until I ran across a small orange strip tied to a branch which I remembered passing. Soon I was on the right track and found my way to a trail that got me back to my car. It wasn’t the worst situation to be in, I could have stayed put and waited things out. I was happy to get to the car and warm up on the way home.

Now, what I learned from this experience is to always carry a battery pack. I take a 20,000mAh external battery with me along with a short usb-c cable for my android device. Also, I learned I can download google maps onto my phone so it can be used even without cell reception. Lastly, I started using a hiking app along with google maps which lays a blue line where-ever I’ve been hiking. In the worst case, I can follow that blue line back to the car. This has come in handy when a trail splits into two directions or when I’m in some woods that don’t allow a wide view to orient where I’m going.

Again I can’t guarantee you’ll be safe on your adventures with these tips, but I can say it goes a long way to have a plan and an extra battery.