Fog on Cedar Peak reminded me why I carry a map
I was hiking up Cedar Peak last month when fog rolled in quickly. My phone's GPS cut out, and all the trail markers disappeared from view. Luckily, I had a folded paper map and a small compass in my pack. I sat on a rock to study the map and match it to the land around me. It took about twenty minutes to get my bearings and pick a safe route down. That experience made me notice how few people I see with physical maps anymore. If I had trusted only my phone, I might have wandered off trail. Now I always toss a map in my bag, no matter how short the hike seems.