this post was submitted on 13 Nov 2023
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Hypothetically, you should always be aware of what you're doing before you go on a hike. You're supposed to stop and look back every so often to make sure you will recognize the way back. Bring a bright-coloured line with you if it seems like you might get lost, but just remember to take it home with you when you go. Always assume that a map could be outdated, regardless of if it's a paper map or a digital map. Be very cautious if the trail doesn't match how it's "supposed" to look. Bring a bit more food and water than you think you'll need, and plan what to do in case of emergency.
After writing that, it might not be terrible for them to remove trails, to be honest. Even if they just had icons, people would still be arguing liability based on a lack of warnings. If they had warnings, it's almost guaranteed that some would be missed (or skipped past.) Additionally, it's likely difficult to consistently and continuously stay updated about localised terrain conditions, on a near global scale, simultaneously. We would need a level of surveillance that almost no one wants, just to keep these maps as updated as people expect them to be. For every path that's busy, there are many that are mostly forgotten.
I'm starting to think that we might not have the proper capabilities to use GPS systems as a species. The number of people getting lost, stright up driving off of cliffs, or drowning from these situations is beyond insane to me. Do people not research anything before these hikes? Do people think that a GPS will substitute for situational awareness? What would they do if we still only had paper maps?
Sorry for the rant. I'm all for holding corporations accountable for their fuck ups. That being said, people should also be researching these things much more than they have been. Google having possible liability won't make you less dead, and it won't fix your loved ones grief after you're gone. Even if they sued and won a lot of money, they would still never see you alive again.
Yeah, they should add a disclaimer if nothing else.
Twice I've had to find people I know heatstroking out on trails in the mountains. I found them due to dropping pins and being able to follow the trails they've followed on Strava or Google Maps or whatever.
They probably would have went up there without trails being on Google maps, but I probably would have been bushwhacking to find them if I couldn't see the trail networks to know where they went.
I vote against removing trail maps. Hurts the good just as much, or more, than it tries to mitigate the bad.
Did they call you, or did you just stumble upon them?
They called me. The area they started feeling squirrelly in is pretty much my "backyard". If they were in serious trouble, they would have contacted S&R, but in a rush I can get to any peak relatively quickly. You'd be surprised with how fast someone can recover from exposure/minor heat stroke with just some Gatorade, shade and water poured on them
Might not be the recommended method, but it has a 2/2 record for me so far ha