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But this is the place where you might get lost and without cell service, you are really lost. This is quite annoying in the US, that national parks or deserts
by krzyk 7y ago
But this is the place where you might get lost and without cell service, you are really lost.
This is quite annoying in the US, that national parks or deserts have no cell service. The places that need it most (life and death situations) - this is basically a health service there.
In comparison to Europe the mobile density is quite sparse there.
- sgt101 7y agoI'm not sure if you are serious, but if you are can I suggest that you don't go into the park unless you know what you are doing?
- amarshall 7y agoThere’s a reason it’s called wilderness. One should have basic orienteering skills if they venture away from the popular, touristy locations. If things really do go awry, bring (and use) an EPIRB. I would never rely on a cellular phone for safety in the wilderness. Cellular service and geolocation was never be 100% reliable, and batteries die. A paper map, a compass, basic skills, and knowledge of one’s limits go a long way.
- ghaff 7y agoI'm not sure how big I am on even encouraging everyone who gets off the beaten track to carry an EPIRB. However, if I'm being honest, if I did any amount of solo backpacking--especially in less traveled areas--I'd probably consider it these days.
- amarshall 7y agoIndeed, though the problem is often people activating them for situations not truly life-threatening. In some cases, misuse has resulted in hefty fines. Most people don’t need them because most people don’t actually do “backcountry”, let alone solo it. It should be understood that an EPIRB should only be used in the most dire of circumstances.
- ilikehurdles 7y agoCell Towers have no place in National Parks/Forests and other nature preserves. If you're in the middle of the ocean you're not going to have cell phone service either, and you should plan accordingly.
- krzyk 7y agoDo roads have place in national parks? If so then cell towers also. I mean if I see asphalt then it is quite reasonable to expect also cell service. I was i national parks in Europe and I always got cell service. I might be lucky (considering the article and posts about Germany) but in US I was in one park (actually two, but I don't remember situation with mobiles in one) and I did get cell service even before the gates. I don't expect to have cell service if the park doesn't have roads, just hiking tracks.
- ghaff 7y agoPlease. If your attitude is that if you get in some kind of trouble, you can just use your cell phone and have someone come get you, you should just stay out of wilderness areas. You're endangering yourself which I wouldn't care that much about but you're also potentially endangering any search and rescue teams that have to come looking for you. As for the lost scenario specifically. I don't know. Maybe carry a (paper) map and compass? In addition (not instead of) a GPS doesn't need cell reception to operate and works most places. (Some exceptions, like narrow canyons.)
- esrauch 7y agoIf your friend falls down a gorge and is unresponsive it seems more than completely reasonable to phone for help.
- dkersten 7y agoHow ever did people get by for thousands of years before cell phones existed?
- pilsetnieks 7y agoThe didn't. If you fell down into a crevice, you died. You could apply the same spurious argument to anything - how did people ever get by for thousands of years before antibiotics/vaccines/electricity/water purification existed? They didn't, they lived their nasty, brutish and short lives, and died.
- ghaff 7y agoI could argue that cell phones (etc.) are technology that is basically: "Come rescue me." There are plenty of other technologies that we can use to help ourselves (maps, compasses, matches, and so forth). I'm at least somewhat uncomfortable with saying that calling for help is quite in the same category.
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]
- irrational 7y agoWait, how could you possibly get really lost in Yellowstone? If you are leaving your car and heading off into the back country then presumably you have the skills to do so. If you are staying on the normal roads then you will have no problem finding a ranger, a ranger station, an information booth, etc. I've probably been to Yellowstone 10 times and I can't fathom anyone getting really lost.
- sambal 7y agoThis expectation & comparison is part of why “Death Valley Germans” is such a meme.
- ghaff 7y agoFor reference: http://www.otherhand.org/home-page/search-and-rescue/the-hunt-for-the-death-valley-germans/ http://www.otherhand.org/home-page/search-and-rescue/the-hun... It's quite the read. It's also recommended reading if you go to the US West and your expectations are mostly informed by tooling around the countryside of Western Europe (or the eastern US for that matter).
- dkersten 7y agoOh wow, just read the first bit, intriguing. Thanks for posting!
- robohoe 7y agoOther articles by Tom Mahood are a great read as well. Highly recommend subscribing to his blog. There is lots to learn from his piddling around the American Southwest.
- ghaff 7y agoJust the "subscribe to blog" brought a small smile to my face because such a thing still exists. Thanks.
- hesk 7y agoThanks for the link! Very interesting read!
- umanwizard 7y agoGreenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. I seriously doubt there is cell service in the interior of the Greenlandic ice cap. Does this mean the Kingdom of Denmark has shitty infrastructure? The only reason you find mobile coverage sparse in the US is because the US has large, nearly unpopulated areas, whereas Europe doesn’t.