Mountain

Atomic Employee Allegedly Stole 1,900 Pairs of Skis

2 min read Aug 8, 2024

PCT

Embracing Failure on the Pacific Crest Trail: Sandyann Ducarme’s Journey

6 min read Jul 26, 2024

hiker Grace Rohloff and Half Dome

20-Year-Old Hiker Falls to Her Death at Half Dome in Yosemite

5 min read Jul 24, 2024

A Hiker Was Lost in the Santa Cruz Mountains for 10 Days; I Retraced His Steps to Find Out Why

A Hiker Was Lost in the Santa Cruz Mountains for 10 Days; I Retraced His Steps to Find Out Why

10 min read Jul 18, 2024

Utah Skiers’ Year-Over-Year Visitation Down 5% from 2023, Still Up Significantly Over 2022

2 min read Jul 11, 2024

4 Action Sports Start-Ups To Watch (Or Invest In)

4 Action Sports Start-Ups To Watch (Or Invest In)

4 min read Jul 11, 2024

Smartphones have revolutionized the way we hike. They’ve given us access to useful apps that provide maps, trails, weather, and, more recently, emergency communication outside of cell signal range. Back in January I openly posed the question if Apple’s SOS emergency satellite messaging feature on iPhone 14 and 15 could replace the long-trusted satellite devices specifically built for those who recreate outdoors. The conclusion that I reached was: not just yet. While useful, feedback on Apple’s satellite feature indicated that it wasn’t as reliable as dedicated satellite communication devices like Garmin, and the smartphones themselves aren’t as durable in the elements. However, I also curiously ended my story with this sentence: “I can’t imagine it will take too long for Apple to improve its satellite capabilities to more strongly compete in the market.” With the latest software update, iOS 18, which will be released in the fall, Apple is building on its satellite communication service. Now, instead of only emergency calls via satellite, you’ll be able to freely communicate via iMessage or SMS with whomever you please on iPhone 14 or newer. Want to message your friends while camping out of cell range? No problem. It may seem like a minor update, but it’s another smartphone incursion into the satellite device space. Even Android is experimenting with it too. Grayson Haver Currin penned a piece for Outside that gave a great example of how this service would have saved him some trouble. Currin got separated from his wife on the Continental Divide Trail. Unable to directly contact her, he used his iPhone satellite feature to contact emergency services and get search and rescue involved. Had he instead been able to contact her to request her location, the crisis would have been quickly averted. The satellite messaging service will only be available in the US, which is a tick on the “cons” side of the Venn diagram for those who live elsewhere. But, again, the point is that the service is improving fast. Apple is making its product increasingly tantalizing for outdoorsy people. As a hiker, I am tempted to pick up a new iPhone just for this update. Satellite messaging is not Apple’s only foray into the space currently dominated by outdoors-oriented technology companies. The iOS 18 update will also replicate features found in popular hiking apps, like AllTrails, in Apple’s own Maps app. As a thrifty, avid hiker, it’s hard to complain about the technology race. These desired features are becoming more accessible and at lower price points, which, in theory, should translate to safer hiking.

iPhones as a Backcountry Tool? Latest iOS Messaging Update Improves Apple’s Position

3 min read Jul 11, 2024

Why Hiking Is Way More Dangerous Than Surfing

Why Hiking Is Way More Dangerous Than Surfing

5 min read Jul 10, 2024

Why Hike 2,650 Miles? We Asked 5 PCT Veterans to Spill the Dehydrated Beans

10 min read Jul 10, 2024

American climber's body found on Huascaran

American Climber’s Body Found 22 Years After He Died in an Avalanche in the Andes

3 min read Jul 10, 2024

Is the Latest Apple Maps Update the Beginning of the End for Hiking Apps?

Is the Latest Apple Maps Update the Beginning of the End for Hiking Apps?

4 min read Jul 9, 2024

The Vista Fire reached over 1000 acres this morning, still with zero percent containment. Photo: San Bernardino National Forest

Vista Fire Prompts Mt. Baldy Ski Resort Evacuation

3 min read Jul 9, 2024

Olympic Snowboarder Nicolas Huber Lands Flare-Fueled Faceplant to Half-Scorpion on Dry Slope…Because Soccer

3 min read Jul 8, 2024

Check Out This Mitsubishi Fuso Expedition Camper

Check Out This Mitsubishi Fuso Expedition Camper

1 min read Jul 8, 2024

Photo: Joshua Duplechian / X Games

U.S. Ski and Snowboard, X Games Announce Partnership

2 min read Jun 27, 2024

7 North American Hot Spots to Ski or Snowboard on the Fourth of July

7 North American Hot Spots to Ski or Snowboard on the Fourth of July

6 min read Jun 25, 2024

Katherine “Willie” Baals

We Asked Pacific Crest Trail Hikers For a Vibe Check at Mile 517: Here’s What They Had to Say

14 min read Jun 20, 2024

Shaun White

Shaun White Starts ‘The Snow League’ With Over a Million Dollars in Prizes

4 min read Jun 17, 2024

Have a Look at this Adventure-Ready Pop-Up Truck Camper Custom Fit to a Land Cruiser

Have a Look at this Adventure-Ready Pop-Up Truck Camper Custom Fit to a Land Cruiser

1 min read Jun 13, 2024