Electronic Gadgets: Leave them at home!

Back in the old days, the only electronic intrusion on a Big Wild Adventure was represented by an occasional client with a transistor radio. Which we strongly discouraged.Nowadays, folks have access to cell phones, GPS units, i-pods,  i-pads, emergency locator beacons, twitters, kindles and goddess knows what else that’s fomenting in the technophiliac dreams of the next Mark Zuckerberg. Whatever happened to a simple old paperback? And an old-fashioned map?

The Wilderness Act of 1964 defines wilderness as a place “where the Earth and its community of life are untrammeled…” and “where man [humans] is a visitor who does not remain”. The Wilderness Act also forbids motorized devices and all “mechanized” forms of transport. Thus, silence, self-reliance and solitude are three widely revered wilderness values. The way we at Big Wild see it, a backpack full of electronic gadgets degrades the wilderness idea. Obviously, these devices are not physically destructive like chainsaws or ATV’s (all-terrain vehicles), for example. Yet by making wilderness a bit more like everywhere else, electronic devices subvert the quest to keep the idea of real wilderness alive in the American psyche. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Emerson once stated that “foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds”. To prove our company’s lack of foolish consistency (with the thesis of this essay), I admit that we now require our guides to carry an emergency communication device, such as a cell or satellite phone. As owners of Big Wild Adventures, Marilyn and I accept this as a necessary nod to the reality of today’s culture. Big Wild is a business, responsible for the safety of our clients. And we take that responsibility seriously. So we carry an emergency communication device and practice wilderness safety with experienced fanaticism. And besides, there are lots of lawyers out there, chomping at the bit for an outfitter who fails to quickly secure help in a true emergency.

Lawyers and commercial guide enterprises aside, gadgets detract from the wilderness experience. They add to an increasingly watered-down view of wilderness. Real wilderness comes with storms, floods, wildfire, cliffs and large carnivores. Large carnivores force us to become part of the food web, and that makes us feel more alive! Too many people nowadays expect wilderness to be easy and convenient. No discomfort, please. And, good heavens, let’s eliminate all risk (though driving to the trailhead is nearly always the riskiest part of any wilderness venture).

Here’s an alternative: learn to use a simple map and compass, and a GPS becomes superfluous ballast. There are still plenty of good-quality compasses around, and the Silva company comes immediately to mind. The U.S. Geologic Survey is still the best map source, especially for the detailed topographic maps used by Big Wild guides. Maps require no batteries. A compass does not need to be re-charged. When your gadget fails, you won’t be able to re-charge it by plugging into a currant bush.You can try, but good luck! Instead, glass the meadow edge for moose. Or grizzlies. Listen to the wind rustling through the aspens, not your i-pod. Watch the sunset, not a mini-computer screen. Don’t we get enough computer glow at home?

Then there’s the fellow who activated his emergency locator beacon in the depths of the Grand Canyon to summon a helicopter because the water tasted salty. The chopper arrived, but the rescue was refused. This is, I admit, an extreme example of techno-abuse, but it illustrates a point: there are morons out there. Some of them backpack. And all of these gizmos make it easier, at the very least, for idiots to inconvenience or endanger others.

Most important, the way we see it, is the need to get our brains, along with our bodies, out into the wilds away from techno-civilzation’s ten million distractions. And let’s take responsibility for being safe in wild country. For if an emergency helicopter is always at your beck and call, isn’t it more likely that you’ll let down your guard at some critical juncture? Isn’t it likely that we’re more careful when there’s no way to easily contact outside help?

The Wilderness Act also discusses wilderness as a place “in contrast” to civilized landscapes. The more we add these civilized trappings to our wilderness load, the quicker that contrast disappears. In this increasingly crowded and hectic world, the last thing we need is wilderness that further resembles civilization. So please, leave your gadgets at home. Listen to the wind; learn the magic of a sunset, the wisdom of the wolf howl. Help to preserve the idea of real wilderness. And let’s have the courage to accept the wilderness on its own terms and to be responsible for our own safety, with no easy way out.

Fairly, fitness and medicines are playing on the minds of folk all around the World. Online drugstores provides best-quality formula medicaments and other medications. One of the most popular drug is Viagra. This article tell more about “http://cialis-price.biz“. Nearly every man knows about “http://cialis-price.biz“. Other matter we should is “http://cialis-price.biz“. Albeit sex is not vital for good soundness, it’s no doubt good for you. Other medicaments may interact with this medicament, including recipe herbal products. Not all feasible interactions are listed in rule therapy guide. Stop using this remedy and get medicinal help if you have sudden vision loss.

This entry was posted in Adventure Information. Bookmark the permalink. Comments are closed, but you can leave a trackback: Trackback URL.

 

“Everyone needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.”– John Muir

The West’s #1 Trekking & Canoeing Wilderness Adventure Company For 45 Years!

As seen in…Our Guided Backpacking Expertise in West
As featured in Backpacker, Sierra, National Geographic Adventure, Outside, The New York Times, and more.


Green Business IconA Green Business


View Trip Calendar

No company offers a wider variety of great treks, from north of the Arctic Circle to the Southwest deserts. Our trips include the following places:

Our trips are wild and remote, off the beaten track! We also emphasize safety and low-impact (leave no trace) wilderness travel.

How to Book A Trip

Simply complete this web form
or call (406) 823-0337.

A family business since 1978

Our Staff Contact Us

Member of the: Gardiner Chamber of Commerce


Rock Spire

More photos