Ditching the paper map in the Smokies cut my time by a third

I used to be all about paper maps. Last trip on the AT near Gatlinburg, I got lost for 2 hours at a stream crossing. Downloaded the Guthook app for that section and followed the GPS blips. Next day I did 14 miles instead of my usual 9. Anyone else think the old way is just nostalgia?

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sage_perry26d agoProlific Poster

Hold on, Guthook is GREAT for GPS but it can be really finicky about battery life. I drained my phone twice on a 10 mile day in GSMNP because the screen kept waking up with the blips, plus service is patchy in the deep coves. Paper maps are still killer for a quick landnav check when your battery dies, but yeah, the app saves time if you manage your power right. Just make sure to turn off the screen between blips, that's the real trick.