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SUMMER 2017
5
HowMuch is Too MuchWilderness Technology?
A
nyone who’s spent time in the
wilderness understands its uniquely
special qualities: the sight of wildlife
going about their business, the calming
effect of being amidst acres of pine trees,
and the complete quiet broken only by
sounds of wind, a crackling campfire,
or a softly babbling stream. So, does
it make sense to bring elements of our
everyday technology into that environ-
ment? Some places already encourage
you to do so, such as campgrounds and
national parks. But opponents say the
more technology we bring into the
wilderness, the less special it becomes.
Pros and Cons
A national park app could explain about
wildlife, poisonous plants to avoid, and
hiking trail locations. But some believe this
type of engagement detracts from direct
experience and leads to “connectivity
creep.” This means you use the app and
decide as long as you’re on your phone,
you might as well check Facebook; pretty
soon you’re writing emails, setting up
meetings, and moving money between
bank accounts. All these things can be
done at home, so why come to the out-
doors at all?
There’s something to be said for unplug-
ging entirely—and the wilderness is a
great place to do it—but not everyone
is ready for that level of disengagement.
Ask yourself if a tech-free trip is worth
the price of not being able to post a photo
from the top of a mountain in real time.
The Bottom Line
Fortunately, connection in the wilderness
doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing
choice. You can use the aspects of it that
work best for you. Bring your phone with
you, for instance, but put it on airplane
mode and use it only for photos. The
deciding factor should be whether your
devices enhance or detract from your
enjoyment of an outdoor adventure.
Explore theWorld
fromHome with
GoogleMaps Treks
Google has taken Street View one step
further to map remote areas of the
world. Using a device called the Trek-
ker, Google collects imagery of some
of the most famous places on Earth
as well as lesser-known sites. Toward
these ends, Google partners with
organizations like the Charles Darwin
Foundation, the Jane Goodall Institute,
and the Apa Sherpa Foundation.
Treks use Street View supplemented
with still images, video, text, and
HTML5 to create a more immersive
experience. Users can take self-guided
journeys to places they hope to visit
or those to which they may never
go. People who want to get more
involved can volunteer to add imagery
to Google Maps through the Trekker
Loan Program.
FAST FACT:
The Wilderness Act
of 1964 created a definition for
“wilderness” and protected 9.1
million acres of federal land.