I can understand the criticism that I read (I hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail last year, so I can relate to annoyance with "real world" gadgetry in the trail world).
I don't see why it would bother someone to watch someone else use any handheld device anywhere, as long as the sound is off. This is the 21st century after all. My perception is that phone etiquette has improved a lot in the last decade since they became ubiquitous. Loud ring tones at inappropriate venues and blabbing in public seems to have decreased significantly. From what I see, it's turned into a party foul akin to a loud fart, eliciting hostility from people happy to dole it out. Maybe I'm just hangin in a more mature crowd, but I've noticed a positive adaptation. Of course there will always be some morons who enjoy annoying others and the phone is just the easiest way. There's been plenty of banter on forums about loud mouths shouting into their phone on the top of Mt Whitney, but not so much lately. Not sure if people are getting used to it or if people are learning to be more respectful. Hopefully, it's the latter.
It may take more highly publicized Darwin award stories and other mishaps for people to get the message, but I'm hopeful people will learn to consider a GPS on a phone or a dedicated GPS to be a backup convenience, not a substitute for a map and the knowledge to use it. Any GPS course should start with map and compass skills and then tie in the GPS skills. I consider myself an expert at this with lots of off trail cross country hiking, engineering training and career experience, and professional licensing (all California Civil Engineers have to pass a surveying exam to get registered). Despite all that, if someone blindfolded me and dropped me onto a high mountain pass with peaks and valleys in all directions, it would take a lot of time to establish which pass I was on. Throw in snow and fog and it's damn near impossible. The point is, it's much easier to "stay found" than to find where you are. Learning to maintain situational awareness and paying attention is as important as technical skills. And if you've dropped the ball for whatever reason, a GPS will save a lot of time getting you moving in the right direction again, as long as the device didn't get soaked, dropped, lost, or ran out of batteries.
I almost forgot, nice job with the phone apps Alice, and congrats for completing the PCT! Enjoy your Whitney climb.
