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Hi Craig, I file a flight plan when I fly. I file a float plan when I head out for extended trips on my sailboat. But I rarely ever leave a route card. Why? I am in California. If I could find somewhere, ANYWHERE, where I could actually get away from people completely- even for just a few minutes- I would be there now instead of watching KZfaq videos. Seriously, I think you would have to actively work at not being found here and even then it is unlikely you could stay AWOL for any period of time. I know. I have tried. Too many people. Before you fire up the torches for a flame fest keep in mind that if I was actually going somewhere like the remote back country of Alaska or something it would be a completely different story... Great video on a far too often ignored topic. Keep up the great work! Take care, stay safe and all the best from California 🧡

I've started doing this too. Leaving a message which I can update as I go along. Sometimes with a vid of a rough route plan of the map. But I like the text version as it seems easy to forward the info. Thanks

I totally agree about updating the info by text should your plans change... However, not only can phones fail or get easily damaged, but they're often accessible only by the owner of the phone. A paper copy left at home won't run out of charge, is not likely to be stolen or lost, and can be read by anyone in the house (including the emergency services). It's also worth remembering that the contact/location info you're leaving might be needed to track you down should, god forbid, anything happen to the loved one you left the info with. By all means, use text or WhatsApp to leave the info, but i'd always recommend leaving a paper copy too.

Nice one Craig, I have preferred using my phone since 2018, I go to Scotland from North West England so route planning is normally done on the spur, I stay in touch with my sister, she knows me, my kit and caperbillities, if I know I'm going to an area with poor reception I'll plan upto three days, I don't send a full route, just where I plan to spend the night, finish point is the next days start point, this is enough for mountain rescue, they can look at a map and see the logical route, I also carry a PLB, but texting or phoning reassures loved ones that you are safe, take care. Nige.

Good idea. WhatsApp plus paper makes perfect sense, but I will always have paper backup because it won't break if I drop it.

Good plan. I don't use a cell phone! I don't wander far from from the road anymore.Do you have check-in points when entering wild areas? I drove out into the Moose River Plains in the early 2000's and there's a check-in station. I drove for 90 minutes on dirt roads to check out a fishing spot. Hung out for a few hours and drove back to the campsite.

Great idea, could also to text to 999, so they have a start point to look for you. I have only ever given my wife a rough area and ETA back home before, but will start doing this from now on 👍

interesting ideas Have you thought about In Reach Mini to send your location No need for phone signal

You make a good point but I think I'd want to leave my intended route on paper and then text any changes. As it happens I was out yesterday on moorland between Dunsop Bridge and the Trough of Bowland. No signal. I didn't get a signal until I was halfway back to base in the car, approaching Clitheroe. I did follow my intended route so if I had got in to difficulties my wife would have known where to send help even if I couldn't contact anyone. There are lots of hills in that area but it's not the middle of nowhere so the lack of signal was disappointing and one of the lessons from the expedition.

Very thorough! I use multiple verbals with my roommate and others and usually don't write down. Cell is VERY sketchy here in the PNW wildlands. It cannot be counted on. However, an amateur radio license has become my main comm. and my 5W handheld can reach a repeater from just about anywhere in the Olympics or Cascades. The Technicians license is easy to get and a handheld cheaper than a cell phone in many cases. I've contacted a friendly fellow amateur (literally dozens monitoring at a time) on several occasions to give my roommate a ring or txt for me to update my itinerary so he won't worry when I want to stay longer. If you have good coverage on cell then it's a no-brainer for most folks, but Wales looks pretty remote - Is your coverage really that good?

Hi Craig just came across this, I still leave hardcopy route card as wife doesn't use smartphone, but I also get my daughter to track me with buddy beacon ( outdoor active) now since viewranger stopped. Like the videos 👍👍

I do things very much like yourself. Multiple contacts get a text update when setting off/checking in/on the drive back. I check phone network coverage in the locations I am visiting first so I know roughly about where and when I might be on the lookout for my phone picking up a signal. You have to be aware of how you may have a strong signal on a summit but just 100m lower down the hill it can vanish. Also worth knowing is if all is well, keep your phone on aeroplane mode for a majority of the time. When your phone cannot connect to a normal 3G/4G network, it will try older technologies like GSM which has longer range and more likelihood of you getting connected to the nearest mast. The issue with the phone hunting for a connection for long periods is that it really saps a lot of battery power. Remember to periodically disable aeroplane mode, ideally when you reach higher ground in hilly terrain. It's also worth knowing that when network coverage is marginal you have a much greater chance of getting a text message to someone than being able to call. And in windy conditions and poor signal it can be very hard to communicate, where as a text is less likely to be misinterpreted.

Loving the videos as a new subscriber. Do you have an electronic template which you can then copy and paste into a text? Also if using the phone to leave a route description how do you avoid autocorrect changing place names which could lead to confusion?

This is what I do and also as I’ve got an iPhone I have it set up so my partner can track my phone to the last point it was in signal. This way as long as I don’t lose it she can see how I’m progressing along the vote.

Naafi flip flops, laf my arse off. That's a great idea. Real commen sense. This is what I'm going to do In the future

Generally a good idea for areas where the cell phone service coverage is adequate. I'm in the Southwestern US (New Mexico) and coverage here is fine in larger towns and along major highways, but non-existent in the mountains and on the Northwestern BLM lands and reservations. How might one modify this for those of us who live in areas with limited or poor coverage?

Once again you talk a lot of sense. Route cards are great but I tend to be fluid, I could have a good day I could walk longer route. This is why I have been seriously considering getting an emergency signal device like the Garmin Inreach. Obviously this is expensive. I quite like the idea of sending a text / whatsapp message. I might try this myself in future.

Like your hairline