Sean Ansley to hike Continental Divide Trail with BackCountry Navigator

Sean Ansley has announced his intention to hike the Pacific Crest Trail with BackCountry Navigator. His hike will be a good demonstration of using mobile phone software as a topographic gps in hiking. He will be starting on April 20th at Crazy Crook monument. 

Since hearing of his intention, I have been able to dig up some data and create a customized map for him to use on BackCountry Navigator. The map includes some rough tracks as well as topographic maps surrounding them. One of the challenges was the part of the trail that has been rerouted from Lordsburg to the new Southern Terminus. For that, I found some data from the local BLM.

This is an example of what the screen could look like at a given spot on the CDT. 

Sean Ansley is using the BackCountry Navigator topo map software on his iPaq hw6945 running Windows Mobile. To keep it powered, he is carrying the extended 2500 mAh battery.  He is also carrying a Magnesium Solio Charger with an 1800 mAh capacity internal battery.  He has confidence in this arrangement as he was able to keep the iPaq charged on his 2008 PCT hike. He has a foldable keyboard to be able to post his journal logs when he comes to town to resupply. 

Sean hopes to benefit from BackCountry Navigator by staying oriented, especially in the less well marked parts of the trail. In his own words:

Many of CDT hikers have told me that they get misplaced at least once a day, sometimes more often.  I believe in New Mexico 200 of the 700 miles of trail is incomplete.   So I’m hoping that BackCountry Navigator will help me not be so misplaced – because I’ve been told CDT hiker don’t get lost.
 
Sean is well prepared for the journey and should do well. You will be able to follow his progress at http://www.postholer.com/flippy.

I also hope to do some follow up blogs that will talk about his motivation and philosophy of hiking, and some real time updates of how his mobile phone with topographic maps has worked for him in hiking.