Debate: Should GPS tracks ruin the surprise of a route? I say yes they do.

I keep seeing people post full GPS tracks for epic trails like the Teton Crest Trail or even the 75-mile Rae Lakes Loop. But half the fun for me is reading the topo and not knowing what's around the next bend. Does anyone else think sharing every single waypoint takes away the discovery part, or am I just old school about this?

3 comments

3 Comments

rubys8015d agoMost Upvoted

You wrote "epic trails like the Teton Crest Trail" - but the Teton Crest isn't really a single trail with a fixed route like the Rae Lakes Loop. It's more of a general corridor where people piece together different sections and passes depending on snowpack and personal preference. So posting a GPS track for that one just shows one person's version of it. I've done it three times and took different forks each year depending on weather and how my knees felt.

the_paul15d ago

...yeah but come on, isn't this overthinking it a bit? A GPS track is just a tool, not a spoiler... nobody's forcing you to look at it before you go, right? The real issue is people stressing over someone else's gear or trip report instead of just hiking their own hike.

shane_fisher3715d ago

Man, just download the track and use it or don't, it's not that deep.