Radios, Cell Phones, Backcountry Communication
This article is a general overview. For in-depth specifics about radios and cell phones, please check the articles in the tips section of this website.
"Got your ears on?" Ten forrr. You can make fun of radio freaks, but you can't knock what radios and other technology have made possible. Communication. It's a buzzword, but what does it mean for us backcountry skiers and riders? Consider radios. We're all familiar with that cliché photo of the expedition climber on his hand-set, talking with climbers up on the route—perhaps on Mt. Everest.
My first radio experience was breaking Denali Park's rules and not bringing one on our 1972 Denali expedition. We were on the mountain for 43 days, and became known as the Lost Aspen Expedition. We carried a semi-load of gear, so another few pounds wouldn't have made a difference. But it just didn't feel right. We wanted adventure—the challenge of the unknown. That we got, and I'd do it the same way again.
But more recently, with a family and mid-life outlook, I want my adventure stirred -- not shaken. I got involved with mountain rescue a few years ago, and was impressed with the network of radio communication most states now have. With a cell phone or VHF radio, you can get in touch with someone from just about anywhere in the lower 48 states. Remember the guy about a year ago on Mt. Hood in Oregon? He called in a rescue from the crevasse he'd fallen into. Now that's reaching out and touching! These days, I always carry a small radio that I can program with the proper frequencies, then call out in an emergency. I find this particularly comforting when I'm with my family or a guided client. Oh, I'll admit, I've used my squawk box as a mobile phone a few times -- nice for that unplanned trailhead. But it's usually stowed, and ready for an emergency. Yes, those Everest climbers aren't the only guys with the technology!
Cellular phones are another issue. They're good for emergencies when they work. But you'll find that in a remote mountain valleys you may not be able to get a connection, and they may be subject to damage when carried in the backcountry, expensive, and difficult to use for "intercom" talk (between two skiers on a trail, for example). Worse still, in remote wilderness such as that of Alaska, you may not be able to get a cell connection from ridges and mountain tops, since the nearest cell may be too far away even if you have line-of-site. In this case, having a pre-arranged frequency for a VHF or UHF radio contact may be the way to go (still somewhat line-of-sight, but once you climb to a ridgetop you can depend on it working.) In the worst case, you may need a radio that uses aviation frequencies, which you can use in an emergency to contact an aircraft passing overhead. New satellite phone technology may make all this moot; but presently it's still problematic to have affordable and lightweight communication from anywhere on the planet.
Note that for inexpensive intercom, hand-held consumer type radios can be purchased for under $100, but have limited range and virtually no dependable emergency alert system like you get with 911 on a cell phone. The best way to get good radio communication is to get an amateur radio license (ham), by a tiny handheld ham radio, and get good at using it.
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