The mountains are calling. Do you take your smartphone or leave it behind?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With quick access to comprehensive hiking guides on our smartphones, we can remove much of the uncertainty associated with long-distance hiking than ever before. So, does the trail still have the same appeal? Answers to this question and related findings from Dr. Yu-Fai Leung<\/strong>, Professor and Director of Graduate Programs in the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management (PRTM) and Faculty Fellow at the Center for Geospatial Analytics, and Andrew Rogers<\/strong>, a 2020 graduate from PRTM’s M.S. Program, were published in Leisure Sciences<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Using data generated with Appalachian Trail (AT) long-distance hikers through semi-structured interviews, Leung and Rogers explored outdoor recreationist views on technology and information use. They found that participants\u2019 views on technology ranged from unquestioningly pro-technology to technology-resistant. Regarding information sources, hikers generally expressed satisfaction while some shared instances of information overload. In some cases, participants evaluated uncertainty positively, indicating situations where it is \u201cnice not to know\u201d what lies ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditionally, wilderness travelers preferred to leave the comforts of home at home minus essential guidebooks such as The Thru-Hiker\u2019s Companion<\/i><\/a> by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and The A.T. Guide<\/i><\/a> by David \u201cAwol\u201d Miller. Often laminated to withstand the rigors of trail use, these iconic guides are packed full of critical information from state park trails and water sources to service listings for grocers and outfitters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not all technology is the same. The \u201cultralight but durable\u201d packs and tents and \u201cwaterproof but breathable\u201d rain gear is as much \u201ctechnology\u201d as the latest Android is. But for some recreationists, phones drive a wedge through the boundary that separates normal life from trail life. They seek and appreciate a degree of deprivation. Yet, others believe technology can be an outdoor enhancer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What often goes missing in the debate about using technology in nature is just how much better our devices can make the experiences. Apps and programs allow us to identify constellations, birds, trees, rocks and minerals. Navigational apps like AllTrails<\/a> and MTB Project<\/a> help people find fresh routes to explore and guide them down trails that usually required having and in-the-know friend. There\u2019s also the crucial safety element to consider. Apps such as Cairn<\/a> and Noonlight<\/a>, offer SOS alerts that users can activate to send messages to family members or rescue crews in case of emergency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, from a social-media perspective, shooting photos and video footage for Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok is how many people celebrate and promote being outside. A Seattle Times article in 2018 noted \u201cNationally, interest in hiking has doubled among those 18 to 34, surging from a participation rate of 15 percent in 2008 to 30 percent last year.\u201d The Times article attributed the surge, in large part, to \u201cthe Instagram effect<\/a>,\u201d pointing to data from Nielsen that said hikers are 43 percent more likely than nonhikers to have used Instagram in the past 30 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Outdoor recreation participation in the U.S. has held relatively steady over the last decade, however the use of smartphones continues to increase. More than nine out of ten Americans age 23-54 own smartphones, and those age 55 to 73 are not far behind them with nearly 70% owning smartphones. As leisure continues into the digital age, information availability and the value of uncertainty may become increasingly important topics. Leung and Rogers believe in the need to continue evaluating uncertainty as an integral component of outdoor recreation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note to editors:<\/strong> The abstract follows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “More Helpful than Hurtful? Information, Technology, and Uncertainty in Outdoor Recreation”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Authors:<\/strong> Andrew Glenn Rogers & Yu-Fai Leung (2021)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Published<\/strong>: online in Leisure Sciences on Jan 13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DOI<\/strong>: 10.1080\/01490400.2020.1871132<\/p>\n\n\n\n Abstract:<\/strong> As information and communication technologies approach ubiquity, the need to examine their role in leisure contexts increases. Using data generated with Appalachian Trail (AT) long-distance hikers through semi-structured interviews, this research explored outdoor recreationist views on technology and information use. Participants\u2019 views on technology ranged from unquestioningly pro-technology to technology-resistant. Regarding information sources, hikers generally expressed satisfaction while some communicated instances of information overload. In some cases, participants evaluated uncertainty positively, indicating situations where it is \u201cnice not to know\u201d what lies ahead. These findings shed light on smartphones\u2019 role in leisure and underscore the need to evaluate uncertainty as a component of outdoor recreation. Information availability and the value of uncertainty may become increasingly important topics as leisure continues into the digital age.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n The mountains are calling. Do you take your smartphone or leave it behind?<\/p>\n\n\n\n With quick access to comprehensive hiking guides on our smartphones, we can remove much of the uncertainty associated with long-distance hiking than ever before. So, does the trail still have the same appeal? Answers to this question and related findings from Dr. Yu-Fai Leung<\/strong>, Professor and Director of Graduate Programs in the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management (PRTM) and Faculty Fellow at the Center for Geospatial Analytics, and Andrew Rogers<\/strong>, a 2020 graduate from PRTM's M.S. Program, were published in Leisure Sciences<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Using data generated with Appalachian Trail (AT) long-distance hikers through semi-structured interviews, Leung and Rogers explored outdoor recreationist views on technology and information use. They found that participants\u2019 views on technology ranged from unquestioningly pro-technology to technology-resistant. Regarding information sources, hikers generally expressed satisfaction while some shared instances of information overload. In some cases, participants evaluated uncertainty positively, indicating situations where it is \u201cnice not to know\u201d what lies ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditionally, wilderness travelers preferred to leave the comforts of home at home minus essential guidebooks such as The Thru-Hiker\u2019s Companion<\/i><\/a> by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and The A.T. Guide<\/i><\/a> by David \u201cAwol\u201d Miller. Often laminated to withstand the rigors of trail use, these iconic guides are packed full of critical information from state park trails and water sources to service listings for grocers and outfitters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not all technology is the same. The \u201cultralight but durable\u201d packs and tents and \u201cwaterproof but breathable\u201d rain gear is as much \u201ctechnology\u201d as the latest Android is. But for some recreationists, phones drive a wedge through the boundary that separates normal life from trail life. They seek and appreciate a degree of deprivation. Yet, others believe technology can be an outdoor enhancer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What often goes missing in the debate about using technology in nature is just how much better our devices can make the experiences. Apps and programs allow us to identify constellations, birds, trees, rocks and minerals. Navigational apps like AllTrails<\/a> and MTB Project<\/a> help people find fresh routes to explore and guide them down trails that usually required having and in-the-know friend. There\u2019s also the crucial safety element to consider. Apps such as Cairn<\/a> and Noonlight<\/a>, offer SOS alerts that users can activate to send messages to family members or rescue crews in case of emergency. <\/p>\n\n\n\nPaper Maps vs. GPS Trackers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
“The Instagram Effect”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Paper Maps vs. GPS Trackers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"The Instagram Effect\"<\/h2>\n\n\n\n