AI-assisted summary

Cell phones are unreliable in the backcountry and should only be considered an emergency backup to the 10 essentials.

Before your trip, fully charge your phone, pack a power bank and download offline maps to help identify your location.

If lost, try texting 911 with your location and situation, as texts require less signal strength than calls.

If you're lost or injured in the backcountry, a cell phone isn't your best option to alert search and rescue teams. But it might help as an emergency backup, an 11th essential.

Outdoor experts recommend packing the 10 essentials whenever you head into the backcountry, including a map and compass (not only on your phone), and knowing how to use them.

Cell phones can be useful but are unreliable in the backcountry due to pot

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