Just a couple short years ago, had someone said they were going “wireless in the wild,” one may have conjured images of a free soloist climbing an intimidating rock wall without so much as a rope, her hands being her only protective equipment. But flash forward a couple years, and more than a few leaps in wireless network availability, and the phrase very literally means that mobile-minded hikers can often just as reliably count on their smartphone as an outback safety essential as they would a trusty pair of boots or a pocket knife.

On this episode of Mobile Diaries, Shawna and Jason are joined by Jay Christianson, a Search and Rescue member for El Paso County in Colorado, to talk about how mobile technology really has helped many connect with nature via the latest connectivity capabilities, even in the remotest of regions. The outdoors safety expert offers tips on how you too — from essential mapping apps to geotagging social media shots — can use your device to heed the call of the wild.