what do you carry on trips?

Thread drift but actually Eric in all honesty I think some of the statements you make in your post over the superiority of GPS over map & compass actually reinforce my personal belief regarding the over reliance on GPS.

Firstly you should know where you are ALL the time. Indentify handrails, changes in elevation, benches, rock walls etc from your map before you go...constantly check your position against your mental map, or actual map, take a back bearing with your compass if the weather looks like it's coming in. Turning your GPS to find out where you are is too late....especially if it doesn't work and you're in a white out. There are techniques for navigating by compass and map...even in a white out.

Sure..it takes a bit of effort and time to learn ( as does GPS) but it's an essential skill.
I know of no professional guide who also isnt an expert with map and compass as well as GPS.
Read Cosley and Houstons Alpine Climbing....very good ..also Volken's book.

Map tearing and compass breaking seems like a tenuous argument to me. Map in plastic cover etc.

Not an old codger skill.....its an essential skill regardless of your generation.

Scotsman, my remark was in good humor reply and not condescending I think you took it out of context and I don't know why.

Correct etiquette would have been to use the grin emoticon rather than the rolling eyes emoticon.
Grin emoticon= good humor
rolling eyes emoticon= condescending.

My job as Chief Etiquette Officer of TAY is a never ending burden....but its a labor of love. :

Saxybrain , sorry for my fellow TAyers condescension and eye rolling just because you are from Texas. I'm afraid you are going to have to get used to that for a while as these young, super smart urban-mountaineers are going to act very superior for a while until you get acclimatized.

Only 120 days or so until you come over the pass like some Mormon pushing his hand cart to the promised land with all your boyish enthusiasm I've come to appreciate.

Shortly thereafter you'll be skinning up to Muir ( make sure you actually get to Muir..Amar is checking) with your pack overflowing with ibuprofen, iodine tablets, hand-sanitizer and condoms; your pack festooned with Voile straps.

A few more months here and you'll be driving at 10 mph below the speed limit in the left lane and pontificating on TAY with the rest of us.

darned hilarious ~ blew margarita ice through my nose.  99'rs, take note.

btw, Saxy, the left lane crawl speed technique is only truly useful in the HOV zones where lane changes are strongly discouraged.  In any event, you will need a blowup doll, and I suggest you inquire discreetly, PM, perhaps,  among the authoritative voices here.

Best wishes, and safe journey..

edit for content to be a bit more family friendly

????? for cleaning hands after going pooopy? You guys are way too fastidious.......handful of snow...rub vigorously.. then wipe hands on back of pants= invigorating!

Ha, I'm really about the least germophoby person out there, but there's something about poopy hands and eating... 

Exiting a tour on skis through a whiteout or thick trees is often aided by frequent reference to the GPS (and my track log).

This is the one reason that I've been looking at GPS's.

Saxybrian didn't you say your from Texas?  :

Steers and queers! 

My job as Chief Etiquette Officer of TAY is a never ending burden....but its a labor of love. :

Darn emoticon etiquette. Keep up the good fight Scotsman, I now have greater emoticon awareness      

somewhere in here there was a thread about gear  : oh wait....  

Interesting thread here. While this banter of GPS or not to GPS, was occurring I was having the same with some folks 8500 ft'ish on Mt. Adams. I will leave the details out they are not important. Weather moved in and things changed for this party. I experienced the same and turned back early being solo and without GPS. I have to say, despite their bad luck. It was a pleasure to meet you guys.

Talking over the day on the way down. I think the concensus was to have a combination of both old and new school technology would be advantages. Despite, being long in the tooth, with birthdays. I am still a baby to mountaineering. Why not both. I have firsthand stories of GPS 's being fatal and nearly fatal in whiteouts. Snow and terrain changes frequently. What was there 24 hrs or 2 hours prior. May not be there when your following the line back. Watch the weather, listen to your gut, live to tour another day. Wrap your GPS with the condom so it doesn't get wet.

Thanks for your attention.

H