Lost my compass near Glacier and now I bring two

Two summers ago I was on the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park and my compass fell out of my pocket somewhere around mile 6. The trail was packed so I didn't stress, but then a fog rolled in and I missed the turnoff for the Swiftcurrent connector. Luckily a ranger was coming the other way and pointed me back, but that 45 minutes of not knowing where I was really stuck with me. Now I carry a backup compass in my hip belt zipper on every single trip, has anyone else had gear just vanish mid-hike like that?

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elliot_king20d ago

That exact 45 minutes of panic is why I changed my whole setup. I used to think a backup compass was just extra weight for people who watched too many survival shows, but then I got caught in a whiteout above treeline in the Winds and realized my phone GPS was dead. Now I keep a tiny one clipped inside my pack lid, not even in a zipper, just clipped so I can feel it when I reach up. It's saved me twice since then, once just last month when I missed a switchback in the fog on the Teton Crest.