I don't use those apps so I don't know how they work. Certainly, if you have a close loved one who wants to check on your location frequently, and you're okay with that, it does seem like an option (they might have to screenshot the Glympse to preserve it for future reference).Any idea how well an app like Glympse or Find Friends would work in a place like that? I use both on occasion in the US for tracking my contacts as they travel via car, and can see my friends or relatives as they drive in real time, on a map. It’s pretty darn accurate unless, of course, they’re in an area of no cell access. Glympse even displays their speed so I can see if they’re possibly delayed due to traffic. And if they park and go into a large store like a Walmart, I can see that they’re in the building. Seems all hikers should have a buddy system with a realtime tracking app enabled. Or better yet, a satellite based Garmin device. I know they’re not cheap but I don’t think you need to call out coordinates when calling for help and using one. And the average casual tourist isn’t going to have one.
But it is putting the onus on them to check up on you. So, aren't you basically saying to the person, "I might get into big trouble on this hike, so it's up to you to keep me alive by constantly checking on my hiking progress through this app and calling 911 if I appear stop moving"...?
IMO it's a big ask, from the perspective of both the independent solo hiker, and the other person, especially if they're just a friend.
He had phones and cell service, so could text if he was going to be late, and call for help if he needed it. IMO, the assumption was he'd stay on the trail, where he'd be found, if necessary.
I think SAR and police would love to have a system where they could easily, quickly find missing people when their phones are off, but we don't have it yet. Something revolutionary like CCTV may come along. Meanwhile, there's an awful lot of missing people in the world.
It makes me wonder, were there attempts to contact him before he was reported missing? Did he just not answer? What did the person who reported him missing imagine was happening, if he failed to answer his phone and was several hours overdue?
JMO