Change Your Voicemail if Lost in Woods? Why Experts Say Not to

Give your last location and time if you're lost? What seems like a genius plan is being discredited by expert hikers and rescue crew members.

This is the Hudson Valley and if you live here then you know there are several hiking trails in our regions. They are all beautiful and unique in their own way and some are far more challenging than others. You could find yourself lost on a novice path under the right circumstances.

Personally, I consider Mount Beacon to a be a somewhat simple trail. I've hiked up and down it many times but even I found myself turned around once. Being alone and lost on any trail is one of the scariest feelings especially as nightfall approaches and your cell phone battery is beginning to die.

So when I saw hiking hack going viral on Facebook I was pretty intrigued. It basically said to change the outgoing message on your cell phone saying your lost or stranded with your last known location if you're running out of battery on you cell phone. The post gained thousands of shares.

It sounds like a genius idea, right? Not everyone thinks so and they make some strong points.

It sounds like a great plan but it might not be the smartest move when you're lost. According to FOX 2 Detroit, members of Alpine Rescue Team, a non-profit rescue team from Colorado don't seem to think so.

The rescue team said it's basically a waste of time since you would need a signal to change your voicemail message. If you have a cellular signal then all of your effort should be put into attempting to call emergency services before your battery runs out. The team suggests texting regather than changing your voicemail as they leave a paper trail of information.