Goofy thing is that you might be able to receive (your phone might look great with 5 bars, conceivably) but still not be able to connect outbound, to send a call or text. I've also found it to be the case with voice calls where the tower signal is strong but the distance to the cell site over the limit, so that the inbound caller can ring your phone, and you can hear them-- but they can't hear your response.
Which could be hit-or-miss in any emergency and is not confidence inspiring at all. Last ditch Hail-Mary, texting might be worth a shot.
Any news about what has worked with Verizon sites more than a few mos ago may no longer be valid, as old TDMA digital phones didn't have these hard distance limitations (only signal strength limitations), so the same spots with coverage before may not work at all anymore due to the recent GSM switchover.
I'd strongly urge anyone who needs to have a reliable means of communication in the VW backcountry (away from local proximity to these known coastal cells) have a plan that does not rely on cell phones. Handheld ham radios or satellite phones still have their place.
