This does suggest a good idea for an emergency link, although I understand your reluctance for a brief period to accept this item of modernity, I get the luxurious humanity of leading a mostly cellphone-free life. As a non-cellphone user, I find them annoying enough just by the way they often alter human behavior for the worse. Bear with me for when communications are still good.
With the six hops now available and some judicious node siting, it might be possible to set up a temporary SMS relay link between the site and close enough to suitable towers to get a cell signal. It could even be with the extra goodies available with the Mesh Developer’s Toolkit (for Apple). With suitable arrangements for accepting the texts with emergency services and other such coordination, this could make a great project for some group.
Of course, one wouldn’t BE there, which has it’s drawbacks… but that actually sounds like something I could do as an old fart whose docs have told him to stay out of the sun and not randomly wander about in the desert. Now If I can just figure out how to pay for the airconditioned motorhome and recruit a few cellphone bearing co-conspirators. 
