How to Choose the Right Hike

How to Choose the Right Hike

  1.   Determine your fitness level. If you are just starting out or haven’t hiked in a long time        you might want to start out easy, low elevation gain and 3 to 5 miles. You don’t start out a workout by lifting heavy, you work your way up to your goals by learning your ability level.

2.   Time. How much time do you have? Are you looking for a quick afternoon hike? Or an all-day adventure? Elevation gain can have a huge effect on your mileage. I use the 30-minute rule (30 minutes per mile) to figure out my time it may take.

3.   Elevation Gain. This effects your hike immensely; it can determine the hikes difficulty level. A short hike with a higher elevation gain can be classified as difficult. This can add time to your mileage.

4.   Miles. While this has been already briefly touched on, determining how many miles your body can handle and how much time you have is very important. If you try to go too far and you begin to become fatigued and when you become fatigued accidents are more likely to happen. Start low and work your way up.

5.   And last be not least- Weather. This is very important and can make some hikes very dangerous if the weather turns for the worse. Check the weather regularly before your hike and always check it the night before your hike and before you leave for you adventure. Also stay alert while on your hike, the weather can change very quickly while out on an adventure.