The satellite-messaging market��has two major players: Spot��and Garmin, with the latter claiming most of the market share. For a product that’s now ubiquitous and high dollar (largely due to subscription revenue), I’d like to see more brands competing and innovating in this space.

There is a new one that’s worth consideration: the����($200, 5.3 ounces), which debuted in January. It’s priced, constructed, and engineered well,��and it provides a significantly improved messaging experience for both the user and their contacts. (Another option is��the new Global Hotspot from , though I have not had the opportunity to review this model.)

When the��Garmin InReach Mini��($350, 3.5 ounces) was released two years ago, it seemed like the holy grail, providing��reliable two-way messaging, location-based weather forecasting, and functional GPS navigation in a palm-size��package. The Zoleo��satellite communicator is 40 percent heavier and lacks any navigation features (which is fine—just use��Gaia GPS), but it outperforms the InReach in its core function: messaging.

The Zoleo��platform, which is comprised of the device and the app, offers seamless communication across all connection methods. From the��app, texts and email��can be sent over cellular service or Wi-Fi and, if combined with the communicator, over��satellite. In comparison, an InReach owner must use at least two messaging apps��(one for the front country, like Google Voice, and Garmin Earthmate��for backcountry), often resulting in disjointed conversations and missed messages, especially for thru-hikers, avid weekend warriors, international travelers, and residents of rural areas who bounce regularly between the front��and backcountry.

Like the InReach devices, Zoleo��relies on the Iridium satellite��network, which offers��true global coverage. While testing the Zoleo, messages cleared the device within minutes.

Key Product Specs

• Two-way satellite messaging
• Global coverage with the Iridium satellite network
• 5.3��ounces��(150 grams),��plus 0.3 ounce��for optional carabiner
• $200��for the device, plus required monthly service plan��($20 to $50 per month, or $4 per month to hold)

Device Activation

Before taking Zoleo��into the field, register the device and select a��.��Then download the��,��and sync the device with your smartphone.

The��website is well designed in terms of both its aesthetics and intuitiveness, and I successfully sent my first message about 30��minutes after unboxing the device.

Sending and Receiving Messages

Messages can be sent directly with the communicator��or using the app (which connects to the unit via Bluetooth).

From the device, two form��messages can be sent: SOS and check-in/OK.

Custom texts and email��can also be sent and received from the app. SMS is capped at 160 characters,��email at 200; however, when both the sender and the recipient��use��the��app (which is free, even without purchase), the caps increase��to 950 characters, or the equivalent of about six text messages.

For receiving messages, each Zoleo��owner is given a dedicated phone number and a Zoleo.com email address. I gave this information to my contacts, who could then send me messages via��any device or platform—phone,��computer, InReach, or another Zoleo device. Custom messages can only be viewed in the app.��

This configuration is much simpler than the����required to send��messages to an InReach unit.

Seamless Messaging

The Zoleo��app can send texts and email��with cellular, Wi-Fi, or satellite connections��and is therefore equally functional in the front country and backcountry. This prevents having to migrate��conversations to a different app when you enter or leave the backcountry��and eliminates any missing messages that were sent using��the wrong platform.

As an example, here is a seamless conversation I had with my friend��Dave, sent over��Wi-Fi and satellite:

The Hardware

The 5.3-ounce��device��is about the size of a small digital camera (3.58��by��2.6 by��1.06 inches) and lacks the InReach’s��awkwardly protruding antenna. It’s powered by��a lithium-ion battery��and will last more than 200��hours while checking for messages every 12 minutes. The operating temperature range is minus 4 degrees to 131 degrees Fahrenheit.

The exterior is made of rubberized plastic, which��offers a good balance of weight, durability, and grip. It’s shock-,��dust-, and water-resistant.

The unit does not have a screen. To convey activity, it instead relies on cheery beeps and four LED lights, which��blink or stay solid in four colors. The meanings of the beeps and lights are mostly intuitive, but until you have them memorized, pack the Quick Start Guide or use the app.

The SOS button is well guarded by a hinged door. An accidental depressing of the SOS button is unlikely, though I’d be comforted if its snap closure required more force to open.

Zoleo��Versus the Competition

Zoleo��enters a market dominated by��two other brands: Spot��and Garmin. I don’t recommend the ��($250, 7 ounces).��Garmin’s InReach service is available in four devices,��my favorite of which is the , because it’s the lightest and least expensive option while retaining the functionality of��the other units (assuming it’s paired to a smartphone).

How does the Zoleo��stack up against the Garmin InReach Mini?

Messaging: Zoleo��Wins

The messaging reliability seems about the same between my InReach and the Zoleo. Since both use the Iridium network, this is what you’d expect.

Otherwise, the Zoleo��messaging experience is better in every way. Messaging is centralized in the app��rather than, as in Garmin’s case,��split between conventional messaging apps when using cell service or Wi-Fi��and the Garmin Earthmate app when using the��device. This makes��conversations continuous, and no incoming messages get missed.

As an added perk, if your contacts send and receive messages from you through the free��app, they can contain up to 950 characters, whereas the InReach’s max is 160.

Extra Functionality: InReach��Wins (Maybe)

The InReach device��offers GPS navigation through the device itself (though the Mini and SE+ are limited due to screen size and a lack of built-in mapping) and��in the Earthmate app. The Zoleo��completely omits this functionality. I think that’s fine��since I use�������Բ�ɲ���.

Zoleo also omits location tracking, whereas with Garmin, it can be set to a specific frequency,��like every ten��minutes. As a hiker, I don’t particularly see the value in this service (as opposed to, say, a pilot or sea kayaker), but I know that some backpackers do use it.

Both devices have location-specific weather forecasting. Here is the screenshot from the Zoleo��app:

The Hardware: InReach Mini Wins

The InReach Mini has two advantages over Zoleo. First, it’s just 3.5 ounces—33 percent lighter. Second, and more importantly, the Mini has a small screen that more clearly displays its status and any received messages��and can be used to send messages (albeit using its painfully slow virtual keyboard). This latter use is probably rare, since the Mini will most often be tethered to a smartphone, but it’s a nice option to have just in case.

The single advantage of the Zoleo on this front��is its $200��price, which is $150��less than the Mini. I tend not to put too much stock in the retail price of these units, however, since its lifetime cost is largely determined by the monthly service fees.

Service Plans: Toss-Up

Garmin currently has��, all of which include a $25 annual fee and allow you to pause your subscription during the off-season.

• Safety: $144 per year, or $15 per month
• Recreation: $300 pear year, or $35 per month
• Expedition: $600 per year, or $65 per month��

The Safety plan includes unlimited preset messages but only ten��custom messages (and 50 cents per overage).��Tracking, location requests, and weather forecasts are available but are charged �la carte. With the Expedition plan, everything is essentially unlimited. The Recreation plan falls��in between, with 40 custom messages per month and unlimited tracking and location requests, but��premium weather is still �la carte.

Zoleo also��has��.

• Basic: $240 per year, or $20 per month
• In Touch: $420 per year, or $35 per month
• Unlimited: $600 per year, or $50 per month
• Month-to-month plans are charged a $4 per month hold fee, which is similar to Garmin’s $25 annual fee for its Freedom Plans.��

The Basic plan includes 25 messages total,��both standard��and custom. For anything beyond just-in-case��use, the In Touch plan is more realistic—it includes 250 messages, which is��eight times more than Garmin’s mid-tier Recreation plan. Unlimited is the final option��and fairly named.

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This year I’m planning��29��guided backpacking trips. They are scheduled through October, run three to seven days, and are scattered throughout North America in the high desert, eastern woodlands, Mountain West, and Alaska. I will also ready my company’s more than 240��clients, who are of mixed ages, genders, fitness levels, and experience.

To pull this off efficiently and minimize mistakes, over the years I’ve developed a planning process��that works��for any trip and can be used by any backpacker.

1. Define Your Trip’s Parameters

General questions are��a good starting point for trip planning. You��don’t need definitive answers to every question right away, but you’ll want to begin��narrowing your options.

Start by��asking where you want to go,��when, and what��kind of trip it will be. rather than car camping?

Then��add more specifics. What length of time will you be traveling? What specific trails, routes, landmarks, or campsites do you want to visit? How many miles or how much vertical distance do you intend��to cover? Who else do you want to join you, if anyone?

Finally, consider the logistics. Do you��need permits? If so, how, when, and where will you get them? How will you��get to the trailhead��and back? Are there unique or notable land-use regulations or requirements you need to be aware of?

I suggest��taking all these details and dropping them into a��document that��can be shared with emergency contacts before you��leave.

2. Research Conditions

Once you have a reasonably defined trip plan, research��the conditions you��will likely encounter, so that you can prepare properly, mitigate risks, and rule out baseless what-if��scenarios.

I’m only interested in or��demand particular skills. I recommend looking into��climate, sun exposure and hours of daylight, footing (the most common types of walking surfaces), vegetation, wildlife and insects,��navigational aids (signage, blazes, cairns, and posts), water availability, remoteness, and potential natural hazards��like avalanches and lingering snowfields, river fords, possible flash floods or tides, or lightning.

Compile the findings of your research in a separate document, and cite your sources, so you��can easily compare any contradictory information you later find elsewhere.

3. Select Gear

For a beginner backpacker, the task of gear selection is usually the most time-consuming, certainly the most expensive, and unfortunately also the most frustrating—it’s very easy to go down the rabbit hole here. A good and run-down of gear is a great place to start.

To make this process easier for my clients, I give them a��time-tested����that I designed, along with examples of����for trips similar to the one they’re going to take��and a��copy of��. These resources should help cut through the noise.

Clients also have email access to their guides and their group, so that they can get trip-specific advice. If you don’t have an immediate contact who really knows their stuff, I suggest a community forum like Reddit’s��. Make sure to tailor your gear to your itinerary and expected conditions.

4. Plan Your Food

We’re vulnerable to packing our fears.��If we fear��being cold at night, we bring a sleeping bag that’s excessively warm. If we fear bears, we sleep in a full-sided tent (which won’t help but may make us feel better). And if we fear being hungry, we pack too much food.

I’ve given in-depth meal-planning recommendations before, so here I’ll just go over some basic pointers. First, plan to consume��2,250 to 2,750 calories per day. (I generally assume��an average caloric density��of 125 calories per ounce, which means about 18 to 22 ounces daily.)��If you’re older, female, petite, or on a low-intensity trip, go with the low end of this range. If any of the opposites are��true, go with the high end. Variety is the spice of life, so pack foods with varying tastes (spicy, sweet, salty, sour) and textures (chewy, crunchy). Early in a trip, treat yourself with real food, like a ham sandwich, an avocado, or an apple. This��will also delay��the onset of culinary boredom.

For breakfasts and dinners, try these��field-tested options��instead of spending your hard-earned cash on exorbitantly priced freeze-dried meals or punishing yourself with thru-hiker fare like ramen noodles or Lipton Sides.

5. Create or Collect Navigational Resources

For my first hikes, I utilized whichever resources were conveniently available and seemed sufficient. Before thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2002, for example, I purchased the ��and downloaded��the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association’s��. To explore Colorado’s Front Range the following summer, I bought a few National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps that covered the area.

But when I started adventuring off the beaten path, I had to create some or all of these materials from scratch. Through this process, I developed what I believe to be an��optimal system of maps and resources��that includes large- and small-scale��paper topographic maps, digital maps downloaded to a GPS app, route descriptions and tips, and a��data sheet (a list of key landmarks and distances along a trail or route).

6. Gain Fitness and Skills

There’s no better way to improve your hiking fitness than by hiking, and there’s no better way to develop backpacking skills than by backpacking.

But who has the time and ability to do that? Not me, and likely��not you.

The next-best option is to work out more intensely��to maximize the potential of the time you do have available. Personally, I��do this by running��60 to 70 miles per week. Ultralight backpacking pro Alan Dixon has a����that’s more hiking oriented (and��more realistic). You can also read and watch skill tutorials, such as my series on��navigation,��,��,��, and��.

A test hike��is also very valuable. This systems check��is meant to be done in a relatively low-risk��environment, and the goal is to get you better prepared for your actual trip. It can be done locally, like in a nearby park or even your backyard,��and��will give you an opportunity to use your gear, practice some skills, and identify room for improvement before you undertake a more committed��itinerary. Focus on��replicating��the elements of a real trip: hike with a loaded pack, refill your water bottles, change layers, set up your shelter, cook a meal, etc.

7. Conduct a Final Check

In the days before your trip, complete any remaining housekeeping. Using your checklist, pack up all your gear, including your maps, resources, and permits. Buy any necessary perishable foods, like cheese, butter, and tortillas. (This����has more details.) Look at a five-day weather forecast, and adjust your gear accordingly. Finally, proofread��your trip-planner document, and leave it with your emergency contacts.

Want to learn more about backpacking for beginners? Check out our online course on , where ���ϳԹ���+ members get full access to our library of more than 50 courses on adventure, sports, health, and nutrition.

The post How to Plan a Successful Backpacking Trip in 7 Steps appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

Each year,��dozens of my guiding clients ask me what footwear is optimal for backpacking��at high elevation, in upper latitudes, and during early-season��conditions. In this article, I’ll��provide a list of proven winners (and a few losers).��These recommendations are relevant to anyone planning trips to similar locations or places with��similar conditions.

Footwear is extremely personal, and what works for me or for another backpacker will not necessarily work for you. I suggest trying��on a half dozen pairs at a well-stocked local retailer��or ordering multiple pairs online��and keeping only the pair that fits and feels best. All the shoes I discuss here are trail runners, not traditional hiking boots.��Trail-running shoes are typically more comfortable straight out of the box. The breathable varieties don’t absorb as much water,��dry out more quickly, and tend to��prevent��that��unpleasant feeling of wet feet in hot boots. They’re also lighter, so you can move more easily and with more agility. The most common pushback against trail-running shoes is that they don’t provide ankle support. Based on my experience, I think it’s farcical that boots actually do (unless you’re��hiking in ski boots).

Features to Look For

High-elevation routes, places at extreme latitudes (like Alaska), and early-season conditions place very similar demands on footwear. Durable materials and construction are necessary to withstand extensive abrasion from rocks and brush, plus perhaps constant wetness. An aggressive and sticky outsole will allow for��good purchase on slick rocks and uneven vegetation. A semi-stiff underfoot carriage will make edging��on steep slopes and kicking��steps in spring snow easier. A breathable, non-waterproof upper will��expel water quickly after creek crossings, dry out faster, and prevent the foot from overheating. To provide stability on uneven ground, look for��a low to moderate stack height to bring down the foot’s center of gravity.

Recommendations for Extreme Conditions

In order of approximate last width, from narrowest to widest:

La Sportiva Bushido II��($130, 10.5 ounces)

The�� is my personal longtime favorite. It checks all the aforementioned boxes and needs little improvement. However, it has a very narrow last—the narrowest in La Sportiva’s entire line—so it’ll be confining for those with average and wide feet. You can read��my full review here.

��

Salomon X Alpine Pro��($160, 10.9 ounces)��

is my second choice. Compared with��the Bushido, it’s more cushioned, less stiff, and a bit roomier. It excels on adventure runs and trail hikes��but is less suited to technical off-trail backpacking trips. Other users may find it cushier��than the Bushido. One critique: the thin, cinchable Quicklaces may fray in gritty environments. Read��.

The men's version of this item is currently low in stock.

��

Salomon X-Ultra 3��($120, 13 ounces)

The is the top pick of Dave Eitemiller, one of my company’s��guides, who has used them in Alaska and on high routes in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, Yosemite, and the Colorado Rockies. For him,��the Bushido is��simply too narrow. The X-Ultra 3 has an aggressive and hard-wearing outsole and a durable upper with slightly more padding than the aforementioned models. Like the X Alpine Pro, these shoes��feature Quicklaces.

��

La Sportiva Ultra Raptor��($130, 12 ounces)

The ��fits and performs similarly to the X-Ultra. The upper feels almost boot-like, with a lot of structure and protection that can be can be unforgiving��if the fit is not quite right. The outsole is very sticky, but the smaller lugs wear quickly and are not as well suited for mud and vegetation.

��

Salomon XA Pro 3D��($130, 13 ounces)

The�� has one serious flaw: its insoles absorb water, and when wet, they fold underfoot like an accordion. But this can be overcome easily��by replacing the stock insoles. Otherwise, they’re a good choice: they’re made well and have good edging and traction. The fit is perhaps marginally wider than the Ultra Raptor and X-Ultra.

��

La Sportiva Mutant��($135, 10.7 ounces)

The ��is��the least rigid of this group��and among the widest. Because the laces��fray quickly, they��should be swapped out immediately��(just grab some others of similar thickness from an older pair of shoes, as long as they’re in decent shape), but otherwise the shoe’s durability��is very good. The burrito-style lacing system creates a comfortable, socklike fit.

��

La Sportiva Akyra��($140, 11.3 ounces)

The�� is��the burliest model of this review, with a��durable upper, an aggressive outsole, and a stiff carriage. It’s best suited for technical hiking and scrambling in drier environments (note: its dry time is exorbitantly long). The fit is medium-wide. For more information, read����from Reddit user u/LowellOlson.

��

Not Recommended for Off-Trail��

Conventional on-trail itineraries put both different and fewer demands on shoes. For example, whereas footwear optimized for off-trail treks and trips will have a stiffish midsole and tapered toe box for edging and precise control, footwear better suited for on-trail hiking will have generous cushioning and a wider toe box for more all-day comfort. Also, on-trail hiking does not require the materials and construction to be as bomber. The following options are better suited to this less demanding environment.��

Altra Lone Peak 4.5��($125, 10.5 ounces)

The�� is a favorite��of thru-hikers, who appreciate its extra-wide toe box and generously cushioned 25-millimeter��stack height when putting in long days on well-maintained trails. But the Lone Peak falters off-trail—the toe box is too wide for precise lateral control, and the midsole is too soft to hold��edges. The Lone Peak 4.0 and 4.5 are more durable than their predecessors��but still lacking for these conditions.

��

La Sportiva Wildcat��($110, 12.4 ounces)

The�� is the all-mesh sibling of the Ultra Raptor, sharing��its��last and outsole. It’s a fine trail shoe, and the pinch-free upper is more comfortable than that of the Ultra Raptor, but its abrasion resistance is subpar.

��

Other Options

The����($130, 10.7��ounces) and the����($120, 10.7 ounces) are both time-tested trail-running and backpacking shoes, but they’re less suitable for extreme conditions than my recommended models,����and low-to-the-ground design. If you can’t find or test another model you like, these may work for you, but don’t expect them to last for more than one trip.

The post A Mountain Guide’s Picks for Backpacking Footwear appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

Last year, for the first time in six years,��I didn’t race and��didn’t��log my usual 3,000 miles. Nagging injuries, a lack of race-entry luck, and a growing guiding program all played a role, as did an absence of desire—whatever I’d been running toward��in my mid-thirties, I felt like I’d reached it.

Somewhat ironically, however, 2019��had a disproportionate share of favorite and memorable trail runs. Since I wasn’t on a strict training plan or beat up from the last race, I was free to run where, when, and how far I pleased��and to do it at whatever pace felt right.��In this��article,��I’ll��highlight five of the best from last year, plus��three more favorites from previous years.

Due to their proximity and quality, I focused my efforts on Rocky Mountain National Park and the Indian Peaks Wilderness, both in the Front Range of Colorado. From Boulder, the trailheads to the east of the Continental Divide are about an hour away; the west-side trailheads are two and a half��hours away, near Grand Lake, but conveniently, my guiding��work put me in that area��for a few September days.

Intentionally, five of these eight loops include��sections of the , a 76-mile high route that parallels the geographic Continental Divide��between Milner Pass (on Trail Ridge Road in the national park) and Berthoud Pass (on U.S. 40 near the boundary of the James Peak Wilderness); it’s��40 percent off-trail, gains or loses 750 vertical feet per mile, and approaches Class 3 in difficulty. ��on this page are section hikes I have previously recommended.

By including sections of the Pfiffner, I was able to edit my , gather data for a potential fastest-known-time��attempt, and elevate the difficulty of each outing, making them true adventure runs. But most important, the Pfiffner helped create loops in a range that otherwise has very few.

1. Across Onahu

• 17.2 miles (3.5 miles off-trail), with 5,000 feet of elevation gain
• A shuttle is required for a 6.8-mile stretch of Trail Ridge Road��
• (with North Inlet/Tonahutu trailhead��finish)��

The heart of this run is between Timber Lake and Haynach Lakes, which are separated by two 11,800-foot passes that provide access to and from upper Onahu Creek.��Onahu is a gem: it lies within one of just two trailless valleys��on the west side of the park that feature��a rarely visited alpine lake��and serve as a quiet refuge for elk and moose.

Several options exist for reaching and returning from Timber Lake and Haynach Lakes. A shuttle or hitch is necessary for all of them.

The shortest variation of this run starts at Timber Lake Trailhead and finishes at Green Mountain Trailhead, which are separated by seven miles along Trail Ridge Road. Alternatively, start at Milner Pass (which is about the same distance but has less climbing) and finish at North Inlet/Tonahutu Trailhead (another 2.4 miles). The net vertical uphill-downhill difference between running northbound and southbound is generally negligible, unless you start at Milner Pass.

2. Continental Divide Trail Loop

• 25.8 miles (no off-trail), with 4,400 feet of elevation gain
• Complete loop

This is the only all-trail loop on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Because of that, it’s already popular with backpackers and trail runners��and is actually the only route on this page with an established FKT (, set by Ian O’Brien��in 2017).��The highlight of this loop are��the roughly seven miles in the middle between upper Tonahutu Creek and upper Hallet Creek. At around 12,000 feet, this section is entirely above tree line��as it crosses the alpine expanses of Bighorn Flats. In spring and early summer, the waterfalls are also exceptional.

Start at the North Inlet/Tonahutu��Trailhead��and pick a direction. I prefer clockwise��so the flat and boring 5.5-mile section along Big Meadows is��at the start. Climb steadily to Ptarmigan Point (elevation��12,200-plus��feet), and then descend into North Inlet and back to the trailhead.��If you have access to a shuttle or are willing to hitch, you can shortcut the route by 2.4 miles by starting or ending at Green Mountain Trailhead.

3. North and��East Inlets

• 21.3 miles (3.3 miles off-trail), with 6,100 feet of elevation gain
• Complete loop

The North Inlet and adjacent East Inlet both flow into Grand Lake, the largest natural lake in Colorado. Hiking trails go far up both drainages��but, strangely, do not connect. Fortuitously, however, these glacier-carved valleys can be linked��with just 3.3 miles of off-trail travel, most of it along a Sound of Music–esque alpine bench perched between the Ptarmigan-Andrews ridge above and the��North Inlet below. If you don’t see elk, you will surely smell them. The wildflower show usually peaks in July.��

I strongly recommend running this loop clockwise, entering the park from North Inlet/Tonahutu Trailhead and exiting at East Inlet Trailhead, so that you have gravity on your side for the tough pitch above Spirit Lake. The trailheads are separated by 1.4 road miles, which can be used as a warm-up or skipped with a shuttle or a hitch.

Run up North Inlet, and take a right (south) turn toward��Lakes��Nokoni and Nanita. When this trail terminates at the latter lake, follow the Pfiffner Traverse to Spirit Lake, where you will hit an unmaintained use trail. Turn right (west), and follow this track to the mapped end of the East Inlet Trail, which will take you back to the trailhead.

4. Triple Bypass

• 23.3 miles (3.1 miles off-trail), with 7,500 feet of elevation gain
• Complete loop

The popularity of the 28-mile Pawnee-Buchanan Loop (a.k.a. the Double Bypass Loop) is nearly on a par with the famed . It gains 8,000 vertical feet and crosses two 12,000-foot passes on the Continental Divide, making it a fantastic long run or weekend backpack trip.

Triple Bypass is an adventurous play on this Colorado classic. Rather than dropping to the 8,800-foot junction of the Buchanan Pass and Cascade Creek Trails above Monarch Lake, it shortcuts��the route by heading off-trail for three miles up a deep valley and over a Class 3 pass.

This loop can be run in either direction, starting and ending at Brainard Lake. But by doing it counterclockwise, you can follow the description in my Pfiffner Traverse guidebook��for the off-trail section. Most hikers and runners will appreciate the hand-holding—the topography of Thunderbolt Creek is deceptively complex, and the the south side of Paiute Pass is exceptionally steep.

5. Boulder Watershed

• 33.6 miles (4.7 miles off-trail), with 11,200 feet of elevation gain
• A shuttle is suggested, adding��4.3 miles on a gravel road to make it a loop

Hands down, this is the most demanding loop on this list. It’s the longest and has the most vertical change;��it has the most passes (five)��and some of the highest (four above 12,000 feet); its off-trail sections are not straightforward; and Northeast Gully—filled with snow through midsummer, covered in loose rock and dirt in late summer, and always steep—will excite even those already comfortable on technical terrain. It could be the ultimate test piece on the Front Range.��

Start or finish at Rainbow Lakes Trailhead, and ideally hitch or shuttle the five miles of gravel between it and Sourdough Trailhead, just off the Peak to Peak Highway. The loop can be done in both directions, with a slight advantage for clockwise (so that you can more easily follow my guidebook out of the Lone Eagle Cirque).

From Sourdough Trailhead, run over Niwot Ridge to Brainard Lake, then over��Pawnee Pass to Cascade Creek Trail. From there, head through��Northeast Gully to upper Arapaho Creek and over��Arapaho Pass to the Fourth of July Mine. The final stretch runs over the east ridge of Arapaho Peak, past the Arapaho Glacier, and back to Rainbow Lakes.

6. Monarch Lake Loops

• Minimum: 16��miles��(3.1 miles off-trail), with 4,800 feet of elevation gain. Maximum:��32.3 miles (10.4 miles off-trail), with 11,600 of elevation gain.
• Complete loops

Monarch Lake is the western gateway to the Indian Peaks Wilderness, sitting��at the confluence of four major creeks that flow off the Continental Divide: Hell Canyon, Buchanan, Cascade, and Arapaho.

The Pfiffner Traverse connects these drainages, using Cooper Peak Pass (moderate), Paiute Pass (hard), and Northeast Gully (very hard). This area has six loop opportunities, and��each includes one pass, two adjacent passes, or all three passes. Select the itinerary that best suits your fitness, interests, and off-trail skills—or stay in the area for a few days and undertake several of them.

1. Out via Hell Canyon Creek, over Cooper Peak Pass, return via Buchanan Creek
2. Out via Buchanan Creek, over Paiute Pass, return via Cascade Creek
3. Out via Cascade Creek, over Northeast Gully, return via Arapaho Creek
4. Out via Hell Canyon Creek, over Cooper Peak and Paiute Passes, return via Cascade Creek
5. Out via Buchanan Creek, over Paiute Pass and Northeast Gully, return via Arapaho Creek
6. Out via Hell Canyon Creek, over Cooper Peak and Paiute Passes and Northeast Gully, return via Arapaho Creek

7. Middle Boulder Creek

• 25.1 miles (4.3 miles off-trail), with 7,400 feet of elevation gain
• Complete loop

From Boulder, Hessie Trailhead provides the quickest access into Indian Peaks. Its popularity is proportional to its convenience, however, so the county operates a free shuttle bus on weekends to relieve parking pressure. By taking the N bus from downtown Boulder, this loop can be done using only public transit.

Go counterclockwise to pass through the lowest and most heavily trafficked sections first, and reserve the wildest bit for the third quarter. The highlight is between��Arapaho Pass and Rollins Pass, when this loop overlaps with the Pfiffner and mostly stays atop the Continental Divide, offering sweeping views east toward��the Front Range metropolitan area and the Kansas prairie,��west across Fraser Valley, and over Winter Park to the jagged Gore Range.��

8. James Peak Skyline

• 17.6 miles (5.2 miles off-trail), with 6,550 feet of elevation gain
• Complete loop

If I’d had one more week of cooperative weather last year, this route��would’ve been my next run. Years ago I completed it as an overnight backpacking trip��and was surprised that it’s not considered a classic, especially given its accessibility from Denver.

Start at St. Marys Glacier Trailhead, and run clockwise to��finish with the best stuff. The exception: if there is a chance of thunderstorms and��you’re getting a late start, go counterclockwise to��get off the Continental Divide earlier in the day.

From the parking area, cut through the ghost town of��Alice and join the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), where it crosses a��four-wheel-drive��road to Loch Lomond. Follow it to Mount��Flora, the first of five thirteeners��on this route. Downtown Denver is visible 40��miles east-southeast, and two popular Front Range fourteeners—Grays and Torreys—are 12 miles to the south-southwest.

Run or hike north atop the geographic Continental Divide, usually off-trail but sometimes with the help of a use trail, to James Peak, the final high point. The route is generally a mix of tundra and scree��and includes one fun Class 2 scramble across the notch between��two mountains, Bancroft and James.

From the summit of James Peak, descend south on the CDT until it crosses the James Peak Wilderness Area boundary. There, travel eastward off-trail until funneling into the St. Marys Glacier. Beware: the home stretch is��on overused, wickedly eroded tourist trails.��

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On most trips and in most locations, to navigate I rely primarily on my paper topographic maps, ABC (altimeter, barometer, compass) or GPS watch, and��magnetic compass. As both a backup and supplement to these tools, my smartphone has a GPS app like (good) or (better), which I use to access downloaded map data for offline use.

A GPS smartphone app has two purposes:

1. It acts as a map library, in case your printed documents are damaged or lost��or if you unexpectedly hike off course.
2. It has the same functionality you’d expect of a traditional handheld GPS—like pinpointing its location��and navigating to waypoints—but is lighter, less expensive, and more user-friendly.

Collectively, these four instruments constitute my navigation system. Some hikers may consider my preferences old-fashioned, since it’s increasingly common to navigate exclusively or primarily with GPS. But I value the reliability and efficiency of these more analog methods, and I appreciate the art of using them. To hone that art, I recommend downloading��maps in Gaia GPS for offline use. This will preserve the app’s functionality, even in the backcountry without reliable cell service.

This tutorial is��based on an assignment��I give to my guided clients, who participate in an eight-part planning curriculum that prepares them for their trip and can be retooled easily for their own personal trips. I’ve decided to share it��publicly, since so many people are under stay-at-home orders and so many spring backpacking trips have been canceled or postponed.

Get Started

First, download the Gaia GPS app.

��

To complete this assignment, you must have a regular��or premium membership, which cost $20 and��$36��per year, respectively. Gaia has a free account, too, but it does not allow for offline use. So that you can complete this assignment (and maybe test out the app in the field), Gaia is offering a . (This��free trial��does not require a credit card. If you wish to renew later, you’ll need to enter one. At that time, take advantage of .)

Avoid doing this assignment at the last minute. If Gaia is new to you, give yourself about 15 to 30 minutes to complete it. To download map data, you’ll need a reliable internet connection with a high data-use limit, which means Wi-Fi��in most cases. Don’t count on rural mobile data service or an overtaxed motel connection.

Download an Area

Determine the area you want offline maps for. Make sure it encompasses��your entire route, plus all prospective shortcuts and extensions. For a point-to-point itinerary, this zone will probably be long and narrow; for a loop, it’ll probably be more square.

If you must download a large area, it’s useful to have a “reference box,”��because as you zoom out, it becomes difficult to identify topographic features on a five-��or six-inch smartphone screen. With a box that remains obvious at all magnification levels, you can be assured that you are downloading the intended area. This box can be created in the app��by adding waypoints or routes to the map��via the plus (+)��button. On the Gaia desktop site, you can also add��waypoints or routes to a map via the left-side toolbar, which then syncs to your smartphone.

I’ve created some download boxes for my guided trips that you can use for practice:

• In your smartphone browser, open this .
• In the top menu, select the wrench icon, and then Export GPX.
• In the 2020 Trip��folder, select one trip. Deselect all other exportable data.
• Press Export��to download a GPX file.

You can complete these steps from a desktop computer, too, in two ways:

1. Download the GPX to your desktop, email yourself the file, and download it to your phone.
2. Download the GPX to your desktop, upload it to your account at the Gaia GPS website, then sync your phone.

Alternatively, you can download an area that’s more relevant to you. For extra practice, you can create your own download box in Gaia beforehand.

Now��load this GPX file into Gaia GPS. You have two options:

1. In the app, select the plus��button in the top menu, then Import File.��Find the GPX file on the phone, and select it.
2. Use a file-system app (e.g., Files��on Android) to find the GPX file, then open the file in Gaia GPS.

If you don’t see the track from the GPX file, click on the layers icon in the upper right and confirm that Tracks and Routes��is turned on, then��make sure your trip location is visible on your screen.

Select the Download Layer

With a basic membership, only one map layer��can be downloaded at a time. With a premium membership, multiple layers can be downloaded simultaneously. However, the opacity settings at the time of download will be frozen. If you want to use the layers independently, they must be downloaded separately.

Touch the upper-right layers icon, and select the desired layer(s) to download. You may need to dig into the map library for your desired maps—look under More��Layers.

You may also want to download the��Gaia topo layer, which will load more quickly than USGS��and Forest Service topo layers, because it’s vector based, not raster. Or download the��Trails Illustrated layer, handy for��small-scale overview maps. It may make sense to download other maps��instead of or in addition to those I’ve already mentioned. For example, before elk hunting in Colorado, I download the GMU��(game management units) and public-access layers, so that I remain on legal hunting grounds, plus USGS aerial satellite imagery, so that I could find clearings more easily.

Download the Maps

Finally, let’s download some maps.

Select the plus��button from the top menu,��then Download Map.��A red-shaded box will appear. Move it and its corners to encompass your guide box or the map area you want to download.

If you’re��low on storage space, you can reduce the zoom level. If not, keep it at level 12��for maximum resolution.

Hit the Save��button, and name the map.

Check Your Work

To confirm that your maps have downloaded successfully:

• In the bottom menu, select the folder icon (Saved).
• Pull up your saved maps. Look under All��or Maps��in the top menu, between Saved��and the triple-dot icon.
• Gaia should push out a notification that your map download is complete.

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Last year I discussed my five recommended food-storage techniques, including when to employ each one. Many readers were skeptical about the last of these options—sleeping with it. Here I’ll go into more detail about when and why it may be appropriate��and what my results have been.

First, a disclaimer: sleeping with your food—possible bait for wild animals—intuitively seems riskier��than storing it farther away from camp. There are ways to mitigate this��risk, but if you decide to sleep with your food, the consequences are on you.

Sleeping with Food

If I’m sleeping in an enclosed shelter, I��keep my food inside it. If I’m cowboy-camping, I sleep on it or immediately next to it. Often I use my food bag as a knee rest, to relieve pressure on my back.��It can make a decent pillow, too.

Food should not be left on the ground nearby.��From the perspective of an opportunistic food thief, unattended food is open for the taking. Wildlife looks for easy calories, and only the most brazen and desperate bears and rodents would try to take food that’s obviously in my possession.

When the conditions are right, I always sleep with��my food. It’s the lightest, simplest, cheapest, and least time-consuming storage method. In other words, it’s the most convenient.

When and��Where

Three conditions must be met before I decide to sleep with my food:

1. The land agency must not require a specific storage method.
2. The risk of a bear entering my camp is acceptably low (ideally zero).
3. The risk of rodents in camp is also low��(ideally zero).

If the land agency requires a specific method, then I adhere to the regulation.

If I’m not comfortable with the bear risk, I��use permanent infrastructure (like bear boxes, bear poles, or hanging cables), a hard-sided canister like the , or a soft-sided bear-resistant sack like the .

If I think that rodents may occupy my camps, I’ll plan to hang my food out of their reach, using��a��rodent hang (which will not be out of reach for a bear, because the food will be only a few feet off the ground)��or a soft-sided rodent-resistant sack like the .

Assessing Risk

How do I determine the risk of bears or rodents? I rely on personal experience and research. What have I observed before? What am I being told by area guidebooks, online forums, trip reports, rangers, and the local news?

I would consider an area to have low bear risk if:

• Few or no bears live in the area
• Little or no sign of bears has been seen (e.g., prints, scat, root digging)
• I’m camping far from their seasonal food sources (e.g., berry patches)
• There are no recent reports (and, ideally, no reports at all) of bears stealing food from backpackers or campers

Assessing the risk of rodents is more straightforward��and also less consequential. At high- and moderate-use campsites, I expect to have rodent problems. At low-use campsites, it’s rare but possible. At virgin campsites, I don’t recall ever having a rodent issue.

Personal Results

I haven’t kept count, but I’ve probably slept with my food for more nights than all the other overnight storage methods combined. This includes many thru- and section hikes of long-distance trails, a loop around Alaska and the Yukon, and weeks on the Wind River High Route��in Wyoming and the��Pfiffner Traverse��in Colorado.

I’ve had a few bears enter my camp, each time in California’s��Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks��(where hard-sided bear canisters are generally required—and always required for commercial groups). I’ve had far more problems with rodents, especially at high-use campsites on popular trails like the Appalachian Trail and in national parks.

Over the past 15��years, the risks, regulations, available methods, and my thinking have evolved, and they will continue to do so in the future.��If I repeated those trips, I’d do things differently in some cases.��For example, if I were to do the AT again, I would give serious thought to a rodent-resistant bag��rather than just carrying my food in a nylon stuffsack. I , but I would take back all of the hangs I ever did. And if I did my Alaska trip again, I would have a bear sack for more of it��or at least in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve,��where this is now the regulation.

The post Yes, I Sleep with My Food in the Backcountry appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

The original Saxx Kinetic, my previous go-to boxer-briefs for hiking and backpacking, has been��redesigned and replaced with the Kinetic HD, which is now available from all Saxx retailers. I was sent production samples for review in December 2019.

The HD is available in two lengths: ($38), with a five-inch inseam,��and a����version ($40), with an eight-inch inseam.

There are noticeable visual and functional differences between the original Kinetic and the HD. In short, the new model��has an updated paneling design and a more stabilizing hold. It’s��better for high-output activity��but��less comfortable for low-output use and everyday wear.

Construction

The Kinetic HD panels were entirely redesigned. The color blocking—which, according to a PR rep,��Saxx felt was “old-fashioned looking”—has been eliminated, and the new panels follow more natural lines.

These changes are largely aesthetic. Like the original, the HD contours the body nicely and has a generally snug fit (“semi-compression,” in Saxx parlance). I have noticed only one difference: the HD briefs are marginally tighter around the thigh, which reduces any ride-up.

Fabric

The main fabric is unchanged: a four-way-stretch micro mesh made of 88 percent nylon and 12 percent spandex, with a double layer over the jewels to reduce fabric sheer and increase support. I’ve found that this fabric has good air permeability, wicks moisture well, and dries quickly.

The waistband is still a wide one and three-quarter inches, but it’s less thick and boardy. This band will still retain more moisture and dry slower than the mesh fabric, but it’s an improvement on both fronts.��

BallPark Pouch

The defining feature of all Saxx underwear is the BallPark Pouch, a hammock-like cup with mesh side panels that keeps anatomical parts nicely organized.

The pouch on the��Kinetic HD is newly designed. Compared to that of��the original Kinetic, side panels are closer at the lower attachment point, instead of spaced apart, and the top attachment points were moved downward. The front of the pouch was also reshaped to provide��more of a forward dimension and a narrower, more stabilizing fit.

The result of these changes is a more stabilizing hold, one that’s better suited to activities like running but not as comfortable for casual or everyday use. Bringing the side panels together at the bottom attachment point lifts the scrotum slightly and keeps it farther away from the thighs. Moving down the upper attachment points creates less area for the genitalia to float around.

Personally, I thought the original Kinetic was ideal for hiking��but a little light on support for running. The Kinetic HD is just the opposite: I found it��comfortable on runs up to 12 miles, but I no longer wear it��for, say, nordic skiing or office work.

The new BallPark Pouch design will be used in two other products: the ��($50), new compression boxer-briefs,��and, beginning in spring 2021,��the ��shorts series (starting at $75), which have integrated Kinetic boxer-briefs. Other styles will retain the original iteration of the BallPark Pouch. For hiking and backpacking, I’d now recommend the ��(starting at $32).

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On most backpacking trips last year, I carried the Black Diamond Iota headlamp. Its 150 lumens were plenty for three-season conditions, and��it weighed only 1.9 ounces��and packed away small.��I loved that it was rechargeable, so I could keep AAA batteries out of the waste stream and��recharge it midtrip using the same portable charger I use for my phone and InReach.

For spring 2020, Black Diamond has introduced the�� ($45).��While it is technically new for this season, it’s essentially a brighter and updated version of the Iota, which will be dropped from the line. The brand sent me an��early-production version of the new model last fall for review.��

Key Specs

• 1.9 ounces
• One��LED bulb with a nonadjustable oval flood beam
• Up to 225 lumens of light output
• Rechargeable lithium battery
• IPX4 waterproofness rating (resistant to splashing from any direction)

Best For

Over the winter,��I��found the Sprint 225 to be ideal for night running on bike paths, streets, and some very easy trails in and around Boulder, Colorado. Last fall��I carried it as a just-in-case light on long��trail-running loops in the Indian��Peaks and Rocky Mountain National Park. Going forward, I plan to carry it on most��of my backpacking trips, which typically occur between April and September.

My only complaint about the Sprint 225 for backpacking is that it lacks a red light. This night-vision-saving feature is wonderful on group trips to prevent you from blinding your companions, and in camp it’s often the only light I use. Because of this omission, the Sprint seems more optimized for moving (trail running��and day hiking) than camping.

The Sprint 225 is not to be confused with the ($75), which is also new for spring 2020. That model is slightly brighter, powered by three AAA batteries (single-use or rechargeable), and has a second head strap.

Light Output��

The Sprint 225 uses one��LED bulb. Its light pattern is wonderfully smooth, with no distracting rings.��It seems almost perfectly optimized for night running and night hiking—it focuses most of the light ahead��but still manages to illuminate the periphery. It’s a nice happy medium between a spot beam (which makes you feel as if you’re running in a tunnel and which can be dizzyingly bouncy) and a flood beam (which doesn’t throw enough light out ahead).

Black Diamond reports that the Sprint 225 can maintain its maximum 225-lumen output for 1.5 hours and��its minimum six-lumen��output��for 20 hours. This seems roughly accurate—I learned the hard way that the Sprint 225 has enough power for one 60-to-90-minute night run, but it needs to be recharged before a second outing.

The Competition

How does the Sprint 225 compare to other headlamps?

Let’s start by pitting it��against its predecessor, the Iota. They are comparable in price, size, and weight,��have the same operating configuration,��and share many features, like the three-LED battery meter and PowerTap, which allows the user to switch between full and dimmed modes with one touch. The Sprint is 50 percent��brighter (225 lumens as opposed to��150), and it has a few small improvements. For example, the Sprint remembers its last brightness setting when it’s turned back on, whereas the Iota has an adjustable default. Black Diamond also reports that the Sprint’s lens is more efficient at transmitting the light from the bulb to the environment.

The Sprint 225 is brighter and less expensive than the , which has only 200 lumens and retails for $60. However, the Bindi has a red light. Because of improvements in LED technology, it’s also likely that Petzl will soon release an updated, brighter version of this headlamp.��

The , which puts out 360 lumens and has a red light,��weighs the same as the Sprint but costs ten dollars less.��If Nightcore updated its��1990s-era computer-age aesthetics, maybe it’d be onto something.

The post Review: Black Diamond’s New Sprint 225 Headlamp appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

Shortly after starting my Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2002, I taught myself�� using my watch and data sheet. With surprising accuracy, I could monitor my hiking pace, pinpoint my location between known landmarks, and predict my arrival time at upcoming points of interest, like water sources and shelters.

On an as-needed basis during later hikes, I acquired additional skills. During my first off-trail experience, on the Sierra High Route, I learned��to proficiently and precisely read a map.��On Utah’s��Hayduke Trail, I used��my compass to track my location in meandering canyon bottoms. I ruled��out false summits��on the Colorado Trail��using my altimeter. And while skiing along Alaska’s Arctic coast, I used GPS to calculate the distance to landmarks ahead, like the shoreline.

When I began guiding learning-intensive backpacking trips, my skills took a giant leap forward. As Aristotle said, “Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach.”��I learned to��understand better through teaching.

What’s your level of navigational proficiency? Test yourself against this list of��essential navigation-related definitions, concepts, and skills. Try to complete each task while out in the field.��If you’re shaky on, or unfamiliar with, some of the topics, consider them areas for improvement. Find videos, books, and classes that fill the gaps of your knowledge and skill set, and, most important, practice. To get you started, I’ve��linked and embedded a few of my own tutorials.

Maps

Topographic maps are perhaps the most essential navigational aid. In many parts of the West, it’s possible to navigate using these maps alone.

Scale

• Explain the map’s scale.
• How does the scale correspond to real distances?��For example, one inch on a 1:24,000-scale map equals what distance in the field? What about 1:62,500��or 1:100,000?
• Measure the straight-line distance between two points.
• Measure the distance of a meandering trail.
• Measure distance using your finger, the scale-specific ruler on your compass, and your compass lanyard.
• Based on the size of features on the map, predict their approximate scale��in the field.

Pro Challenge: Learn the relationship between different map scales and different contour lines (e.g., a 1:24,000 map with 40-foot contours or a 1:63,360 map with 100-foot contours) so that the topographic size of new landscapes does not surprise you.

Contour Lines

• What is a contour line?
• What is the contour interval of your map?
• What is the difference between index contours and intermediate contours?
• Identify areas on the map that are��flat, moderate, and steep.
• Identify high points, like summits, knobs, and hilltops.
• Identify low points, like lakes, creek bottoms, and dry gullies.
• Give a general overview of��the landscape on your map, notably its major ridgelines,��drainages, and corridor trails.
• Calculate the vertical change between two points.
• Associate terrain on your map with the terrain in the field.

Pro Challenge: Predict whether a ridge or summit will be passable��based on the steepness of the slopes below it. Also, account for where snow is likely to linger.

Shading

• On a standard large-scale topographic map (e.g., a USGS 7.5 minute or an FSTopo��2016), what types of vegetation and terrain will you find in areas that are shaded green? How about��areas without shading? For your answers, list things like��tree types, tundra, tussocks, bogs, slabs, talus, or sand.
• Explain what the variants of blue indicate, including��a continuous line, an intermittent line, a solid blue line, and blue stripes.

Pro Challenge: Predict the ground cover or vegetation you’re��likely to encounter at particular elevations, on certain slope aspects, and adjacent to specific types of landforms. For example:

• A moderate slope at 8,500 feet on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park is shaded green on the map. What type(s) of tree(s) will you likely find there?
• On the map, a��streak of white cuts through a forest on a steep slope below a 6,000-foot peak in the Cascades. Why? And what will you find there?
• The base of a 1,000-foot sheer wall in the High Sierra is unshaded. What will you probably find there?

Cartography

Using a mapping platform like CalTopo:

• Import a GPX file.
• Annotate the map with important route notes (e.g., tidbits found in guidebooks, like a trail being poorly maintained or marked, side trails to nice vistas, unmarked springs, etc.).
• Create a track, and measure its distance and vertical change.
• Enter this distance and vertical data into a spreadsheet to create a data sheet.
• ��(or map set) at your preferred scale and on your preferred paper size.

Watch

A basic��altimeter or GPS watch��is an essential tool for dead reckoning, which is one of the most useful skills for on-trail hikers.��

The fundamental formula for distance is your rate of movement multiplied by��time.

• Calculate your average rate using distance��and time.
• Convert your rate (e.g., miles per hour) into pace (e.g., 20 minutes per mile).
• Predict how much your rate will be affected by variables like vertical change, altitude, and trail quality.
• Calculate the distance you have hiked using rate and time.
• Calculate your estimated time of arrival at an upcoming landmark by using your rate and the distance to the point.

Compass

Particularly in areas with limited visibility and subtle terrain, a ��is a lifeline, even in modern GPS-dominated times. In more favorable conditions, it can still be used to support your��navigational story.

• Explain what declination is.
• What is the declination of your current location?
• If you have an adjustable compass, adjust it for declination.
• Orient the map.
• Find a bearing in the field, and transpose it to the map.
• Find a bearing on the map, and transpose it to the field.
• Find a bearing in the field, and transpose it��to the map��using both an adjustable compass and a nonadjustable compass.
• Follow a bearing.

You might notice that triangulation does not make my list. To me��this seems like a useful technique only��after��I get lost, and frankly, I find it easier to simply stay found. Plus, if you do get lost, you can locate yourself more quickly and more precisely with a GPS device.

Altimeter

An ��uses barometric pressure to calculate its elevation��and is an extremely useful tool in the mountains.

• Calibrate your altimeter using a known reference point.
• Follow a contour (i.e., cover a horizontal distance without losing or gaining elevation).
• Rule out false summits.
• Climb or descend to a specific elevation where you expect to encounter something, like a trail junction or a creek crossing.
• Pinpoint your location by cross-referencing your altitude against a nearby topographic feature, like a lake outlet or a creek confluence.

Pro Challenge: Before a steep climb, predict your arrival time at the top using your normal rate of vertical speed (e.g., your vertical feet per minute).

GPS

When your map, watch, compass, and altimeter are not making sense, resort to the ace up your sleeve: a .

• Download maps for offline use so your smartphone can function as a GPS (with maps) even without cell service.
• Set your GPS devices and map grids to a consistent geodetic datum and coordinate system.
• Upload tracks and waypoints to your device.
• Extend the battery life of your device by switching it to airplane and battery-saving mode (and, more importantly, by using nonconsumptive tools like your paper map and compass instead).
• Pinpoint your location.
• Create a waypoint.
• Create a route to a waypoint.
• Create waypoints, record your tracks, and export them later as a GPX file that can be imported to a platform like CalTopo.

Pro Challenge: Calculate how long you can run your GPS device before it must be recharged.

Off-Trail��Navigation

Find the overall path of least resistance between two points��by accounting for the individual effects of:

• Horizontal distance
• Vertical change
• Vegetation
• Ground cover
• Game trails
• Time sinks (like canyons, cliffs and ledges, brush thickets, blowdowns, loose moraine slopes, and deep water)

The best line rarely cuts against the grain��of the landscape. Instead, it runs��directly with or against fall lines��and takes advantage of��seams of weakness in the landscape; for example, imagine that a thick patch of willows is blocking you from the other side of a creek. The best line would penetrate this thicket where it’s thinnest, at its seam of weakness. (Animals look for the same such��spots—these are��often where you will find a good game trail.)��

Simplify your route finding by using��natural features.

• Follow handrails, like a creek, ridgeline, or shoreline.
• Hike until you run��into a backstop, like a creek, trail, or ridgetop.

Find relatively safe lines through areas with natural hazards like:

• Creek fords
• Snowfields
• Avalanche zones

This is the final part��of a four-part series��about navigation. Part one is��“A Backpacker’s Guide to Maps.”��Part two is��“The Gear You Need to Navigate in the Backcountry.”��Part three is “How to Master Navigational Storytelling.”

The post Test Yourself: How Well Can You Navigate? appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

While hiking, have you ever gotten turned around, missed a junction, or walked a few minutes (or miles) in the wrong direction? It happens to everyone, especially��newer hikers and backpackers. But you can greatly reduce the risk by developing a sharp mindset and��carrying a few key pieces of equipment.

Tell Me a Navigational Story

When teaching clients on guided trips how not to get lost in the backcountry, I��ask them to tell a story.��This technique��helps put them in the navigator’s mindset. The story consists of three parts, which correspond to the three components of the mentality: where we’ve been (attentive), where we are (present), and where we’re going (anticipating).

I ask clients to illustrate their story on a map��and to prove it with information��from their resources and equipment. If there are discrepancies between the narrative and these tools, clients must revisit their storyline or double-check their instruments.

For example, if the story is that we reached a lake after climbing steeply west for an hour, but in fact we only climbed for 35 minutes and were hiking east, it would be clear that they were not attentive. If the storyteller��thinks we��have arrived at the ford of Return Creek on the Pacific Crest Trail, but our altimeters read 8,800 feet instead of 8,600 feet, and the creek is flowing southeast instead of southwest, they aren’t being present. They aren’t doing a good job of anticipating if they expect to reach a junction after hiking downhill for 15 minutes��but the trail has been flat and we’ve been hiking for ten minutes. These would all be reasons to pause and reevaluate.

It’s sometimes OK��to proceed when the story is not matching up entirely—but do so skeptically. If more information comes in from your tools or your surroundings��that brings up further inconsistencies��in the story, then maybe it’s time to stop and figure things out.

When a navigator is convinced that their story is correct, even though it’s full of holes, it’s called “bending the map.” While it may feel like wasting��more time to get��the story straight right now, in my experience, it’s time well spent.

Case Study

To demonstrate the navigational story, I’ll use an example from California’s��Yosemite High Route.

First, let’s look at the map. Suppose that we’re having this conversation at the gunsight in the middle of the map, and we’re following the red dots from west to east.

Where we have been: we walked along the east shore of Rock Island Lake, crossed Suicide Ridge, descended a steep tundra and talus gully to the head of Crazy Mule Gulch, then climbed moderately in a northeast direction for about 300 vertical feet.

Where we are: we’re standing on the saddle between Crazy Mule Gulch and Slide Canyon, and I can prove this with multiple pieces of evidence. First, the description of this saddle in the is very similar to our current surroundings. The map depicts this saddle as being broad and above tree line, and both are true. Second, from the base of the descent off Suicide Ridge, it took us 20 minutes to get here, which is about right for hiking 0.6 miles off-trail and uphill at altitude. Using my compass, I also found a bearing of 195 degrees to a peak that topographically looks like Bath Mountain, which is consistent with my maps. My altimeter reads 9,920 feet. The map��says this saddle is at about 9,940 feet, which is within the margin of error for my altimeter. Finally, my GPS says that I’m here.

What we’re anticipating: from this saddle, the guidebook instructs us to drop southeast toward��a low-volume creek��and then to use this creek as a handrail (an obvious topographic feature, like a shoreline or a canyon rim,��that can be followed easily) while descending 700 vertical feet on Class 2 slabs to the base of Slide Canyon.

The Right Tool for the Job

A navigational story is more convincing when it’s supported by multiple pieces of evidence. In the case study above, I proved where we are by using every single item in my tool kit.

But the process need not be so thorough every time. One piece of supporting evidence is mandatory—and often sufficient. A second piece is good practice, especially when off-trail. When you’re less certain of your story, employ all of your tools until you become certain.

This is part three of a four-part series��about navigation. Part one was��“A Backpacker’s Guide to Maps.”��Part two was��“The Gear You Need to Navigate in the Backcountry.”��Part four is “Test Yourself: How Well Can You Navigate?”����

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