Adventure to start-Booklet Booklet SHO-Adventure to start | Page 4

One of the most important thing is to know where we are going. When planning a
hiking trip, you can't get too detailed. It's fine to calculate right down to the weight of
your bandanna or the exact minute you need to stop for lunch. But, you do need to
remain flexible at all times and be prepared to shift your plans as needed.
Take a Shot
Consider your current abilities from your recent training to determine how much of a
hike you can handle - be realistic. Decide where you want to go - the coast,
mountains, nearby forest, ... wherever you want to explore. Get a rough idea of how
many hours you want to hike, how far you can go, what hiking supply load you need,
and then use maps and guidebooks to find a trail that matches your desires and
abilities.Figuring out how far you can hike in a certain amount of time is a good
exercise. Or, figuring how long it will take to hike a certain trail. The actual results will
depend on your shape, the trail condition, elevation, weather, and lots of other little
things. But, in general, you can count on 3 km per hour on flat land. Reduce that a bit
for every 300 m above your home elevation due to reduced oxygen. To the total time,
add 1/2 hour for every 300 m elevation change due to slow climbing.