Appreciation post: My switch from a strict daily mileage plan to a more flexible system

For years, I planned every trip, like my 5-day Wind River Range loop, down to the exact campsite each night. After a brutal day of unexpected elevation gain left me exhausted and miserable, I shifted to just picking a general area and letting weather and energy decide. Do you still stick to a rigid itinerary, or have you moved to a looser style too?

2 comments

2 Comments

seanperry1mo ago

Man, that sounds exactly like my last trip in the Sawtooths. I had every night mapped to a lake, but day two was way harder than the guidebook said. Ended up setting up camp in a random meadow at like 4pm because my legs were done. Letting go of the plan was the best thing I ever did for enjoying the hike itself.

susan_nguyen1mo ago

Yeah, guidebooks are basically just fancy suggestions that hate your legs. My best trips always start when the plan falls apart.