Searching for the perfect hike

[Sanbu]

You've saved your money and you've gathered your gear. You've chosen the state or province. Now to select the hike and the trail.

What you need is a search function to find the perfect hike. The search should be customizable based on parameters like length, difficulty, and type of terrain.

So if you could search for the perfect hike, what factors would you want to search by?

For my trekking web site currently under development, I am adding a search function. At present the search parameters are rudimentary:

Quality: All Treks, Recommended Treks
Type of trek: Multi-Day, Day Hike
Type of Terrain: Mountain, Plains, Forest, Lake, Stream
Difficulty: Easy, Moderate, Challenging, Advanced, Extreme

There is a ton of collective wisdom here at VFTT. Time to tap in. So I wonder, what parameters would you want to search by?

 

[Mike P.]

There may be collective wisdom, however, if there are 400 members here, the 400 would come up with 398 answers. Are you looking at marketing your site, towards people looking for commercial trekking companies or people looking for a commercial guide for a trek?

Without spending very much time on your four catagories:

Quality: I'd add off the beaten path, rural, guided,

For Type of Trek:, For Multi-days, types of accommodations, Yurts, huts, tents, open sky, motels, Meals, provided or bring your own, if provided, the gamut from freezed dry or a traveling chef.

Terrain could have a season function also, Trekking around the Grand Teton or Rainier is very different in summer vs, winter, even if climbing them is similar all year round.

Somewhere an Alpinist sees an oxymoron with an "Extreme" Trek. Would a Town to town walk in and over some of the Alps be easy if all meals are prepared by a gourmet chef? The terrain and altitude might be greater than easy but it's luxurious too.

 

[RichS]

These are variants of your four criteria, and perhaps far too specific:
* distance range: 1-2 miles, 2-5, 5-10, 10-20, over 20 (with corresponding km numbers)
* vertical ascent: flat, 100-500 feet, 500-1000, 1000-2500, 2500-5000, death march
* water hazards: guaranteed dry, easy stream crossings, avoid after recent downpour, bring waders
* water available: plenty of sources, carry all you need
* amenities: none, hut, full service restaurant
* attractions: waterfall, restricted view, unrestricted view
* danger: walk in the park, some steeps, some sketchy cliffs/ladders, significant exposure
* solitude: you'll be alone, infrequent hikers, popular, conga line

I could see using this when exploring a new national park or forest.

 

[maineguy]

Using a computer algorithm to figure out where to go hiking is sad. Whatever happened to buying a guidebook and map and figuring it out for yourself? To me, that's always part of the fun of going hiking in some new area. Use the internet, of course, but plugging in coefficients into some computer program...nope!

 

[iAmKrzys]

Using a computer algorithm to figure out where to go hiking is sad. Whatever happened to buying a guidebook and map and figuring it out for yourself? To me, that's always part of the fun of going hiking in some new area. Use the internet, of course, but plugging in coefficients into some computer program...nope!

"Computer algorithm" can mean a lot of different things from getting a list of hikes that are not more than 15 miles long to something like "I see you liked these trails recently, so let me suggest a few similar ones that you might enjoy."

Anyways, I think expected views is something that a lot of people are using to decide where to hike. I kind of do that too when going someplace new - I look at the pictures people posted in AllTrails app / web site for trails I consider hiking.