What's in your hike plan

[cushetunk]

I don't usually leave an itinerary.

But I do carry a cell phone!

 

[Peakbagr]

First married: my spouse used to wait up for me until I got home or called.
10 years later: go to sleep on the couch until I'd get home
Years later: go to bed at the regular time and think about being worried if I wasn't there when she awoke.

I've always hiked with a few trusted partners and she knew that we'd look out for each other and get each other out of the woods.

In the last couple of years, I've adopted Neil's plan of leaving the route on a print out of a Topo map on the kitchen counter. With notes about where some other options might be. Don't do this on shorties or if I'm with a strong party, but almost always on 'whacks and with regularity going solo.

Bookah is with me almost all the time. Somehow, having a good dog along doesn't feel like hiking alone. So long as you don't tell her, there is always
the dog's body heat for warmth and 'Jack London soup' for sustenance.

 

[nietzschescat]

hiking plans

We started out telling our daughters (21 and 26) where we were going, just the name of the mountain and not to expect a call before dark because we have headlamps and there is no cell phone reception in the valleys in the Catskills. They proceeded to worry anyhow and drive us crazy and call each other, etc.

Our new plan is just to email my mother with the mountain we are climbing and email her when we get home. She does not worry since there is really very little to worry about since we are together.

 

[Nessmuk]

No one mentioned WHO to call. In NY, I know most of the rangers where I usually travel, and I leave my wife the name and number of the primary ranger, an alternate, and of the 24 hour DEC emergency dispatch. She also happens to know the local ranger who lives nearby our home.

I do various combinations of what has already been mentioned. I am usually off trail, but will have a specific list of destinations, usually a string of small ponds or other named features, that I leave with my wife. Intelligent SAR and my ranger friends would just have to look at a topo map to figure out my most likely route. If for some reason I deviate, I'll make obvious footprints in dirt/mud and bend/break an occasional green twig as I travel. Being a SAR searcher myself, these are the things I would look for.

 

[NeoAkela]

What exactly do you think that is so awfull out there.

I am always fearful of the Chupacabra, especially while bushwhacking solo. I can hear him sneaking up behind me whenever a river or stream is near.

Interesting thread - I'm with the camp that leaves the topo map with the route outlined. Depending on the weather and season, amount of hikers, and length of the hike, I might leave a few extra details. Any more information tends to shut any non-hiker's brain off...

 

[mahony]

Thanks for all the inputs.

FWIW, I hike solo and I bushwhack not infrequently. I'm not afraid of the boogeyman, but I consider the plan to be one of those items that "I'll-never-use,-but-boy-it's-nice-to-have-when-you-need-it". As others have mentioned, I'm not sure if it causes more angst with the wife (i.e. ignorance is bliss).

Having related gory hiking stories to her, she would prefer that I hike with "people" (like the Verizon commercials) and a small motorhome.

 

[Bob Kittredge]

If (and only if) I'm soloing, I leave my wife a list of the trails I'll be taking, the TH I'll be leaving from, and the latest time I expect to call home by. I don't bushwhack, and I don't see the point of leaving a map.

She knows to call the AMC if I don't call in. They'll know what to make of my list of trails and what authorities to call.

 

[Bigfoot]

I leave a plan and call when I am off the mtn.

My wife will call for a rescue on exactly day 36, if she has not heard from me

 

[dug]

I told my wife about this thread last night and before I even got to the details she laughed. After being together for 20 years, only recently one day on the road to the trailhead I called her and said "I supposed I should tell you where I'm going, huh?".

 

[Rockledge]

I must admit that I am one of those guilty of leaving very limited, if any, details of where I'm going. My wife routinely chastises me for it but I never seem to learn. I often hike solo and do a fair amount of bushwhacking so I should be more conscious and considerate. I had a pretty bad spill on Bearpen last year and as I lay looking up at the sky I thought, "nobody has a clue where the hell I am." I got a little better after that. I would send my wife an email saying here's where I'm headed by such and such a route. But, I seem to have reverted to my old ways, simply grabbing my backpack and saying, "I'm going to X mountain, see you later." Then I get the customary tongue lashing when I get home late. After all these years I still forget to put the toilet seat down too.

 

[Little Rickie]

I figure that FRS has a little more range than shouting. Not much more in circumstances you mention but in others I've had crystal clear reception at close to 5 miles (summit to summit in clear, dry weather).

Informing SAR re: the radio and channel is part of the plan.

That's a good idea. I like it.

 

[sierra]

While I'm not really known for leaving detailed (or even 'undetailed') itineraries, and I'm not really a proponent of planning and/or safety checklists in general, I gotta play a little here.

Hikesafe rule #2: ...leave your plans. Tell someone where you are going, the trails you are hiking, when you will return and your emergency plans. Note that the Hikesafe hiker responsibility code was developed by, and is endorsed by the WMNF and NHF&G.

I do love all the, shall I say, wicked hardcore posts, though, extolling the virtues of self-reliance and independence in the mountains. I feel tougher just reading them...until those goblins come running after me, calling me names and pushing my face in the dirt.

Jason

I guess sometimes I might come across a tad strong, really not trying to be a hardass, but I do think self reliance is very important and is not given enough consideration by many new hikers. When I started hiking, I owned so many books on backcountry survival and techniques, I spent most of my time in the woods hiking and learning these techniques, so I was prepared to survive. Most hikes go well for all of us, but things can happen and knowing how to react and get out is a very serious issue. As far as hikersafe rule#2, I dont pay much attention and really wasnt aware of it, if thats what makes you comfortable, then you should do it, I conceed in the winter months, most people should proboly should follow it, I still dont myself. oh and reading a post on the internet wont make you tougher, that just comes with climbing mountain after mountain, fighting off dangerous beast with only a fixed blade, rescueing injured damsels in distress and drinking straight out of those mudholes you fall in with only your teeth as a filter.

 

[JohnL]

I come at this thing from a slightly different angle. It has nothing to do with being tough, self-reliant, survivalist, super mountain man or anything like that. I love my wife and she loves me. When she asks me, "Are you going hiking this weekend?" I answer, "Well, now that you ask, yes I am. And let me tell you where I'm going to be hiking." So I leave her a detailed itinerary so as to make her feel comfortable. Quite honestly, she couldn't tell you where these mountains are or where the trails lead to. But if I'm a day later than I planned to be without any word from me, she'd be able to tell the person on the other end of the phone number that I've left for her. And they'd know how to find me. Or what's left of me. And the fact that I've provided her closure gives her comfort. And really, that's all I give a damn about.

I rarely am later than my scheduled time and when I am, she gets a call. It's common courtesy and it's the right thing to do. I couldn't give 2 shites about any so-called dedication to the outdoors or any "wilderness ethics". My dedication is to her. Period.

JohnL

 

[Neil]

I come at this thing from a slightly different angle. It has nothing to do with being tough, self-reliant, survivalist, super mountain man or anything like that. I love my wife and she loves me. When she asks me, "Are you going hiking this weekend?" I answer, "Well, now that you ask, yes I am. And let me tell you where I'm going to be hiking." So I leave her a detailed itinerary so as to make her feel comfortable. Quite honestly, she couldn't tell you where these mountains are or where the trails lead to. But if I'm a day later than I planned to be without any word from me, she'd be able to tell the person on the other end of the phone number that I've left for her. And they'd know how to find me. Or what's left of me. And the fact that I've provided her closure gives her comfort. And really, that's all I give a damn about.

I rarely am later than my scheduled time and when I am, she gets a call. It's common courtesy and it's the right thing to do. I couldn't give 2 shites about any so-called dedication to the outdoors or any "wilderness ethics". My dedication is to her. Period.

JohnL

What he said.

My wife insists on the jpeg thing and a phone call as soon as I get to one. She greatly prefers I carry the FRS radio too.

As for getting out "on time", I find I can predict my times pretty precisely for trailed hikes but for some strange reason I always underestimate my times for whacks so now I designate them either as short, medium or long.

 

[Puma concolor]

My wife just makes sure the life insurance premium is paid and tells me to have fun. Seriously, she is the opposite of a "Nervous Nellie" and will often ask where I'm going but that's it. I'll write it down if the mountain is a tough name to remember. Don't bushwhack so much anymore but am nearly always solo.

Twitter is kind of my new thing this summer. I've "tweeted" from a couple of summits and told my wife that I will twitter regularly during my week-long trip out west at the end of September. Whatever works for you, I guess.

 

[Dave Bear]

Usually I am very vague with my wife and just the mountain, trailhead and trails I plan to take. Sometimes a few alternates if its long enough to require a possible bailout or inclimate enough for the same.

I never used to worry about it much when I was out on the trails to the NH 4K peaks the first time. My itinerary was left loose on purpose because I was not a good judge of the difficulty on trails I had never hiked and the terrain. Northern Presis ridge hiking does not equal Franconia Ridge hiking. The best way to get a feel for it was to go and do it, many times solo so that I was not being out paced or out pacing someone else.

I would tell my wife what mountain and one day when I looked for some pics she had uploaded for me on the PC I knew where authorities would be told to find me. The name of the album that had pictures important to me was "Some Damn Mountain"! I quized her once a little later when I gave her an "I'm off the mountain" phone call and she could only give me the first letter of the mountain, nothing about the trail and no clue what road I was leaving from. It became apparent that my method should improve so if solo I tend to leave a copy of the topo and either text her or leave a voicemail with specifics. That way they can jog her memory about where I went. If I were doing something serious I would share it with friends that have our common interest and I would hope they would do the same. Hiking out to greet someone on a long endeavor can be as rewarding as bagging a peak!

 

[Silverfox]

I haven't in years... I just say going here, going there... plans change right up until last minute due to weather, conditions, etc...
I am sure SAR will love that post...

That's me right there..while we do some scheduled group hikes many is the time driving up through the Notch that plans change on the fly..why do Waumbek if the Presis are clear???

I guess they would miss me at work in a day or 2

 

[Mad Townie]

I write down the name of the hill and trails (if I've decided before I leave) and trailhead (ditto). If I know I'm gonna be late out of the woods I'll say so the night before.

Oh, and if I have no clue where I'm going because I'll be deciding that with my hiking partners the morning of the hike, that's what I say. In other words, if I'm with somebody I'll name them and that's usually enough info.

I also call at some point after I come out of the woods but before being within an hour of home--seriously, usually before getting something to eat. Sometimes there's no cell reception at the trailhead (e.g., Lincoln Woods) or for a ways after that (e.g., the Kanc).

Her part of the deal is to not worry. Hey, I keep up my side of the bargain!

This was never formal until my first experience on Owl's Head, in the winter, when we didn't get out of the woods until after 10 p.m. But that's a long story and this isn't the TR section!

 

[Bobby]

If I'm going solo, I leave a note, trailhead and trails. If you don't hear from me by (insert time), call Sapblatt!

If it's a group thing, I just tell my wife where I'm going and who I'm with. Always a phone call when I get back to the car "put the life insurance policy back where it belongs!"

 

[dug]

That's me right there..while we do some scheduled group hikes many is the time driving up through the Notch that plans change on the fly..why do Waumbek if the Presis are clear???

I guess they would miss me at work in a day or 2

That's kind of the plan the person I usally go with and I take. We often decide on the way up and when we see the peaks. We both have good knowledge the trails and have a comfort to take a flyer on occasion. Before cell phones, my wife was pretty much in the dark where I was. Now, I try to give her a call if something changes en route.