10 Tips On How to Plan for a Long Distance Hike
Winter will soon hit the northern hemisphere and hiking season will be coming to a close. However, don’t feel down on the lack of hiking in your life. Instead, start planning for your next big hiking getaway.
Whenever I tell others about my life on long distance trails, I also hear the question, “How?” The first tip that will get you on the right track to backpacking or hiking for months is to stay committed. I truly believe in this quote:
Eighty percent of success is showing up. — Woody Allen.
There are many people that claim they have always wanted to backpack, hike, or simply travel for a long period of time. The difference between talking about traveling and actually traveling is simply the determination to take the time to plan while also delving wholeheartedly into your decision to travel. To put it simply, ‘just do it.’
If you’ve already made the decision to commit to a long distance hike, these tips will help you into seeing your hike into fruition.
1. Set a Date
No matter if it is next month or ten years from now, you should set a date. Setting a date makes it definitive and serious. Before you set a date, look into the right time of year to begin the trail and then narrow it down from there. Some trails have deadlines and certain dates you must complete the trail by due to weather or park closures. Make sure to not get too much of a late start so you are able to complete the hike.
2. Tell People
Tell others about your adventure! Talking about your months of travel will make the trip seem more real and tangible. However, do be aware that not everyone will understand why you are choosing to leave a cozy job to live out of a backpack. Be prepared to answer some difficult questions about safety and security.
Another reason why you should start telling people about your journey is because you should start looking for a support system at home. This person (or team) will mail you supplies while you are away, receive gear you no longer find worthy, and help you with any issues that might arise. You can allocate small or large tasks to your support team back home. It is just nice to have someone that you could contact if you need anything while you are away. even if you don’t happen to use their services.
3. Set a Budget
You can’t be comfortably unemployed for weeks or months if you don’t start saving now. Set a budget. Look into similar budgets that past hikers have found adequate. There is also lots of online forums centered around long distance trails where you can find past, current, and potential hikers discussing all aspects of trail life, including budget recommendations.
The money might be hard to save at first but you must remember that the only way to save is to actively decide to save. Every paycheck, allocate a certain amount of money to your trail fund. You could even go a step further and decide how much money you must save every month to leave by a certain date.
Now, when it comes to budget, you must not only think about life on your trip but also gear you must purchase before you leave. Gear is not cheap and could cost some hikers thousands of dollars. Keep this in mind while you save. Our gear price checker will help you find the best prices for gear that you need.
4. Invest in Good Quality and Lightweight Gear
When it comes to hiking gear, you should seek a great quality brand. Since you will be using this gear consequently for a while, a great warranty will save you some money in the long run. Also, seek out lightweight gear. Lightweight gear does not necessarily mean ‘minimalist.’ Some gear nowadays is just lighter than gear made in the past due to technology advancements in the field. You should consider upgrading if you are still using older model gear made in the 80’s and 90’s. However, if you actively choose to use your older gear, that is fine but do know that lighter gear will make your time on the trail just a bit easier and more enjoyable.
Gear lists for backpacking and long distance hiking are posted all over the web. To keep track of your gear, cost of gear, and gear’s weight, start a spreadsheet. If you are seeking cheap yet worthy gear for your trip, check out our outdoor gear price checker, gear deals of the day, and outdoor gear coupons. These tools with help you find the best deals right here on BC25.com
Many beginners to long distance hiking make the mistake of purchasing multiple pairs of shoes before they set out on their adventure. I highly recommend NOT doing this. Yes, you will need many pairs of shoes if you are hiking for months but, since you will be hiking so much, your feet will widen. Many hikers experience expansion of the foot that requires a half size or whole size bigger shoe than when they first started. In my experience on the Appalachian Trail, I now wear a whole size bigger than what I did before I left. Check out our shoe gear reviews on the Arc’teryx hiking shoe and Salewa Wildfire GTX Approach Shoe.
5. Start Walking
Training for such a miraculous feat as a long distance hike can seem extremely overwhelming. However, the only way to train your body into hiking every day is to hike every day. If you have the time to do this then that is great but it is not necessary. While you are on the trail, your body will eventually get adjusted to hiking every day. But, for now, start slow and start with walking (it can extend your life you know!).
If you live near mountains, choose to do a hike with adequate elevation gain often so your lungs can adjust to being in a higher elevation and so your body can become accustomed to hiking. Hiking with your full pack during these day hikes or multi-day treks will get you familiar with your pack, the weight of your pack, and your gear.
Even if you didn’t train at all, you can still set out on a long distance hike but take it slow at first. Start with low mileage days to train your body into hiking bigger miles. Check out our resource to learn how to become a more efficient hiker.
6. Don’t Over Plan
When it comes to backpacking and hiking a long distance trail, you need to let travel happen. Planning every single aspect of your trip can be overwhelming, exhausting, and frustrating if things don’t go as planned.
In my experience, I recommend not to plan every single mail drop. A mail drop is where your support team back home mails you supplies such as gear and food. Planning every mail drop months before might sound like a great idea but you never know what you will or will not need when that time comes. Simply call your support team a week or two before you need a package and tell them specifically what to put in it. You don’t want a package full of food you are tired of, gear you no longer want to carry, and stuff you now find useless.
One of the biggest mistakes I made before I left for my long distance hike was that I actually stocked up on bulk food items such as rice, nuts, and vitamins. These items stayed with my support team back home so they could mail me these things whenever I asked. It was nice having a backup of stuff but I grew tired of the food I bought and I found out I never needed a lot of the things I purchased too. If you need specific items that you know you won’t find in towns near or along the trail, feel free to purchase ahead of time but resist the urge to purchase common foods in bulk that you can easily find in every-day grocery stores along the trail.
7. Consider Your Life at Home While You’re Gone
You should think about getting your finances and responsibilities in order before you leave. What will happen to your house/pet/spouse/job?
First off, you should take your spouse! Second off, can your dog hike too? Thirdly, consider putting your items in a storage unit or friend’s house so you don’t have to pay rent at your apartment or house. If you own your home, consider leasing out your home for the months you will be away.
When it comes to your job, some employers might be totally fine with a six-month sabbatical but don’t be alarmed if your employer informs you that you won’t have a job when you get back. If you will be unemployed after your hike or journey, consider saving up some money for your return back into normal life after your hike.
8. Find Resources
There is so much advice online in regards to all aspects of long distance hiking and backpacking. Now, take every opinion with a grain of salt. What works for one might not work for you. Don’t get too obsessive about online forums but do educate yourself on Leave No Trace policies, whether or not you should hike with trekking poles, how in the world you will handle a hike in the rain, how to prevent a bear encounter and what to do if a bear encounter does happen, and other necessary information you should know before hitting the trail. We have great resources right here on BC25.com and I highly recommend browsing the site for information on hiking and backpacking.
One of the main taglines of the Appalachian Trail is, “Hike Your Own Hike” or simply “HYOH.” This means that you should hike however you want to hike. Sure, there might be easier ways to doing things but it might not be your way. Keep this in mind if you are feeling inadquate about your gear or your hiking ability while looking into resources. This is no one’s hike but your own.
9. Gain Some Weight
All hikers will lose weight after hiking for months and months. I tried to gain a good ten pounds before departure just by eating more, not eating worse. Once you get into the groove of hiking 10-20 miles a day on the trail, you will be burning anywhere from 2,000-5,000 calories a day. There is no way you can replenish all those calories from the food you bring in your pack so weight loss is inevitable. Get ahead of the game by trying to gain a bit of weight before you leave so you aren’t as thin as a toothpick once you summit your last mountain (you will most likely still be as thin as a toothpick, hiking happens!).
10. Mentally Prepare
One in four thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail will actually complete the entire trail. The stats might not be in your favor but that shouldn’t stop you.
Without mental preparation, you might find a long distance hike more daunting than first expected. Hiking for a long period of time is not only physically demanding but also mentally demanding. Inform yourself that days on the trail might be hard, hot, rainy, and hungry. Make a list of why you want to do the trail. Bring this list with you and look at the list when things get tough to remind you of why you shouldn’t quit.
Also, make a list of what you think trail life will be hard for you and what you think you will enjoy. In my opinion, a bad day on the trail is still better than a good day in the office.
Although this book is catered to Appalachian Trail hikers, I recommend reading Appalachian Trials: A Psychological and Emotional Guide to Successfully Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail by Zach Davis. This book talks about an aspect of hiking that no book really does: emotional stability while hiking long distances. I also recommend you make loved ones and friends read the book so they can relate to you while on your journey.
You can do this. This journey is bigger than you. You will come out changed. Always remember that the sun will come out, the heat is a phase, and the hunger subsides.
Long distance hiking is not for everybody but it can be. There are hikers that are blind, old, young, slow, fat, and feeble. Take planning one day at a time. Take the trail one day at a time. The only way to get through planning is to have the same mindset as you will on the trail: one step in front of the other.
What long distance trail would you love to hike?
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