My route planning used to be a total mess before I started using CalTopo

Honestly, I used to just scribble lines on a paper map and guess at the mileage. Last year, planning a 4-day loop in the Trinity Alps, I ended up with a 15-mile day that was almost all uphill. Ngl, it was brutal. Now I use CalTopo to draw the route and it automatically shows the elevation profile and total distance for each leg. I can see exactly where the big climbs are and break the days up evenly. It changed how I plan everything after that one rough trip. Does anyone else have a favorite app or method for getting the daily mileage right?

2 comments

2 Comments

clairer7919h ago

My Gaia GPS saved me in the Wind River Range.

michael_bennett1119h ago

Man, I could not disagree more. All that tech takes the fun out of it for me. Half the adventure is not knowing exactly what's around the next bend. I've had my best trips when a rough day made me change plans and find some hidden spot I never would have looked for on a map. Relying on an app to plan every mile just turns it into a checklist. Where's the surprise in that?