No map is completely accurate. National map accuracy standards state that at least 90 percent of the points marked on a 7 ½ minute map will be accurate within 40 feet horizontally and 20 feet vertically for well-defined features. Geographic features like summits, passes, lakes and major streams are generally marked quite accurately. Trails, on the other hand, can be off significantly. That can happen because the trail was mapped inaccurately in the first place, perhaps because it wasn’t clearly visible in the aerial photograph from which the map was made, or because the trail was rerouted after the map was published. USGS maps are frequently out-of-date by 10 years or more. Check the map legend for the date when the map was most recently revised. Don’t blindly trust any map, even a Trails Illustrated topo that supposedly was updated more recently than the USGS version from which it was derived.

Learning to read a topo map by studying a book is like learning to fish in a bathtub. The best way to speed up the learning process is to obtain a map for an area with which you're familiar, then spend time in that area relating the features on the map to the features on the ground. Although reading topo maps quickly and accurately takes a little practice, it's a crucial skill when estimating how long a hike will take.

With a topo map in front of you, you can estimate the length of your proposed adventure. The crude but simple method is to position one end of a piece of string at the start of your hike, then trace out the trail with the string, being careful to follow all the trail's windings as best you can. When you reach your destination, mark that position on the string with a thumbnail. Now bring the string to the mileage scale on the map's margin. The scale shows how many inches equals a mile. Measure the string with the mileage scale, counting in miles instead of inches, and you'll have a crude estimate of the length of your intended route.

A second, more accurate way is to buy a map measuring tool, which consists of a toothed wheel you roll along the map, following your proposed route, and a dial that reads out the number of inches you’ve traversed. Take that number to the scale on the bottom of the map and calculate the number of miles.

The high-tech method is to buy a set of topo maps on CD-ROM. Such collections are now available from at least two companies. Load the right map into your computer and you can trace your route with the mouse. Instantly the computer will tell you the length of your route and how much elevation gain and loss it entails. You can annotate the map, name the route, then print out a customized map along with an elevation gain and loss profile. Computer-printed maps aren’t a substitute for an original USGS topo because the map can only measure 8 ½ x 11 inches and the digitized data isn’t sufficiently detailed to reproduce contour lines as crisply as on a USGS map, but they’re still a handy reference.

Most trails twist and turn much more than any map-maker can show. Adding a 10 or 20 percent fudge factor will probably get you closer to reality. If, on the other hand, you want to convince some reluctant companion just how easy your proposed mountain marathon really is, all you have to do is use an unobtrusively elastic string to trace out the trail. When you bring the string down to the mileage scale to measure it, casually let the string relax and shorten. "See? It's only four miles from the trail head to Mt. Inaccessible!"

If you’re not using a computer to plan your trip, the next task – the one we neglected on our hike up Mt. Baldy – is to estimate the elevation gain and loss along your route. To do this, you need to track the trail carefully as it climbs up and down. Add up each increment of elevation gain and elevation loss to get a true picture of the amount of exertion required.

Most people carrying moderate loads walk about two miles an hour on a level trail. Each 1,000 feet of elevation gain adds an hour to that basic estimate; each 1,000 feet of loss adds about half an hour. Rest stops are in addition to these figures. They can add up quickly, so if you're trying to pour on the miles, keep an eye on your watch. Cora and I find that eight to 10 miles with 2,000 or 2,500 feet of elevation gain when carrying an overnight pack is a full but certainly not overwhelming day. Anything much longer than 12 starts to feel like the Bataan death march; anything less than six is a romp. Your own appetite for miles may vary tremendously from ours, depending on fitness, motivation and whether you place greater value on comfort in camp or a light pack on the trail.

There's no need to train for three months before embarking on your first backpacking trip. It's not a marathon. Nonetheless, fitness – or, rather, operating within your level of fitness, whatever it is – will make your trip more enjoyable unless you relish the challenge of pushing yourself beyond your normal limits. One bad health habit – smoking – clearly inhibits your ability to enjoy backpacking, although backpackers, too, will walk a mile for a camel – if it will carry their load the rest of the way. {Add sidebar on training for backpacking here}

On occasion I venture into the wilderness by myself, a practice which is rightly discouraged by land managers and search-and-rescue groups. Solo wilderness travel, and particularly solo climbing, has its risks. Even a relatively minor mishap, such as a severely sprained ankle, could turn a Sunday stroll into a survival epic if you happened to be far enough off the trail that no passers-by could be expected. However, in the summer, if you stick to well-traveled trails, the added danger of going alone is slight. In the winter, or off-trail at any time of year, the extra danger is real. As a minimal first step toward safety, solo adventurers should tell someone reliable precisely where they are going and when they plan to return.

Next Page: Packing Your Pack

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