view of blue lake

Hiking 101

This summer I hiked with some friends who called themselves beginner hikers. Over the five days, I was reminded of things I once didn’t know or have since taken for granted as common knowledge.  As a result, I’m writing a hiking 101 post covering how to plan hike, what to bring, favorite gear, and other considerations.

Make a Plan

My first piece of hiking 101 advice is to make a plan.  Everyone on the hike should know the plan and should not rely on the leader.  A plan includes a place to hike, a distance to hike, a time to meet, and much more.

Based on weather, location, time, and how I feel, I sift through guidebooks and the AllTrails app to help select the trails I want to hike. I took AllTrails for granted as I thought everyone knew about it. Not so!  It is an excellent resource and will work without cell service should you FAVORITE the trail you plan to hike.

GO HIKING!