A few minutes spent looking at the map, the elevation gain, and the weather before leaving, and the whole outing changes: more confidence in your choices, more room to enjoy the terrain, and peace of mind once you arrive. Whether you're going on a day hike, a multi-day trek, or a winter mountain outing, here are the key points to check before tying your shoes.
The map, the basis of any outing
Knowing where you're going, what type of terrain you'll cross, where the water points, shelters, or escape routes are in case of need: these are questions to ask the day before, calmly, not on the way. It's also an opportunity to see what other hikers have already covered and noted on the intended route, so you have a realistic idea of the difficulty and points of interest not to miss.
Applications like that of our partner Visorando allow you to plan your route in advance, relying on thousands of routes already tested by others, with distance and elevation calculated automatically. You just need to download the maps for free in offline mode directly from the app to have your route at hand, even without a network once on the ground or export it in GPX if you prefer to use it on another device.
The elevation gain, your true indicator of effort
Distance alone doesn't say much about the difficulty of an outing. 12 km on flat ground and 12 km with 1200 m of positive elevation gain are completely different in terms of effort, duration, or energy needs.
Before leaving, take a look at the altimetric profile of your route: where the steep climbs are, where are the recovery sections, at what moment you will most tax your body. On average, one often counts 300 to 400 m of positive elevation gain per hour depending on the slope and the weight of the bag, but this figure varies mainly with training and terrain. The essential thing is to have a clear idea of what awaits you to adjust your starting pace, your breaks, and what you carry to cover the distance.
The weather, the factor we often underestimate
In the mountains, the weather can change quickly, and a beautiful blue sky at the start says nothing about what awaits three hours later at altitude. Checking the weather the day before is a good reflex, but it's also better to check the hour-by-hour forecasts one last time on the morning itself, once at the starting point. In winter or in high mountains, the avalanche risk assessment bulletin deserves the same reflex before committing.
Some hiking applications directly integrate this information about the chosen route, which avoids having to juggle between several sources before leaving. And if the conditions deteriorate along the way, it's better to know how to turn back than to force the passage.
And what to take to cover the distance?
The same preparation reflex applies to what you put in the bag for energy. On a short outing at a moderate pace, an energy bar works very well as a solid snack. On a longer or more intense effort, when chewing becomes more difficult, energy purees take over, alternating with bars to vary the textures and avoid fatigue over time. And hydration should not be forgotten: identify water points along the route, and in high heat, think of an electrolyte drink to compensate for salt losses, is an integral part of a well-prepared outing.
In summary
A good outing is prepared before the first step: a route planned in advance, an eye on the elevation and the weather, and enough to cover the distance in the bag. A few minutes of preparation, for hours of enjoyment on the ground, with complete confidence.
Don't hesitate to discover our partner Visorando to assist you in preparing for your next outings.