Planning and prepping for hikes is, for me anyway, part of the fun of hiking. And of course, my morning prep the day of the hike always includes a good coffee (preferably from whole beans, strong and milky), a high energy breakfast and plenty of water. But the preparation starts long before breakfast on the day! So here’s a few things I do to prepare for another brilliant mountain day.
Plan The Route Properly
I like to know where I’m going. I like to know which route I’m taking, how long I roughly anticipate it will take me and any difficulties or quirks I might encounter along the way (e.g. river crossing or scrambles, both of which I enjoy but I like to know about in advance). So I plan my route well in advance, read up on other people’s experiences of the route and make sure I know what is likely to lie ahead.
Weather Forecast
Personally I use Mountain Forecast, the Mountain Weather Service and other alternatives are available too. Whichever forecasting app or tool you use, be sure to check the weather well.
And this means checking both a few days out and the day before too. Weather forecasting accuracy is much higher the day before than a week before.
If the forecast suddenly updates to dangerously high winds and heavy rain, you might want to change your plans.
Know what to expect though, plan accordingly and pack accordingly.
Parking Plans
It’s generally not too much of an issue getting parked on quieter hiking routes or even on busier ones where you start very, very early. But if you’re hiking a popular route on a weekend, a particularly sunny day or in the school holidays, plan your parking. Know where the best place to park is and have a back up plan if it’s full.
Some car parks STILL only take cash payments in the machines. Make sure you know if this is the case for your route. And in the summer months, the Pen Y Pass car park at Yr Wyddfa is pre book only.
A few days in advance, familiarise yourself with parking and make sure you’re prepared. It’s pretty miserable having your hiking plans scuppered because you can’t park on the day.
Hello, Carbs
Most of the time, my diet is not particularly carb heavy. The exception is always the day before a long or particularly strenuous hike, when I typically load up on carb heavy meals from lunchtime onwards.
This helps with the energy levels on the day of the hike.
Pack Up The Night Before
Rushing to pack a hiking bag and get out of the door early results in forgetting something every single time for me. I pack the night before each time and I pack from a list to ensure I don’t forget anything.
Key essentials for Spring, Summer and Autumn hiking for me are layers, a head torch, lots of water and food, energy gels, emergency bivvy bag, whistle, map and compass for a back up (in case my phone fails me), portable charge banks and lots of spare socks!
Let Someone Know Where You’re Going
I do lots of my hikes solo. So I make a point of sharing my route with someone and my estimated completion time. We never want to be in a situation where we’re relying on Mountain Rescue of course and preparing properly can help reduce the risk. But just in case, I find it’s always handy to make sure someone knows where I should be and when!
