Walking on the Wild Side

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
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I know trekkers have been known to walk hundreds of miles. But generally, how many miles can a trekker cover in a single day?

Does a person walk for six hours and then stop and pitch tent, or does he just walk till he's tired (while there is still daylight) and find himself a safe spot to rest for the night?

Of course, there is that pleasure walk when a person can walk and walk and lose track of time. Hours then are irrelevant.

What is the normal tried and tested method? Or is it - to each his own?
 
but I usually walk till a few hours bfore sunset on a back country trek. So I can set up my tent and cook.

so anywhere between 10 and 20 miles depending on what time I start out.

when I used to hitch hike in the 80's I have walked from noon until 4:00am. don't know how many miles though.
 
Daily distances vary greatly for me, depending on elevation and terrain. Some hikes are good for 10 to 15 easy miles per day, when the walking is easy. Others are much different, just because of nasty trail conditions and the level of accent. I’ve gotten as little as 3 or 4 miles on some of my more challenging (read “busted my a$$”) hikes.
 
There's really no telling how far you'll get on foot, or how fast. There's too many variables. I have an idea how far I can get, but then, I've done a lot of walking. The best way to answer your question is to take a saturday off, and go for a walk. It's good survival training anyway. Walk across town, and take a cab, or bus back when you're done.
 
20 would be the maximum with a heavy pack on. except in emergencies i guess.

if beach walking is involved id say 10.


i always walk with a group and stop for breaks whenever the girls inthe group needs one:). usually around every 3-4 kms(2miles?)


but sip some water every 15mins.
 
I've done over 30 (not recently).
Terrain matters-alot.
IIRC, for the Army EIB (Expert Infantryman Badge), the standard was 12 miles in 3 hours or less, over mixed terrain with a minimum 65lb pack+LBE and weapon. That's dogging it on the uphills, jogging on the downhills (talk about an ankle/knee killer), and stepping out on the flats. No problem when you're twenty years old, and in great shape, but who's twenty anymore???
I think it would take a miracle, or life/death circumstances for me to do that right now:(
Recently read in Backpacker magazine about one of the editors doing a 48 mile day. Whew!
Overall, with a full load, I think 3 miles an hour is a good standard, on decent terrain. Pretty rare that I meet a flat trail, though.

As Patrick McManus noted in one of his books...changes are constantly occurring in the Earth's surface. You can hike a trail, go back in ten years, and it's not only twice as long, but twice as steep:p
 
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