If you’re like me you probably didn’t start out hiking 20+ miles per day. When I stepped onto the Pacific Crest Trail I had very little backpacking experience. While on trail I continued to ask myself, “how can I do this better?” I put each aspect of my hiking under a microscope in hopes of improving the overall quality of my hike. I ultimately found a few things that were crucial for getting the most out of my day. In this post, I’ll share with you the five practices I learned about how to hike more miles without hiking faster or into the night. Whether you are currently hiking 10 miles a day or 20 miles a day, these 5 tips are sure to help you add some extra mileage to your days.
1. Get Up Early
To ensure that you are on pace for a high mileage day, the best thing you can do is get out of camp early. “Early” can be defined differently depending on the person - in this context, let’s define it as 6am. In most scenarios, if you are out of camp by this time you can accomplish what thru hikers refer to as: 10 by 10. This means that you hike 10 miles by 10am. By doing this you’ll be setting yourself up for a high mileage day. The morning temperatures are normally cooler, and therefore easier and more optimal for hiking at a quicker pace. However, the time in which you break camp may have to be adjusted based on your hiking pace and the upcoming terrain. If you are able to hike as many miles as you can in the early hours, the rest of the day is much more enjoyable.
2. Take Efficient Breaks
Taking breaks is common and encouraged when you are hiking all day long. When trying to hike many miles, breaks can either help you or hurt you. They are something that must be used wisely. The most important thing to remember is that taking frequent short breaks is better than taking a few long breaks. While aiming for high mileage days, these mid day breaks should be used as a quick reset. You should sit down and rest your legs while consuming a snack and plenty of water. Do this for about 5 to 10 minutes, 3 to 5 times a day, and be sure to get moving after those minutes are up. The more time you sit, the more momentum you lose.
3. Pack Smart
Packing smart ties into taking efficient breaks, and is a crucial element to not only maximize your down time, but also your hiking time. This process starts as you clean up camp. As you pack your things away, put anything that you’ll need for the day in an easily accessible spot. Whether it’s food, water, or sunscreen, keeping it accessible allows you to continue to hike without having to stop and remove your pack. A fanny pack or hip belt are great options for storing snacks and frequently used items. By packing what you need at the top of your pack, you’ll be able to start your break as soon as you sit down. The more time you stop to go into your pack, the less time you spend making forward progress.
4. Eat While You Hike
Another great way to tack on more miles is to simply not stop to eat. Although this may sound crazy, you can walk while you eat. In doing so, you’ll inevitably have to slow down your pace, but you’ll make more progress than you would’ve sitting down. As mentioned in the previous section, packing snacks like protein bars or snickers will allow you to seamlessly devour your food as you frolic down the trail. There’s no better way to tack on more miles to your day than replacing your eating breaks with eating while hiking.
5. Be Efficient In Camp
The ability to quickly set up and break down your campsite is a game changer. You should practice getting unpacked, set up, and ready to rest in a matter of minutes. By mastering this skill you’ll extend the amount of time you could be hiking. Additionally, if you are able to break down quickly, you are able to sleep longer in the morning! Efficiency in camp doesn’t just mean setting up and breaking down. It also means creating a systematic routine for cooking your food, eating said food, and taking care of any other nightly to-do’s. This routine will look different for everyone. However, it’s important to ask yourself “How can I do this better?”. By asking yourself this, you will soon create a system for optimizing your time in camp curated to your specific needs.
Conclusion
If you are happy with your current hiking strategy, keep doing you! For the people that are eager to increase their daily mileage, start by incorporating one or two of the strategies mentioned above. Once they become an unconscious habit, add one or two more. We are all given the same amount of hours in a day. In order to make the most of those hours you need to get up early, take efficient breaks, pack smart, eat while you hike, and be efficient in camp. These 5 tips are sure to get you hiking more miles without any added stress.
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