Planning a Multi-Day Loop: Mileage, Water and Bailouts

A loop route looks simple on a map. Whether it actually works depends on three things most people check last: daily mileage, water and a way out if it goes wrong.

Mileage against elevation, not distance alone

Ten flat miles and ten miles with three thousand feet of gain are entirely different days. Plan around time on your feet, not the number on the map.

Mark every reliable water source

Cross-reference recent trip reports, not just the map symbols — seasonal sources dry up long before autumn.

Always keep a bailout

Know the nearest point on every day's route where you could exit to a road, and treat it as part of the plan, not an afterthought.