Hiking
Pace
How many miles
you travel each day will depend on the usual factors that long-distance
hikers confront, namely the terrain, weather, personal motivation,
location of water and campsites, and overall length of time allotted
to complete the journey.
This last factor
should be the first to consider when planning a daily mileage regimen.
How much of the seasonal windows
for thru-hiking can you avail yourself? If you'll be available for
most of the spring or fall, then by all means consider dedicating
it to the hike. Unless circumstances or personal ambition dictate
otherwise, don't rush along this route in hopes of setting daily mileage
records. There are far better trails for that. Instead, slow down,
focus on the moment, savor the view, explore the silence...
Use the guidebook
and maps to get a sense of the highlights and challenges along the
route. Where will you opt to linger, and where might the route require
it? Focus on the terrain between each town stop to determine your
daily mileage potential, and food allotment, in each span. Portions
of the G.E.T. that are located on roads and better trails may permit
excellent forward progress - perhaps a 3 mph average pace or more
on road-intensive sections. Rougher trails, cross-country travel,
snowpack, and creek fording often require a slower, more careful pace
- one mile of progress may require a full hour of effort on less common
occasion. Because of these variable conditions - even in the course
of a single segment of the route - consider planning to travel
no more than 20 miles per day. In reality, strong, motivated hikers
may find themselves pushing farther from time to time, but almost
all hikers would likely be thankful for a little slack in their itinerary
when the going gets rough. On average, fifteen to eighteen miles per
day is a practical range for experienced long-distance hikers to plan
around. Consult the guidebook, maps, water chart, and town guide,
then set your schedule accordingly.
The following
sample schedules show the number of hiking days required to reach
each potential resupply town, assuming a hiking pace of 15 to 18 miles
each day (16.5 mpd average) while following the main route of the
GET. Note that only hiking days are considered here; time off at towns,
"zero" days, etc., are not factored in. These schedules
provide just a basic framework for developing an actual hiking itinerary,
which may warrant more or less time to hike each section, depending
on what's anticipated.
|
SAMPLE
SCHEDULE: EASTBOUND THRU-HIKE
(time off
at towns not included)
|
|
Section between resupply
|
~#
Hiking Days
@ 15-18 mpd
|
Cumulative
# Hiking Days
|
|
West Terminus (PHX) to Superior
|
3
|
|
3
|
|
Superior
to Mammoth
|
4
|
5.75
|
7
|
| Mammoth
to Klondyke |
1.75
|
8.75
|
|
Klondyke
to Safford
|
4.75
|
|
13.5
|
|
Safford
to Morenci/Clifton
|
3.5
|
6.5
|
17
|
| Morenci/Clifton
to Glenwood |
3
|
20
|
|
Glenwood
to Gila Hot Springs
|
3.5
|
|
23.5
|
|
Gila
Hot Springs to Monticello
|
6.75
|
|
30.25
|
| Monticello
to Magdalena |
5.5
|
|
35.75
|
| Magdalena
to Polvadera |
1.5
|
|
37.25
|
| Polvadera
to Mountainair |
2.5
|
6.75
|
39.75
|
| Mountainair
to Tijeras |
4.25
|
44
|
| Tijeras
to East Terminus (ABQ) |
2
|
|
46
|
|
SAMPLE
SCHEDULE: WESTBOUND THRU-HIKE
(time
off at towns not included)
|
|
Section between resupply
|
~#
Hiking Days
@ 15-18 mpd
|
Cumulative
# Hiking Days
|
| East
Terminus (ABQ) to Tijeras |
2
|
|
2
|
| Tijeras
to
Mountainair |
4.25
|
6.75
|
6.25
|
| Mountainair
to Polvadera |
2.5
|
8.75
|
| Polvadera
to Magdalena |
1.5
|
|
10.25
|
|
Magdalena to Monticello |
5.5
|
|
15.75
|
|
Monticello
to Gila Hot Springs
|
6.75
|
|
22.5
|
|
Gila
Hot Springs to Glenwood
|
3.5
|
|
26
|
| Glenwood
to
Morenci/Clifton |
3
|
6.5
|
29
|
|
Morenci/Clifton
to Safford
|
3.5
|
32.5
|
|
Safford
to Klondyke
|
4.75
|
|
37.25
|
| Klondyke
to
Mammoth |
1.75
|
5.75
|
39
|
| Mammoth
to Superior |
4
|
43
|
| Superior
to West Terminus (PHX) |
3
|
|
46
|
