When going out for the weekend you should not take the weather forecast on your smartphone for granted.  I would even say not to put all your confidence in what the meteorologist reports.  Drastic changes of weather usually can happen in between the change of one season and into the next.  I usually will look at a seven day forecast on Monday to get an IDEA of what the weather will be like around the area I'm planning to venture out to.  I will usually make a decision about a day out from my trip.  I will also look ahead one or two days to get an idea of what the weather is like just in case I have to stay outside for a night or two longer than I would expect. 

 

Another factor to consider when heading out towards your destination is what type of terrain you will  be encountering.  Will the terrain be flat, marshy, dry, rocky, uneven, hilly, icy, mountainous, dense forest, a valley, to name some of the most common.  Knowing this will help prepare you with what type of clothes and gear that you will be needed.  If you are hiking near a real mountainous range you should know that mountains can create their own weather, this is usually not part of any forecast.  While hiking in a valley temperature can change instantly.  I've seen temperatures drop twenty degrees in a snap.  Usually with falling temperatures in valleys you tend to get strong cross-winds that can go from no wind to forty-five mile per hour cross winds, or more.  During the spring the sun is not as high as it would be in the summer so it will usually stay cooler longer and their will be less direct sunlight than if you were outdoors in July versus April or May.

 

When I'm at home planning out my venture I like to have a map of the place or places one year or newer where I'm going to be going.  I tend to want to know what is around within a ten mile radius from my start point and from my end point.  I like to look for are roads (main paved and dirt trails), buildings (residence, business, and forestry services), and what type of terrain (mountains, rivers, hills, valleys, lakes, ponds, and other such features) on the map.  This can all be obtained from a terrain map, though a geographical map is useful too.  Once you have a map I recommend waterproofing/weatherproofing it.  There are many different ways to do this.  (1) Laminate your map. This is good if you are going to keep it in your backpack because usually it is more difficult to fold.  I would recommend laminating your map one half inch sides all around.  (2)  Purchase a waterproof map case that you can purchase at a store.  I would look for something that I can use a laminated marker to write on so that if I need to take notes before or during my venture I can. (3) Put your map in a Ziplock gallon bag.  This is cheap and efficient, but you will be unable to write on the bag and take notes on when compared to likes of if you were to use a laminated surface. 

I would also recommend  purchasing a compass if you know how to use one.  I will go through land navigation and the use of a compass at a later date for those who wish to learn how.  Most times a map is all you really need if you are traveling 6 mile or less.  I would recommend a compass when traveling beyond 6 miles, especially if you are going some where new for the first time.

Tomorrow I will talk about water consumption, why water is important and the different ways to carry and transport it with you. 

 

Adventure on!