Plan your hike for the slowest person. One that is suitable for everyone in your party and let the slower person set the pace. There is nothing more frustrating and potentially dangerous than a slow hiker falling behind the group.
31 thoughts on “Plan your hike for the slowest person”
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Matt Jolley
That’s usually me Rodney!
Great advice!! Only problem if you’re the slow one, the others wait, then head off as soon as you catch up. They get a rest but you don’t ? ???
That is a really good point and one that all leaders should pay attention to. Make sure you leave plenty of time for the entire group to catch their breath and only head off again when the last person has indicated that are ok to proceed
Here is an article I have written about how to determine pace that will be useful for all hike leaders https://www.trailhiking.com.au/preparing-to-hike/time-and-distance-planning/
Here here!!!
Or the group pushing the slowest person to a pace that may injure them…
Ryan Melville, I like how they say “slowest person” nice way of saying “ plan for the overweight middle aged guy with inflated ego” yours truly David ryan
Dave Ryan I thought that it was it was a pretty close race, I think you were just a little more vocal.
so nice to hear this. i m slow but hv loads of stamina. was so bullied on my last hike, i’ve stopped hiking. i got to every destination but one in the max allocated time but was made to feel like @$&)
Anne Xavier You are hiking with the wrong people. That’s terrible.
thank you for understanding Shane 🙏🏾
Yes I agree, find some new hiking buddies! No time for bullies in this life! 👎
Don’t let people put you off hiking, I’m sorry you were bullied. I can’t believe a leader would do that to you. Try hiking again with Trail Hiking.
tx Anne i’ll look into it for sure
excellent. Hiking is such a great activity, I’d hate to think anyone gave it up.
It’s not a race. You’re there to enjoy the scenery! Nothing worse than being made to feel bad for going your own pace.
Always loved that rule – because I was always the slowest.
I love that saying, coz invariably it will be me..
Reality seems to differ from the rhetoric and good intentions.
Every time I open up an article from trail hiking it’s just ads and I can never see or read the actual story
Our method (which we’ve used with both guides and scouts) is to aim to have the slower hikers leading. They get to set the pace. Group items that need to be carried are also redistributed to the stronger hikers, which also helps even out the effort level.
True it’s not a race. You’re hiking to soak in nature, the scenery, to unwind and de-stress but you’re stress of following the pace of the leader coz he/she is so fast 😄
Shayne Gillings just leave me with all your water and food
Taking the piss
Perhaps the really slow people should get fitter before going on a hard hike!
sometimes even the fittest and the fastest person can be slowest …it is all about TEAM attitude
Yes!
An experienced person at the back helps as well
Your only as fast as your slowest companion and sometimes that may be yourself
Michael me trying to keep infront of you and kathy on friday.