Planning is the most important part of your trip and any mistakes made during the planning phase can affect your journey – sometimes for the better but more often for the worse. Educating yourself before you go may help save your life. Before you go, check the weather forecast for your destination and plan clothing, equipment, and supplies accordingly. You need to know whether it will be cold or hot or wet or dry in order to prepare properly. Also, remember to wear three or four layers of thin clothing for better insulation. By using multiple layers, it gives you more control over varying temperatures and is usually easier to carry. Once you know how many days you have and how many miles you plan to cover, you can make a decision on your route and the length of your hike. Before you leave, make sure you have the right maps and guidebooks for your trip. In some cases, you may want to decide in advance where your target campsites will be located. In addition to mapping out your route, make a gear list and check your pack to ensure it doesn’t weight too much. If you repackage snacks and food in plastic bags, it reduces weight and the amount of trash to carry out. Your pack weight shouldn’t exceed one-third of your body weight.

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