Introducing the new Hike Planner

[postholer.com]

You now have a new, comprehensive hike planner that creates your plan dynamically based on your hiking style, terrain, conditioning and other factors. You can find it here:

Postholer Hike Planner (http://postholer.com/planner/hikePlanner.php)

You will not find anything else like this.

Here are some of the features:
+ create a plan dynamically, not using static information
+ easily create a plan that fits your hiking style
+ create start date by setting arrival date at location up the trail
+ choose your start/end locations, perfect for section hikes
+ include/exclude significant road crossings
+ use significant road crossings as start/end location
+ add your own notes for each location
+ integrated resupply information
+ google map link, weather, data book, elevation profiles for each location
+ fully integrated with your journal without clobbering your old plan

Read more in the Quick Start Guide (http://postholer.com/planner/plannerHelp.php)

Currently, the planner only supports the Pacific Crest Trail. We will be adding the Appalachian Trail and other trails shortly.

-postholer http://postholer.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_cool.gif

[shelb]

Interesting.......

[changed]

I wish there was one of these that would tell me where to stop if I want to resupply along the way the entire way (at least until it isn't actually possible up north)... Is there something like that out there?

[postholer.com]

I wish there was one of these that would tell me where to stop if I want to resupply along the way the entire way (at least until it isn't actually possible up north)... Is there something like that out there?

Any road crossing is a resupply possibility. How far are you willing to go off trail? What types of food are you willing to eat? A hundred bags of convenience store chips? ;)

Resupply as you go is the way to do it. I get it. Even though you can resupply at some places you're better off sending yourself a package so you get what you want, not what's available. Can you determine what a small/seasonal stores stock is going to be next year when you arrive? I can't either. There's a good chance you can send a package, though.

The preferences on the above varies so wildly it would be pretty tough to determine for a majority of hikers.

-postholer

[changed]

Any road crossing is a resupply possibility. How far are you willing to go off trail? What types of food are you willing to eat? A hundred bags of convenience store chips? ;)

Resupply as you go is the way to do it. I get it. Even though you can resupply at some places you're better off sending yourself a package so you get what you want, not what's available. Can you determine what a small/seasonal stores stock is going to be next year when you arrive? I can't either. There's a good chance you can send a package, though.

The preferences on the above varies so wildly it would be pretty tough to determine for a majority of hikers.

-postholer

True. I'll eat Pop-Tarts and ramen everyday for the whole trail, quite honestly.

I guess I'll send myself enough food to make it through the first section, then wing it from there. What can go wrong!?

[takethisbread]

You now have a new, comprehensive hike planner that creates your plan dynamically based on your hiking style, terrain, conditioning and other factors. You can find it here:

Postholer Hike Planner (http://postholer.com/planner/hikePlanner.php)

You will not find anything else like this.

Here are some of the features:
+ create a plan dynamically, not using static information
+ easily create a plan that fits your hiking style
+ create start date by setting arrival date at location up the trail
+ choose your start/end locations, perfect for section hikes
+ include/exclude significant road crossings
+ use significant road crossings as start/end location
+ add your own notes for each location
+ integrated resupply information
+ google map link, weather, data book, elevation profiles for each location
+ fully integrated with your journal without clobbering your old plan

Read more in the Quick Start Guide (http://postholer.com/planner/plannerHelp.php)

Currently, the planner only supports the Pacific Crest Trail. We will be adding the Appalachian Trail and other trails shortly.

-postholer http://postholer.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_cool.gif

Thanks for this ! Once again helping us out. [emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[postholer.com]

Thanks for this ! Once again helping us out. [emoji106]

Thanks! It was actually a really interesting project, one I had been thinking about for a couple years. It was fun putting it together!

-postholer

[Sheriff Cougar]

How about making one for southbound?

[Deacon]

True. I'll eat Pop-Tarts and ramen everyday for the whole trail, quite honestly.

I guess I'll send myself enough food to make it through the first section, then wing it from there. What can go wrong!?

Pop tarts and Ramen? Your muscles will deplete to nothing with the lack of protein. You'd better look into balancing that diet with 50% carbs, 35% protein, and 15% fat.

[scatman]

Scott,

This is pretty sweet. What is the scale and how is it figure for Section Rating? Are there speeds to go with Record Pace, Average and Very Relaxed?

The only three things I would like to see in it, is the ability to change pace for each section (as you know the Sierras slow you down) and ability to add resupply options. Lastly a printable format or ability to save as PDF so I could view on my phone on trail.

[mtntopper]

How about making one for southbound?
+ 1 southbound for AT

[postholer.com]

Thanks for the interest in the hike planner (http://postholer.com/planner/hikePlanner.php)!!!

It's proving to be rather popular. Here is some feedback.

Southbound. It is my intent to add that for all trails. I've been insanely busy right now and given the actual numbers of folks who head southbound, it's been getting pushed rather brutally down the 'todo list'.

Scatman, here are some clarifications. Warnings to most, this may put you to sleep.

The planner is not 'speed' driven. A plan is not created by referring to a list of 'speeds'. There are several variables that drive how a plan is created; variables inherit to all hiking trails. I'm reluctant to discuss this in detail, lest I give up the the keys to the kingdom.

The 'Hiking Style' slider is your main control for affecting the outcome. If you look at a plan, you'll notice the difference in time it takes to cover a certain distance. Covering any stretch of trail is different all along the trail. Simply looking at the MPD will verify this. You hike differently at the start of a hike compared to the end. You cover terrain differently (mountains). You hike mountains differently at the beginning of a hike versus the end of your hike. There's a lot going on here.

Checking the 'Show significant road crossings' will allow the section hiker to choose virtually any possible section a person could think of. A section hiker is not limited to popular resupply locations as end points.

With that said, you can't arbitrarily add resupply that aren't in the list. This is due to the processing done beforehand. If there are any resupply locations you like to see added, let me know and I'll add them in the future.

-postholer

[Malto]

How did you treat snow in respect to the rate? I found a hiking style that very closely matched my start, Km and end dates but my mileage was much slower in the Sierra due to the snow year (2011). Just curious how you handled this.

[postholer.com]

How did you treat snow in respect to the rate? I found a hiking style that very closely matched my start, Km and end dates but my mileage was much slower in the Sierra due to the snow year (2011). Just curious how you handled this.

There's probably a couple things going on here, Malto.

First, while the snow was bigger in the Sierra it also counts as a relatively small portion compared to the whole trail. It worked out in the overall averages.

Second, with the benefit of hindsight, you were using the 'style slider' to match the plan to what you actually hiked! :)

In both cases, the planner 'knows' where to slow down and speed up. Setting the 'style slider' close or in the case of above average (but not obscene) snow conditions, the planner should handle it well.

-postholer

[Malto]

There's probably a couple things going on here, Malto.

First, while the snow was bigger in the Sierra it also counts as a relatively small portion compared to the whole trail. It worked out in the overall averages.

Second, with the benefit of hindsight, you were using the 'style slider' to match the plan to what you actually hiked! :)

In both cases, the planner 'knows' where to slow down and speed up. Setting the 'style slider' close or in the case of above average (but not obscene) snow conditions, the planner should handle it well.

-postholer

Very good points. Actually I had a pretty good plan in foresight and I missed it in the Sierra and made up for it the rest of the way. Kudos to you for putting this together. It would have been useful in developing my schedule. I came to an almost identical plan, it just took many hours to put together.