Your progress is slower than expected but you don’t want to give up. When is the right time to change your plans?

I recently read about a trip that went wrong and resulted in a rescue. The script was all too common. The man had been slower than expected in the first part of his hike and was now short of food with a long way still to go. He thought he could do it in one long day, but although it took longer than he hoped to get to a hut halfway through that planned day, still he pushed on. He thought he had time to get through the difficult bit before nightfall and would be able to finish the easy bit in the dark. In his hurry, he took a wrong turn and found himself in a tricky situation and requiring rescue.

When should you change your plans? Often, the answer is to do so when you start to wonder if it is time to change your plans. In the story above, the tramper was already slower than expected. Instead of trying to push through in one long day, he could instead have planned to get to the mid-point hut and ration his food. It is never a good idea to head into a tricky section of trail with little time before dark.

Plan to change your plan 

Carry food that is for emergencies. I take a bag of rice, a packet of soup and an OSM bar. The bar can be eaten dry, and rice and soup are easy to ration if needed. This packet of food is the first thing I chuck in the bottom of my pack. I keep it separate from my food and only for emergencies. If I am going on a long trip I anticipate that I may get trapped by weather or high rivers at some point, so I add an extra day’s food as part of my regular food, and have my emergency food as well.

When planning, identify points where you might change course, such as taking a shorter loop or stopping at an earlier hut if you arrive after a certain time. Decide in advance where to turn back based on your progress at specific features.

Ensure you are equipped with the appropriate gear to allow for flexible decision-making in case you have to stop to camp or extend your journey by an additional day. Essential items include emergency shelter, extra clothing, food and water.

Look at the map beforehand and identify points at which you might decide to turn back or stop if you are taking longer than expected. Begin your journey early enough for the anticipated trip, take into account seasonal changes, and remember that darkness may arrive earlier when travelling beneath bush canopy. Ensure you will have ample daylight remaining after your planned completion time to allow for delays without feeling pressured to rush. Will you meet the stated times considering your fitness and walking speed?

Listen to your body. If you are going slower or feel tired, your body is telling you something. Consider the weather – both current and forecasted conditions. If bad weather is coming, remember that it might arrive sooner than expected. 

Never be afraid to put the trip off, change your plans or turn back.