10 . Knowing how many kilometers or miles per hour you’ll likely cover while hiking is of great importance. 1 It’s also important to build in time for breaks and extra time in case of bad weather or harder situations than expected.
If you’re not sure what your average hiking speed is, don’t worry. 2 Naismith’s rule is considered useful and was invented by the Scottish mountaineer William W. Naismith. It’s a great way to work out how long it will take you to complete your chosen path and it takes into consideration both distance and elevation (海拔高度).
It can be worked out as follows. One hour for every 3 miles plus an additional hour for every 600m of ascent (升高). So let’s say you wanted to know how long it would take to hike 6 miles with an elevation gain of 1,200m. That’s 2 hours for the distance and another 2 hours for the ascent, for a total of 4 hours. 3 It doesn’t include breaks.
4 You can choose exercises that you enjoy, whether that’s running, cycling, dance classes or something else. As long as it helps you build muscle (肌肉) strength, it will help you get your average hiking speed where you want it to be. Interestingly, specific weight training also helps increase your average walking speed on the path. It’s common knowledge that hikers should focus mainly on leg strength. 5
| A．Note that’s only your hiking time. |
| B．There’s an easy way to work it out. |
| C．Your hiking speed isn’t an exact science. |
| D．It can ensure that you safely reach your destination. |
| E．But some hiking places do require you to use your upper body too. |
| F．Consider how to increase your hiking speed on and off the mountain. |
| G．One of the best ways to hike faster is to train when you’re not hiking. |
