Outdoors & Recreation

Hiking the Wasatch: Trail Planning and Fitness

Meets Wednesdays · 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM · on location Fall 2026 · registration open Free to audit

This class runs in the Fall 2026 session. Registration is open now; lessons, materials, and the class discussion board are posted before it begins.

Here's the thing: you've done a few local trails and now you want the longer routes, the ones up the canyon that actually make you plan ahead. That's what this class is for. We work from real trails, not theory. You'll learn to read an elevation profile instead of just the mileage, figure out how much water you actually need in our dry air (more than you think), and set a turnaround time by the clock so you're off the exposed ridge before the afternoon storms build. We'll also cover training on real hills, packing a paper map, and what to do when something goes sideways a mile in. You'll leave with a repeatable way to plan a hike and not get caught out.

What you'll learn

Calculate elevation gain per mile to judge difficulty
Estimate water needs based on route and heat
Set a firm turnaround time before you hike
Build fitness with loaded hikes on local hills
Assemble a pack list and plan one full hike

Lessons

Reading a Trail Before You Drive to It
How to size up a longer route from your kitchen table so the mountain doesn't surprise you.
- Mileage lies, gain tells the truth20 min
- Reading an elevation profile together25 min
- Gain per mile, and why it matters15 min
- Building your own hike spreadsheet20 min
Water and the Dry Air Problem
Why most people underpack water and how to figure out what you actually drink.
- How much water, honestly20 min
- Finding and trusting water sources18 min
- Signs you're behind on water15 min
- Packing water without hating the weight12 min
The Afternoon Storm Clock
How canyon thunderstorms build almost on a schedule and how to plan around them.
- How the storms actually form20 min
- Setting a turnaround time by the clock18 min
- Reading the sky over the ridge15 min
- When to turn back and not argue about it15 min
Training on Hills, Not on an App
A simple way to build the fitness a longer route needs without a screen or a gym.
- Why the app didn't work for me12 min
- Neighborhood hills with a loaded pack18 min
- Paying attention to what leaves you winded15 min
- Building up to your target route20 min
Gear That Actually Matters
Where to spend, where not to, and why the paper map is never optional.
- Socks first, everything else second15 min
- The paper map goes in before anything18 min
- A pack list I actually use20 min
- What you don't need to buy12 min
When Something Goes Sideways
Small first-aid, a smart start time, and how to keep a group together on a longer day.
- Twisted ankles and blisters a mile in20 min
- The late start I swore I'd never do again15 min
- Keeping a group moving and together18 min
- Planning one real hike, start to finish25 min

Class discussion

The class discussion board opens when the class begins this fall. Auditors and enrolled students ask questions and share work here once the session starts.