From: sawicki@src.dec.com (Filip Sawicki)
Newsgroups: rec.backcountry
Subject: "Points": the good way to measure time/distance on the trail
Date: 30 Sep 92 20:07:52 GMT
Organization: DEC Systems Research Center


(Approved by Distiled Wisdom guru Eugene N. Miya :-) )

Hey,

   I just came to the States, and having talked to some people and
seen trail markings in Yosemite I decided to post this message. I
wonder if anybody in the world outside Poland uses "points" to measure
the real trail span.  But, after all, how useful to calculate the time
needed to go are miles or whatever? It is 1/4 a mile from the plateau
to Half Dome top, but certainly it will take you more time that 1/4
mile in the Valley. Points, on the other hand, are a well-checked,
30 years old consistent system giving good time estimations.

   In our mountaineering club, points are called "GOTs", for many
reasons, and are used as the only and universal time/distance
measuring unit (besides "a stone's throw" for small distances and
meters for small altitude differences, of course). Moreover, distances
on all trails in Poland are marked with _time_ (when you see here:
"Lake XXX 12mi", it would be in Poland: "Lake XXX 4 hrs 45 mins"),
more or less consistently, based on the assumptions given below. The
the guide books follow this scheme. Once you know your relative speed
(say: 30% faster than the trails show), you can predict your hiking
time and feel safer.

   To calculate your trail span in points, get a map of a known scale
plus a ruler. Now follow your planned route and, starting from 0, add:
	* 1 point for every 100m elevation gain
	* 1/2 point for every 100m elev. loss if the trail is very steep
	* 1 point for the distance of 1000m (1km) measured _on the map_

   The total gives you the span. To get the time, what you can expect
is (pph = points per hour):

   3pph is the speed of an untrained person with a backpack
   4pph is the standard long-distance cruise speed with a backpack
   5pph you hurry up with a backpack; standard without it
   6pph you run to catch the last bus/train
   (those numbers are for the average weather and no snow on the ground)

   To the total time add the time you will rest (say 15min every hour)
and you're done. Experience shows that (ppd = points per day):

   16-20ppd is a daily average you can expect from untrained people with
            backpacks during 2-week trip
   20-25ppd do trained people just for pleasure
   30-35ppd do people in our club during 3-week practical examination
            to get the mountain guide certificate
   40-45 points is a 12+ hrs trekking experience for maniacs
   60-80 points is standard for 24hrs "maneuvers" without backpack
   ~140 points is a 24hrs record I know of (without any load)

=========================================================================

An example:

   You go from A to B and use 1:100,000 topographic map. You measured
the length of the black line marking your trail on the map to be 10cm,
which means 10km or 10 points. Of course, the ground length of the
trail is bigger, but you do not care. From A to B your total elevation
gain will be 600m or 6 points. Your total elevation loss is 200m, but
do not consider this. All this gives you 16 points, or 4 hours of the
standard pace march alone. Add one hour for the rest time, and thus
you get the total: 5 hours +/- 15min to get from A to B. On the other
hand, this may be a nice one-day trip with backpacks :-) .

Question:

   Given the assumptions above, calculate the span from B to A?

Answer:

   Twelve points or 3 hours 30 minutes to go.

=========================================================================

   Points work equally well from the cross-country trekking on the
flat ground to the high mountains trips, assuming that you go on your
feet only. For climbing, points are useless, as the speed cannot be
estimated in any way.

   So, how do you find this system? Any questions/suggestions are welcome.

fi.