PSA: stop relying on AllTrails for route planning in the Sierra

I used to just download the top rated route and go, but after getting stuck on a sketchy Class 3 scramble near Bishop Pass last summer I switched to Caltopo for every trip. Why do people keep acting like user reviews replace checking elevation profiles and satellite imagery?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jennifer18d ago

jamie770 said "no single app can tell you what the exposure feels like in person" and that's the real truth. @hugo_robinson25 I had a similar issue near Kearsarge Pass where AllTrails called it a simple ridge walk but it turned into scrambling across loose talus for half a mile. Now I just assume every Sierra route is harder than what the app says and plan like it.

hugo_robinson2518d ago

Changed my mind after a similar scare near Whitney last fall. AllTrails had that route marked as moderate but it was way more exposed than I expected. Now I always cross-reference with Caltopo before heading out.

jamie77018d ago

Yeah I get what you're saying @hugo_robinson25, but I actually lean the other way on this. I've had the opposite problem where Caltopo made a route look way harder than it really was because of all the contour lines and I almost talked myself out of a perfectly good hike. For me AllTrails has been pretty reliable for the kind of day hikes I do, even if they're a bit generous on the difficulty ratings sometimes. I think the real issue is that no single app can tell you what the exposure feels like in person, you know? Different strokes I guess, but I'll probably stick with what's been working for me.