Statistical Information

Making sense of the stat charts 

   Statistic Charts found at the end of most posts involving hiking, give the ‘fine details’ of the hike and more.  I created these charts using Microsoft Excel, in them are a lot of information to help you navigate to the places you want to visit.  The chart for each hike is laid out ‘start to finish’ where start would be the parking area or trailhead, finish can either be back at the parking/trailhead as is the case on a loop hike, or the final destination as in a ‘one way’ or ‘there and back’ hike.  The charts aren’t complicated but some explanation will help you get the most from them, so here’s a sample with some pointers and clarification:

    a. This first column labeled Ref. (Reference) the colored block with initials at the far-left margin is a referral for some of the others who have written about this particular place and where you can find more information, in this example (DH) and (JM) refer to Danny Hale and John Moore respectively.  I don’t even pretend to suggest that this is a complete listing of everyone who wrote about this place, just the ones I am familiar with and recommend.  See chart below for more information.

    b. Name/Description following the top bold rows of AREA TITLE then Hike Title, subsequent rows describe ‘point to point’ waypoints along this route.

    c. Abr. is an abbreviation for the waypoint corresponding to the maps found throughout the posts.  Abbreviations are used instead of the entire waypoint name/description to keep a ‘clean’ or ‘clutter free’ appearance on the maps.

    d. Latitude column has the ‘latitude north coordinate’ for the waypoint named in column (b) to the left, and along with...

    e.   Longitude the ‘longitude west coordinate’ provide a pinpoint location for the waypoint.  In our sample chart above the location for the waypoint ‘Cave Mt. Road parking area 3’ is at the coordinates 35.85856, -93.52534 (latitude, longitude expressed in ‘decimal degrees’).

    f. Azi° column contains the calculated azimuth from the waypoint on the line above to the waypoint on this line.  Azimuth better known as ‘bearing’ or ‘heading’ is the compass direction in degrees from one waypoint to the next, in the example above from ‘Cave Mt. Road parking area 3’ to the ‘UBMBT Trailhead 34 @ gate’ is at a bearing of 196° as the crow flies, the generalized equivalent of 196° is ‘south southwest’.

    g. ~Miles column contains the calculated distance estimate in miles from the waypoint on the line above to the waypoint on this line.  And in the next column (h) ...

    h. ~Feet is the same calculated distance estimate listed in column (g) converted into feet.  While the calculation for distance is very accurate (within 12 inches) it still must be considered only an estimate due to the ‘twists and turn’ common to every trail.  Everyone’s actual distance will vary according to how closely you stay on the trail.  Distance measured in miles or feet is up to you, I have listed both because to me it becomes incomprehensible when a short distance is listed let’s say ‘0.03 miles’ for me the equivalent footage ‘158 feet’ makes much more sense, and the opposite holds true for longer distances like 1,455 feet is hard to grasp whereas 0.28 miles is something I can relate to.

    i. Elev. is the elevation in feet above sea level for the waypoint on this line.

    j. G% this last column is ‘grade percent’ which is the grade encountered between this waypoint and the previous one.  Grade is a simple equation that takes the distance travelled and the elevation difference between two waypoints and expresses it as a percentage.  Of course, this calculation assumes the elevation change is consistent between the two points, but it rarely is therefore the further apart the two waypoints are the less accurate the percent of grade becomes.

    k. a BOLD RED TITLE is generally a heading for a section of area hikes, below it will usually be...

    l.  the Bold Black title of each particular route within the section.

    m. red to the right of the Hike Title is the title of the USGS quad map containing this destination, these maps are available online as a free download, or a printed copy is available for purchase.

    n. bushwhack estimate is pretty self-explanatory: the estimated portion of the hike that is off trail.

    o. in the abbreviations column if a line is highlighted pink it indicates places I have been to, if it isn’t highlighted then I haven’t been there... yet.

    p. a waypoint name printed in pink indicates this is generally a wet crossing, this is always subject to weather conditions.

    q. and a waypoint printed in orange indicates the waypoint isn’t part of the hike.  Often on a hike you will see something in the distance that is a significant feature of the hike, or it may just be something you pass along the trail (campsite for example) but you’re probably not going over there to it, or it could be a ‘side trip’ away from the final destination, so it isn’t included in any of the totals listed at the bottom of the chart.

    r. some rows, usually at the beginning of the hike, but at the end as well when the hike loops back to the starting point are highlighted grey, this designates parking areas.

    s. the bottom line, printed in a lighter shade at the bottom of each chart are the totals for the hike, sometimes there will be more than one ‘totals line’ for optional route possibilities.  The first number for difficulty rating: represents the calculated difficulty rating for the hike, the higher the number the more difficult the hike.  The difficulty rating uses a formula which includes the total elevation gain, mileage and average percent of grade but does not factor in any variable conditions for the hike such as bushwhacking or weather.  Use this ‘rating’ with a degree of skepticism, and always error on the side of caution.  The colors highlighting this number are explained in more detail below.  The next number for elevation gain: is the overall elevation gain for the hike, since this is measured between waypoints assuming consistent gain (or loss) actual elevation gains will always be slightly higher.  Next is total: miles followed by feet, is a total of the calculated distance estimates between waypoints.  And finally, av. G% or average Grade percent is where each grade percent between waypoints is averaged together for the entire hike.  The different colors highlighting these numbers are explained below.

 

Map Symbols Legend