A Reverence for Time: Mindful Approaches to Land-based Travel Calculations

Abstract

How long will it take to get from “Point A” to “Point B”? Estimating the answer to this question is essential for outdoor leaders to accurately and safely manage their outdoor adventure education course. By being able to carefully estimate the amount of time needed to travel a particular route, over the course of a day or an entire expedition, outdoor leaders will be able to avoid unnecessary risk and provide ample time for other curricula and experiences. This paper describes several land-based travel calculation methods (including the less known Munter system recently added to www.caltopo.com’smapping functionality), and notes why they are essential for leading successful outdoor expeditions. Along the way the paper articulates the pedagogical relevance of time calculation models to leadership curriculum and anticipates critiques related to the “McDonaldization” of outdoor adventure education.