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My map reading mistake on the John Muir Trail cost us a full day

I was leading a group last August and mixed up two creek crossings near Evolution Valley, thinking the trail stayed high when it actually dropped 500 feet. We had to backtrack over six miles in the dark once we hit a dead end at a cliff face. How do you double-check tricky route details before a big section hike?
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2 Comments
paul_stone41
paul_stone413d agoTop Commenter
Honestly, I just trust the map and my gut... I've found trying to double-check every little thing just makes you second-guess the obvious route. That kind of mistake could happen to anyone out there.
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michael880
My last hike in the Rockies taught me the same thing.
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