Hiking Rules of Thumb: The Science Behind Them and Their Limitations

When it comes to hiking and land navigation, we often use rules of thumb to estimate the line of sight distance to an object or estimate the height of an object or estimate/track how far we have traveled.

Rules of thumb are very handy, but they have their limitations, and relying on them outside of those limitations can get you into trouble. The best way to recognize their limitations is to understand why they work in the first place.

In this meeting, I will be sharing the math behind these rules of thumb to explain why they usually work, and when they shouldn't be used. We will also have some hands-on demonstrations and experiments to back up the math.

As such, this meeting will be more of a discussion / classroom type of event, and not a hike - though there will be some walking. For those wanting to hike, please see the event I've scheduled to start after this one, and sign up if you're interested.

Meeting location:
Irvine Regional Park
Parking lot P
Look for the Socal Science Hikes banner

What to bring:

• Notebook / paper
• Pencil and/or pen
• Straight edge
• Camp chair or sitting pad
• Snacks and beverages as desired
• Clothing appropriate for the weather
• Footwear appropriate for pavement, grass, and dirt