The exact system I used to plan for the Richmond Alpine Route
⏱ 5-7 min read
A trip that demanded a real system
The Richmond Alpine Route has a reputation.
Te Araroa thru-hikers often remember it as one of the most challenging and rewarding sections of the entire trail.
I hiked it solo, starting on Boxing Day and finishing on New Year’s Eve.
Five days.
No road crossings.
No resupply.
A full alpine-style food carry.
Highly changeable weather.
A point-to-point route with flights at one end and a pickup at the other.
This wasn’t the kind of trip you should plan with a checklist in your notes app.
It required a system.
The philosophy: plan deeply, move flexibly
I started planning this trip 6-7 months out.
Not because every detail needed to be locked in, but because good planning:
- reveals what you don’t know yet about the route
- informs gear requirements/ purchases
- helps you build realistic itineraries
- gives you flexibility to adapt to changing conditions
And on a route like this, things are likely to change.
The exact workflow
1️⃣ Duplicate the template → instant structure
I start by creating a new trip using the Hiking Trip template in Adventure Outset.
With a couple clicks it pre-populates:
- a basic to-do list
- a baseline 3-season gear list
- a food plan
- a structure for planning the route, hazards, weather, expenses, etc.
Instead of starting from scratch…
I’m immediately planning the adventure.
2️⃣ Map the route first
This trip began in Gaia GPS, where I:
- mapped the full route
- analysed the elevation profile
- compared to trip reports and route descriptions I researched
That’s when I realised:
➡ I wouldn’t likely be able to cover my usual daily distance due to some extreme elevation swings
➡ the itinerary needed to be more conservative to match the demands of the route
When I first mapped out the route I planned to complete the section in 3 days, but after reviewing the elevation profile I adjusted the itinerary to 5 days which proved to be realistic while still quite challenging.
I then embedded the live map from Gaia GPS and elevation profile into the trip page, alongside:
- a live weather widget
- a full route description
- risk analysis and key hazards
Now navigation, context, and planning live together.
3️⃣ Build the itinerary around reality, not optimism
Each day included:
- distance covered
- elevation gained
- planned campsite
- difficulty rating
- key passes & summits
- notes & hazards
For this trip I also added alternate campsites so I would be prepared if I found myself delayed or ahead of schedule.
That decision mattered:
- The first day I found myself ahead of my planned itinerary, so most of my actual camp locations were my alternates for the trip
- later I took a shorter day on a tougher section and got back onto my origional plan for the final day.
Because the options were pre-planned, I could adapt with confidence on the trail, not guesswork.
4️⃣ Dial the gear using the gear library
My gear lives in a master database.
For this trip I:
- loaded my default summer setup
- scrutinised every item
- refined for alpine terrain and a full food carry
The result:
- base weight just under 10lbs
- total pack weight under 20 lbs including 5 days of food
And most importantly, notes for future trips on what worked and what didn’t.
5️⃣ Plan food like a system, not a guess
Using the pantry database, I built the 5-day food plan.
As I added items, the page calculated:
- calories per day
- macros
- cal/oz efficiency
- total food weight
That meant I could:
- keep nutrition high, ensuring adequate protein and sodium intake
- stop weight creeping up, and ensuring I was selecting calorically dense food
- make informed trade-offs and ensure variety and interest
Packaging into daily rations happened later, the planning stayed simple.
6️⃣ Logistics, bookings, and life admin
Because I started months out, planning happened in stages:
Early (~4-6 months out):
- route
- itinerary direction
- gear decisions
Mid-phase (~2-3 months out):
- booking flights
- accommodation
- annual leave
Final month:
- food purchasing
- packing
- final checks
All tracked in one place.
7️⃣ One link = the complete trip plan for home
The night before I left, I sent my wife a single link.
That page included:
- full itinerary
- route
- gear
- emergency context
No long messages.
No missing details.
And if I updated anything, she saw it instantly. This gives us both confidence that in case of emergency the full details of my plan are easily accessible to coordinate support.
What I actually used in the field
Before leaving I made the trip page available offline in the notion mobile app on my phone.
Every day I opened the trip page to:
- check the itinerary
- review the next section
- write my journal
Effortless.
This is also where i kept a copy of all my travel and booking documents for convenience at the airport and when I arrived in St. Arnaud.
After the trip: where the real value compounds
When I got home I:
- added gear performance notes
- updated food learnings
- completed the journal with photos
- changed the trip to Completed
Now the trip lives on my map, a permanent, visual record top help inform future adventures
Not a lost file.
How this changed the experience
Planning time is similar to before.
But now that time is spent:
✔ thinking about the trip
✖ building spreadsheets
I miss fewer details.
My gear is more refined.
I can adapt in the field with confidence.
And everything is there for next time.
Who this system is for
- New multi-day hikers → structure and guidance
- Experienced adventurers → speed and clarity
- Trip leaders → sharing and collaboration
If you’ve ever built a gear spreadsheet…
you’ll understand the problem this solves.
This is exactly why Adventure Outset exists
I didn’t build this to be productive.
I built it so:
- planning is simple
- trips run smoother
- memories don’t get lost
And so the time saved goes back to where it belongs:
In the mountains.
Explore it yourself
If you want to see this system in action:
Because the next version of this system won’t be built by me alone,
it will be built by a community of people who love adventure as much as I do.
I’d love to hear your feedback to help shape the future of Adventure Outset. Thank You!
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