How to Fill Out Log Books

Keeping a hiking or backpacking log book can not only provide a memoir of your travels and experiences, but also help teach others to navigate specific terrain or guide you back to a water or food source. Log books of this sort can also be used as valuable lifesaving tools if you become lost and lose your gear. The best log books are rife with detailed observations of the surrounding environment, changes in weather and interaction with people and wildlife.

Things You'll Need

  • Log book
  • Pencil or pen
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill out the top page of the log book with the name of your intended destination. Include a subhead listing the forest, canyon, mountain, trail or road you'll be traveling through. List the county, closest city or town and state underneath.

    • 2

      List your name and all names of your party in the upper left corner. List the date and exact time of departure in the upper right hand corner. Under the date and time, list the starting elevation if you'll be traversing a mountainous region, or climbing to a summit. List the beginning direction of travel.

    • 3

      Introduce the log by describing the weather and temperature at the time of departure and list your gear that you'll be taking along. This needs to be the first paragraph. Include the amount of food and water that you have. Include any information of intent, such as the planned trip length and distance, reaching a summit or specific landmark, and if you intend to hunt for food or secure a water supply.

    • 4

      Cite brief but detailed descriptions of the surrounding terrain, changes in elevation, weather, interaction with people or wildlife. Note any changes of travel direction as they happen along with the time and nearby landmark. List any recognizable trails, roads, and food or water sources. List these items as you witness them so that you don't forget them later. List the time of each entry and the estimated distance you've traveled above the actual entry.

    • 5

      Include any other observations that you feel need to be noted such as trail cairns, dangers, travel conditions and difficulty. Consider sketching a rough drawing of your route and include unique landmarks, changes in direction as well as food and water sources. This can provide a secondary map if you loose your main map.