Sample deliverable
What a trip plan actually looks like
This is a real (redacted) example — the Trip Plan Package format, built for a 5-day Rae Lakes Loop. Yours would be built around your own dates, party, and goals.
Trip overview
Rae Lakes Loop
Day by day
Route & itinerary
Mileage, elevation, water, and pacing notes for every day on trail.
Roads End Trailhead → Middle Paradise Valley
Easy warm-up along the river. Fill up before camp; sites are set back from the water.
Paradise Valley → Lower Rae Lake
Suspension bridge at Woods Creek. Long climbing day — this is the one to start early.
Rae Lakes → Vidette Meadow
Glen Pass by late morning if the snowfield is firm — see Permit & Timing notes.
Vidette Meadow → Junction Meadow
Mostly downhill along Bubbs Creek. Good recovery day after the pass.
Junction Meadow → Roads End Trailhead
Out by early-to-mid afternoon — plan the drive out accordingly.
Permit & timing strategy
Getting the permit that matters
Roads End is a reservation-quota trailhead, so the plan includes a primary target and two fallback options built in from the start — not a scramble if the first choice doesn't come through.
- Primary target: Roads End, Wed Aug 14 start (weekday quota is less competitive)
- Backup 1: same trailhead, Aug 21 start
- Backup 2: reverse the loop from the same trailhead if only the return date is open
- Walk-up strategy for the remaining daily quota if reservations don't clear
The Glen Pass snowfield note in the Day 3 itinerary isn't decorative — pass timing shifts by 2–3 weeks depending on snow year. Your actual plan gets updated with current conditions as your date approaches, not just written once and handed off.
Food plan
Ration sizing & a sample menu
Planned at ~2,700 calories/person/day, scaled up on the Glen Pass day. A full plan includes a shopping list sized to your party — here's what one day looks like. See the full reasoning in our field notes on food planning.
| Breakfast | Instant oats, powdered milk, nut butter, dried fruit |
|---|---|
| Lunch | Tortillas, hard cheese, salami, crackers |
| Snacks | Trail mix, energy bars, dried mango (grazed through the day) |
| Dinner | Freeze-dried meal + olive oil for extra calories |
Contingency plan
Bail-out points
Where you can exit early, and how, if weather, pace, or plans change.
Paradise Valley (end of Day 1–2)
Back down the Kings River trail to Roads End — the same trail you came in on, roughly 7–9 mi.
Charlotte Lake junction (Day 3)
A side trail climbs to Kearsarge Pass and down to Onion Valley — shorter than finishing the loop, but exits at a different trailhead (shuttle needed).
Vidette Meadow (Day 3–4)
Continue down Bubbs Creek back to Roads End instead of exiting over Kearsarge — no shuttle required, just a longer walk out.
What you actually receive: everything above, plus a permit-application calendar and packing/resupply notes, as a PDF and a shareable digital route packet — not just this page. One revision round is included. See the planning FAQs for turnaround time and what happens if your dates shift.
Want a plan built for your trip?
Same level of detail, built around your dates, party, and region.