Based in Logan, Utah, John Mickelson has led Wealth Advocates as founding partner since 1995, providing retirement, business, and estate planning services to clients for more than three decades. John Mickelson holds the designations of Chartered Financial Consultant and Advanced Estate Planner, and he studied international finance at Brigham Young University before completing a master’s degree in financial services at The American College. He is a longtime Million Dollar Round Table life member who has earned Top of the Table and Court of the Table recognition, and he has served on the Cambridge Premier Council since 2012 while previously leading the Estate Planning Council of Northern Utah. Away from the office, he enjoys an active lifestyle that includes hiking, skiing, cycling, and tennis, interests that inform the practical guidance below on preparing for a day on the trail.
A short hike can turn into a long day when a storm closes the trail, a stream crossing proves higher than expected, or a return journey takes longer than anticipated. The most useful preparation cannot anticipate every problem. Instead, it gives hikers the information, equipment, and flexibility they need to make sound decisions as conditions change.
The best hiking plan starts with selecting an appropriate route before deciding what to pack. Before setting out, hikers can check distance, elevation gain, permitted access, trail status, and weather conditions. Those details should be compared with the group’s experience and expected pace, not the most ambitious outing anyone remembers.
A modest route with a clear turnaround point often creates more enjoyment than an uncertain push toward a distant destination. Current conditions also deserve attention.
A forecast may look mild at the trailhead while wind, rain, snow, or temperature vary along an exposed route. Park alerts and local land managers can provide information about closures, fire conditions, water crossings, and other hazards. If new information changes the nature of the trip, adjusting the plan is part of preparing well—not a failed outing.
Packing is most effective when every item serves a foreseeable need. Navigation tools, extra layers, food, water, sun protection, first-aid supplies, and emergency shelter provide a practical foundation. The specific combination depends on the location, season, and expected duration.
A phone can help, but it should not replace backup navigation, spare power or familiarity with the route. Equipment is most useful when hikers are familiar with how to use it. A hiker who has never used a map or adjusted a headlamp should test those items before relying on them outdoors.
Footwear also merits attention before hitting the trailhead. A comfortable walk on local ground can reveal fit problems that become distracting miles from your car.
A shared itinerary adds a simple layer of accountability. Someone who is not on the trip should know the trailhead, intended route, party size, vehicle, and expected return time. The hiking group should also agree on basic decisions before beginning: pace, rest stops, the turnaround point, and what it will do if the weather worsens.
This type of agreement reduces the pressure to continue when the original plan no longer fits the conditions. Once the hike begins, preparation means paying attention to changing conditions.
Steady attention to time, shifting clouds, footing, energy, and water supply helps hikers make adjustments early. Turning around can preserve the day when a trail is damaged, a stream is unsafe, or the group is moving more slowly than expected. Staying on designated paths also makes navigation simpler and helps protect the places that make hiking worthwhile.
An enjoyable hike rarely depends on reaching one exact viewpoint. That margin also makes an unexpected pause feel manageable rather than alarming when a trail demands patience. It comes from moving through a place with enough time to notice it and sufficient preparation to return comfortably.
When the route, gear, and shared plan allow for changes, hikers can focus less on managing unexpected problems and more on enjoying the trail.
About John Mickelson
Since 1995, John Mickelson has served as founding partner of Wealth Advocates in Logan, Utah, helping retirees and small business owners coordinate retirement, business, and estate planning strategies. He holds the Chartered Financial Consultant and Advanced Estate Planner designations, with an international finance degree from Brigham Young University and a graduate degree from The American College. A member of the Cambridge Premier Council since 2012, he also stays active through hiking, skiing, cycling, and tennis.
