Routes

A list of imported routes, tracks and waypoint counts are displayed when you click the Routes button on the summary page.

Import GPX formatted files using the iOS/iPadOS share facility. Drag and drop files on macOS. For each imported file the names of each route and track are displayed under each filename heading. In versions after 1.10.0, the distance is calculated for each route and track. If the route or track contains elevation data, the total ascent and descent values or also shown.

Ascent/Descent Calculations

Note that in practice routes or tracks containing elevation data from GPS devices tends to result in inaccurate ascent/descent calculations. For technical reasons, elevation heights are much less accurate than two-dimensional positions. More frequent recording of tracks exacerbates these inaccuracies making it look like there were many small ascents and descents. If you have access to a tool (such as available in TripServer) that can simplify the track using an algorithm such as the Ramer—Douglas—Peucker algorithm, the ascents/descent values tend to be more realistic. This will vary by many factors, particularly the actual terrain.

Single touching or clicking on a route or track makes it the active route when the map page is displayed. The Routes button's name is changed to that of the active route.

Long-pressing within a GPX file's section provides an option to delete the GPX file and also on the iPhone an option to re-send the GPX file to the watch. Routes, tracks and GPX files deleted on the iPhone are also deleted on the watch, but not vice versa. Individual routes and tracks within the GPX can be removed from the view by swiping on the route.

Estimated Hiking Time

An estimated hiking time is shown for the route, calculated using Scarf's distance equivalence rule, which in turn is based on Naismith's rule.

time = (total distance + total ascent × factor) ÷ speed

By default an average speed of 4.00 km/h (2.49 mph) is used in combination with a default Scarf's distance equivalence factor of 7.92. These values can be changed using the Average speed button on the main page. On the watch it can be changed by clicking on the Average speed link at the bottom of the routes list.

Time Estimates

The time to hike a route can vary greatly according to many factors, especially the terrain and conditions. This estimate is made without any knowledge of these factors and is simply a calculation based on the values of the plotted distance, total ascent, average speed and Scarf's distance equivalence factor. In practice this is likely to be the minimum time to cover the route and takes no account of rest breaks, fatigue etc.