Take a Hike! Take two

Having received so many great suggestions from a few of you guys here, as well as from my nephew's Boy Scout Troop (Cobra Patrol), I have made some refinements to the game. It started as a basic idea to create a hiking trail game that would use interchangeable trail sections, rather than just one game board. This allows the game and trail to be totally different each time it is played. The image shows only nine of the ten mats, as I am working on the final, one which is a mountain mesa.
Below is the outline. It may seem like a lot of things happen along the trail, perhaps too many at first, but we played it with a group of Scouts the other night and the game play flowed smoothly, with very little confusion or questions, but some good suggestions for additional play spaces and the mechanics to make them work. We eliminated some of the ideas, as I still want to keep it somewhat simple, without having to be a mathematician or military strategist to play.
••••••••••
Take a Hike!
Take a hike on the backcountry trails to high adventure!
Ages 8 & up
2 - 4 Players

Object:
Be the first Hiker to conquer the backcountry trails from one mountain lodge to the other...
and back again, if you're up to it!

Components:
Ten 10” x10" interchangable Trail Mats (two Lodge sections and eight Trail sections.
Four 10” x 4” Backpacker Tracker Mats
Four Hiker Pawns (Joystick)
Ten Marker Tokens (Ring)
One 6-sided Die

Set-up:
Everyone agrees on how far of a hike to take. Each Trail Mat section represents 10 miles.
Both Lodge Mats must be used, so the shortest hike possible is 20 miles, the longest is 100
miles. Once the distance / number of Trail Mats has been decided, begin by placing down
one of the Lodge Mats. The first Hiker to reach the first Trail Connection (space with the Red
Dot) chooses the next Trail Mat section to add. They can continue on with their turn if they
still have moves remaining.
The completed trail can be layed out in a wide variety of configurations, allowing for a totally
different route each time the game is played. In addition the trail can be hiked from either
end and in both directions. Starting at one Lodge creates a very different hike than starting
from the opposite Lodge.

Game Play:
Each Hiker starts out from the Lodge with a basic supply of provisions: 2 Nylon Ropes,
2 First Aid Kits and 1 Ration of food / water per 10 miles to be hiked. Ex. If you have decided
to hike a total distance of 50 miles (5 Trail Mats) then each Hiker starts with 5 rations. Use
the Backpacker Tracker to keep a talley of your supplies by placing a Marker Token on the
appropriate spaces.
Youngest Hiker goes first. Roll the die to determine how many spaces to move. If you land
diretly on a marked space, follow the directions. No two Hikers can occupy the same space.
If you land on an occupied space on the trail, you must stop at the space behind them. Keep
hiking in the same general direction and remain on the tan path unless you come to a Trail
Fork or land on a Detour. Do not reverse direction unless instructed. First Hiker to reach the
second Lodge wins!
For an extended game with a new view, once you reach the second Lodge, hike the trail in
reverse back to the first Lodge.

Provisions:
• Rations - Rations can be used if a Hiker would like to re-roll the die in hopes of getting a
better number. 1 Ration per additional roll, up to a maximum of 3 rolls and choose the best
roll. It can be useful to bypass another Hiker, a tricky section of trail or land on a bonus
space. Hikers can use a Ration anywhere along the trail. Hikers are limited to carrying a
maximum of 15 Rations at one time.
• Nylon Rope - The Nylon Rope can be used whenever a Ladder or Zipline is encountered.
Normally, when you come to a Ladder or Zip Line, you must stop there and end your turn.
Hikers can choose to use 1 Rope per Ladder or Zipline and continue on with their move
without having to come to a stop. Hikers are limited to carrying a maximum of 7 Ropes at
oneime.
• First Aid Kit - The First Aid Kit can be used to heal an Injury. Normally, when you land on an
Injury space, you must wait 1 turn to heal. Hikers can choose to use 1 First Aid Kit Injury
without having to wait 1 turn to heal.
•••If one of a Hiker’s provisions reach 0 and they are instructed to lose or give a provision
which they don’t carry, that Hiker must go back 7 spaces and wait 1 turn.

Trail Spaces:
Positive •••
• Trail Sign - Go ahead 4 Spaces.
• Map and Compass – Go ahead 5 spaces.
• Camp - Wait 2 turns, double next roll.
• Energy Bar - Roll Again.
• Rations - Gain 1 Ration (Food / Water)
• Nylon Rope - Gain 1 Rope.
• First Aid Kit - Gain 1 First Aid Kit.
• Get 1 Ration from Hiker who’s turn is next in order.
• Get 1 Rope from Hiker who’s turn is next in order.
• Get 1 First Aid Kit from Hiker who’s turn is next in order.
* Canoe Portage - Carry your canoe briefly overland and return to lake.
• Go Ashore - Beach your canoe and gain 1 provision. Wait 1 turn and return to lake.
Negative •••
• Snake / Skunk on trail - Go back 2 spaces.
• Chased by Bear / Bees - Go back 3 spaces.
• Gather Firewood - Wait 1 turn.
• Give 1 Ration to Hiker who’s turn is next in order.
• Give 1 Rope to Hiker who’s turn is next in order.
• Give 1 First Aid Kit to Hiker who’s turn is next in order.
• Injury - Unavoidable Injuries take time to heal. Wait 1 turn when landing on an Injury space.
• Bear Steals Rations - Roll the die to determine how many rations the bear steals.
• Fallen Tree Detour - Landing on a Fallen Tree sends you on a short detour around it. Take
the yellow detour path only if you have landed on the Fallen Tree Detour, otherwise stay on
the tan path as normal.
• Landslide Detour - Landing on a Landslide sends you on a long detour around it. Take the
the yellow Landslide Detour, otherwise stay on the tan path as normal.
• Rocky Road / Quicksand / Deep Snow - Rocky trail, quicksand and deep snow slows your
progress. Move 1 space each turn until you have left the Rocky Road, Quicksand or Deep
Snow.
• Bridge – Rickety old footbridge slows your progress. Move 1 space each turn until you
have left the bridge.
• Water Crossing - Crossing the wide stream slows your progress. Move 2 spaces each turn
until you have left the water.
• Meadow - Soft marshy grass slows your progress until you have left the meadow.
• Leaky Canoe - Canoe springs a leak and slows your progress. Move 2 spaces next turn.
• Capsize Canoe – Your canoe has overturned and it takes time to right it. Wait 1 turn.
• Rainstorm / Snowstorm / Sandstorm - Bad weather suddenly moves in and you are forced
to go directly to the next campspot to sit it out. Wait 2 turns, double next roll.
• Flash Flood - A flash flood forces you to retreat until it subsides. Go back 2 spaces and
wait 1 turn.
• Forest Fire - A forset fire forces you retreat until it subsides. Go back 2 spaces and wait 2
turns.
Nuetral •••
• Shortcut - You must land directly on the shortcut in order to take it.
As with many spaces along the trail, a short cut can work both ways. It can either
send you forward or backward.
• Trail Fork - The trail splits into two different paths. The green path is longer, but safer. The
red path is shorter, but riskier. ALL hikers must stop at a Trail Fork and end their turn, even
if they have moves left. On their next turn, they must choose wich path they want to take
before they roll for moves.
• Load / Unload Canoe - A Canoe must be used to traverse the lake. When you come to a
Canoe, you must stop there and end your turn in order to load and unload the canoe, even
if you have moves left. On your next turn, continue as normal.
• Ladder - A rope ladder must be climbed up or down with care. When you come to a
ladder, you must stop there and immediately end your turn, even if you have moves left.
On your next turn, follow the directions of that ladder space. You can use 1 Climbing Rope
to continue on with your move without having to come to a stop.•
Zip Line - Zip lines (dotted lines) can carry you across the canyon. When you come to
the start of a zip line, you must stop there and end your turn, even if you have moves left.
On your next turn, follow the directions of that zip line space. You can use 1 Climbing Rope
to continue on with your move without having to come to a stop.
• Mystic Ruins - You venture into an ancient dwelling and are magically transported to
another space on the trail. Go directly to the Mystic Symbol space on that same Trail Mat.
• Mystic Symbol - Landing next to an old enchanted marking, you are magically transported
to another space on the trail. Go directly to the Mystic Ruins space on that same Trail Mat.