Being able to get back from a dayhike on time is a skill that'll serve you well. It keeps you from having to navigate home in the cold and dark, or at least gives you a chance to see it coming and prepare in advance. Once you've mastered the art of getting back safely and on time from a dayhike, you're ready to extend the same skillset to planning overnight hikes and longer backpacking trips.

Know the Route and the Weather

If you're heading out on a hike you're not already familiar with, research it online or in a guidebook.

Most guidebooks give a range for how long it takes to complete a certain hike -- once you've done a few hikes, you'll start to get an idea of whether you fall in the fast or slow end of that range. Set realistic expectations and plan accordingly.

While you're at it, check the weather forecasts. Rain, snow, ice and mud can all slow you down and make travel more dangerous -- so if they're in the forecast, carry appropriate gear and leave yourself extra time to deal with the adverse conditions safely.

Set Realistic Expectations

This bears repeating. If you're a slow hiker, no amount of optimism is going to make you suddenly move as fast as the hardest of the hardcore peak baggers. Do push yourself as much as you care to, but make sure you keep your travel expectations realistic when planning your hike and filing a trip plan. It'll give you time to hike safely and reduce your chances of injury from a careless, hurried slip.

(Plus, being realistic about your abilities and expectations is a great way to keep your hiking buddies happy, too.)

Plan According to Your Weakest Hiker

Your group is only ever as fast as its slowest member, so set your realistic expectations to that person's measure. It's perfectly okay for faster or stronger members of the group to break off and hike faster or farther -- as long as everybody understands what's going on. If you split the group like this, be clear about whether you're going to reunite at any point and, if so, how it'll happen.

Start (and Turn Around) On Time

Your trip plan should include a projected return time; actually starting on time is the first step toward meeting that goal. The second is having a set time when you'll turn around, even if you haven't yet made it to your goal. This may not be as critical for hikers as is it for mountaineers, but the idea is the same: You're giving yourself a chance to retrace your steps before it's cold, dark, and you're tired.

Lost-Proof Yourself

Every hiker should know how to handle getting lost -- but your life will be a lot easier (and you're a whole lot more likely to get back in time) if you just don't get lost in the first place.

Keep yourself on track by understanding the route you need to follow, paying attention to where you're going so you don't miss intersections or side paths, and do look behind you from time to time. As you do so, pick out prominent landmarks or features that'll help you recognize whether or not you're on the right path, even in the dark.

Just In Case

Last but not least, remember to carry your "just in case" items -- an emergency kit and first-aid kit -- and know how to use everything in them. And, of course, file a trip plan and stick to it. Do these six things and the odds are very good that even if you don't get back in time, you'll get back safe and sound.