RidgeSyncHow to Print a Backpacking Itinerary as a Paper Backup
You can print a backpacking itinerary straight from RidgeSync using the Print button, which calls the browser's print dialog labeled "Print or save as PDF" — no separate export step required. Expand the fullscreen itinerary first so you're printing the complete plan, not just whatever's visible in the sidebar.
A paper copy matters because phones die, get wet, or lose signal exactly when you need the plan most. Leave a printed copy with your emergency contact and carry a second one in a dry bag, even on trips where you're also relying on your phone.
Step by step: print or save your itinerary as a PDF
- Open your trip's overview
Go to your trip and find the trip overview panel, where the Print button lives alongside your trip stats (Length / Elev. gain / Est. time).
- Click Expand for the fullscreen itinerary
Click the Expand pill to open the fullscreen itinerary view. This gives you Trip tabs — Overview, Days, Conditions — and, per day, Day tabs Overview, Stops, and Conditions.
- Check the Overview tab
The Overview tab shows your trip-wide stats and day-by-day summary. Confirm the dates, total mileage, and elevation gain look right before you print.
- Review the Days tab
The Days tab lists each day's route, camp, and markers in order. This is the section you'll actually reference on trail, so check that campsites, water sources, and meal stops are all showing for every day.
- Check Conditions before you print
The Conditions tab shows the per-day weather forecast. Weather changes daily, so check this close to your departure date rather than relying on a printout from a week earlier for anything beyond the general outlook.
Tip Free accounts only get forecasts for the first 2 days, so a printed itinerary for a longer trip may only show partial weather — worth checking a forecast site separately for the later days.
- Click Print
Click the Print button in the trip overview. This calls your browser's print dialog labeled "Print or save as PDF" — choose a physical printer, or save as PDF if you want a digital backup as well as a paper one.
What to actually carry on paper
At minimum, print the Days tab with your route, camps, water sources, and meal stops for every day, plus the trip-wide Overview stats. That's the core reference you'd need to navigate and manage food even with zero battery left.
Fold or trim the printout to fit a plastic sleeve or dry bag, and keep it somewhere you can reach without digging through your whole pack. A printed itinerary that's soaked through or buried at the bottom of your bag isn't much better than no backup at all.
Sharing a link vs. printing a copy
Sharing a link through the ↗ Share pill is the right move when someone else needs to view or save their own editable copy of your trip, especially before you leave, since recipients can click "Save to my trips" for a version they can reference or modify.
Printing is the right move for your own on-trail backup and for your emergency contact's copy, since it works with zero signal, zero battery, and zero dependency on a link staying live. Use both: share a link before you go, and carry a printed copy anyway.
Try it live
Frequently asked questions
How do I print my backpacking itinerary from RidgeSync?
Click Expand to open the fullscreen itinerary, review the Overview, Days, and Conditions tabs, then click the Print button, which opens your browser's "Print or save as PDF" dialog.
Can I save my itinerary as a PDF instead of printing on paper?
Yes. The Print button opens the browser's standard print dialog, where choosing "Save as PDF" instead of a physical printer produces a PDF copy of the same itinerary.
Why carry a paper itinerary if I already have the app on my phone?
Phones die, get wet, or lose signal, often right when you need the plan most. A paper copy works with zero battery and zero signal, and a copy left with an emergency contact gives someone your exact plan if you don't check in.
Should I share a link or print a copy for my emergency contact?
Do both if possible. A shared link lets a contact view or save the live trip, while a printed copy still works if the link goes down or they can't get online, so it's the more reliable emergency backup.