How to create a back and forth route ?

Hello all,

Let's say I want to create a route starting at point A, heading to point B, which I u-turn from, back to point A and this makes my route.

I want to go for a walk along the coast, going from beach to beach, then come back by the same way. Creating the first half of the route has notbeen easy, because, according to the segments traveled, if I choose too far away points, Base Camp makes me go through unsuitable routes. So I traced the first half of the route, point by point, to match the path along the coast, to the destination beach. But how to get back to the starting point, by the same route without having to configure everything point by point ? I wish there was an right-click button "back to start by the very same way"... I thank any of you in advance for any help :-)

0 SUSSAMB over 7 years ago

There is. Make a duplicate copy of the route, right click it and select Invert route. At least that's how it works on the Win version but may be slightly different on a Mac.

Assuming you plan to send this route to a Garmin device many also allow you to reverse a route, so that's another option.

0 Jean83fun over 7 years ago

Ok. So you mean, if I make a duplicate copy, and invert it, this will be considered as a one whole single route from point A to point A via point B, and then I can get in a summary table the total length of this one single hiking project ?

0 SUSSAMB over 7 years ago

No, it'll then get you the return route. If you want a complete route then just join the two however I wouldn't recommend that. You don't say which device you have but that would confuse pretty much every device I've ever owned :)

0 Jean83fun over 7 years ago

oh sorry, Garmin eTrex Touch 35. Then I know I'll get my trace when hiking along the route, but I thought it would be as easy as creating a route from A to B, having an option to create it A to B to A, same way... since you can create A to B to C to D to A...

0 SUSSAMB over 7 years ago

If it were me I'd have separate out and back routes, especially if the back route is a reverse of the out. You talk about 'getting your trace'. If by that you mean the track log of where you walked it won't care whether the route is the complete route or two different ones.

0 dpawlyk over 7 years ago

It's better practice create separate legs for an out-and-back route.

The problem is that the units can be confused about what direction you are heading (like when you are stopped).

With one route, the unit might think you have turned around and will pick up the route going the wrong way.

If route is in two parts, it can't pick the wrong leg.