Mountains vs. Flatlands
Hiking cross country on flatlands burns approximately 30 percent fewer calories per hour than if you hike in the mountains. A 180-pound man can expect to burn around 574 calories in the mountains while only burning 410 calories cross-country.
Factors
Other factors that effect calories burned are pace, weight, temperature and exertion or speed. A quicker pace and heavier backpack will torch more calories. The weather is also a factor: The colder the air, the more calories burned as your body works to stay warm.
Terrain
One of the greatest influences on the amount of calories burned is the terrain. A rocky surface with stream crossings and a loose, sandy surface burns many more calories than a flat, hard surface. A 135-pound person hiking on a flat surface burns 246 calories walking 4 miles an hour while that same hiker in the mountains can use up 431 calories in that same hour.
Article Written By Laurie Roddy
A native of Houston, Laurie Roddy is a freelance outdoor writer with over 25 years writing experience. The main topics that she prefers to write about include hiking, golf, paddling, and traveling. She is a contributing writer for "Cy-Fair Magazine" and writes regularly for several websites. Roddy attended the University of Houston receiving a journalism degree. She has written "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Houston."
