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Field Notes
Dispatches from the field.
Scouting reports, reflections, route tests, and stories about discovering what most travelers miss.
500Days Spent Exploring
10Field Notes Published
Trail Report
Why We Added Rishikesh (And Almost Didn't)
Rishikesh & Chamba, Uttarakhand/Himachal
Nov 2025
Trail ReportPhilosophyRishikeshChambaJourney Design
Why We Added Rishikesh (And Almost Didn't)
Rishikesh & Chamba, Uttarakhand/Himachal
Rishikesh is the most touristed town in Uttarakhand. So why did Before Maps add it?
10 November 2025
Reflections
The Before Maps Travel Philosophy
Before Maps HQ
Oct 2025
ReflectionsPhilosophyValuesBefore Maps
The Before Maps Travel Philosophy
Before Maps HQ
Solo scouting. Pilot testing. Application-based. Small groups. The operating principles behind every journey.
5 October 2025
The Trail from Triund to Laka Glacier
Triund & Laka Glacier, Himachal Pradesh
Oct 2025
ScoutingTriundLaka GlacierHimachal Pradesh
The Trail from Triund to Laka Glacier
Triund & Laka Glacier, Himachal Pradesh
Everyone does Triund. Almost no one goes beyond. I followed the trail to the snowline at Laka Glacier.
1 October 2025
Scouting Bir Billing Before the Crowds Return
Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh
Sept 2025
ScoutingBir BillingHimachal Pradesh
Scouting Bir Billing Before the Crowds Return
Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh
Beyond the landing site and cafés lies a network of trails, Tibetan monasteries, and a valley most visitors never notice.
15 September 2025
Personal Story
How I Pack for 10 Days in the Mountains
Himalayas
Aug 2025
Personal StoryGearMountainsTips
How I Pack for 10 Days in the Mountains
Himalayas
After dozens of Himalayan trips, my packing list has become ruthlessly minimal.
15 August 2025
Pilot Report: Miyar Valley with 4 Travelers
Miyar Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Jun 2025
Pilot ReportMiyar ValleyBehind the Scenes
Pilot Report: Miyar Valley with 4 Travelers
Miyar Valley, Himachal Pradesh
After scouting Miyar solo, we ran a pilot trip with 4 carefully selected travelers. This is the honest debrief.
1 June 2025
Trail Report
What Happens When a Place Gets 'Discovered'
Kasol, Himachal Pradesh
May 2025
Trail ReportResponsible TravelOvertourism
What Happens When a Place Gets 'Discovered'
Kasol, Himachal Pradesh
We've watched it happen to Kasol, Tosh, Chitkul. The pattern is always the same.
15 May 2025
48 Hours on the Gurez Road
Gurez Valley, Kashmir
May 2025
ScoutingKashmirRoad Trip
48 Hours on the Gurez Road
Gurez Valley, Kashmir
The road to Gurez opens for four months a year. We drove it in early June when the snow had just cleared.
10 May 2025
The Village That Doesn't Want Tourists
Upper Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh
Apr 2025
EthicsScoutingKinnaur
The Village That Doesn't Want Tourists
Upper Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh
Not every scouting trip leads to a journey. Some villages simply don't want visitors - and we respect that completely.
2 April 2025
Reflections
Why We Don't Call Ourselves a Travel Company
Before Maps HQ
Apr 2025
ReflectionsPhilosophyBrand
Why We Don't Call Ourselves a Travel Company
Before Maps HQ
The language we use shapes the experiences we create.
1 April 2025
Testing the Forgotten Trail to Shoja
Shoja, Himachal Pradesh
Feb 2025
Route TestingTrails
Testing the Forgotten Trail to Shoja
Shoja, Himachal Pradesh
An old shepherd trail connecting two villages, untouched by trekking groups. We walked it twice to verify the route.
20 February 2025