HikeArizona.COM

Here is a very basic question:

What are the different types of trails in this family of terminology:

• - True Loop
  - Lasso Loop
  - Multi-loop
  - Leg (I don't know if this is the correct word for a trail that starts at point A and ends at point B away from point A [for instance like Bright Angel--it starts at the top and ends at the bottom]) (are there sub-types to the "leg" type?)
  - Anything else

Thank you for your help!

A True Loop is a circle. You start and end at the same point, but never cover any of the same trail twice.
Example: http://hikearizona.com/map.php?QX=2601

A Lasso Loop looks like a lollipop or lasso. You start and end at the same point, but the start and end of your hike covers the same trail. The middle part of the hike is a loop that does not get duplicated.
Example: http://hikearizona.com/map.php?QX=2606

As far as I know, a Multi-Loop is a hike that combines more than one loop hike. Think of the image of a figure-8, or perhaps several chain links.
(still looking for an example... possibly http://hikearizona.com/map.php?QX=2604 ?)

A Leg is a a basic trail. But I think of it more as a connector between two other trails, where neither end of the leg is at a trailhead, just the junction of another trail. But that may be incorrect.
Example: http://hikearizona.com/map.php?QX=2605

I am not able to think of sub-types or "anything else"

@chumley Thank you for your help, chumley! Do you think it would be correct to call a "Point A to Point B" hike a "connector" and a "leg" a connector where Point A or Point B is a trailhead?

Also, is it accepted to use "Summit" as a modifying prefix as in "Summit Leg"/"Summit Connector"/"Summit Loop"?

A connector definitely does not have either terminus at a trailhead, only another trail. E.g. It "connects" two other trails.

I am a little curious of the specifics of your question. I don't know where on HAZ the term "leg" appears with regards to trail or hike descriptions.

As far as summits go, I'm not sure there's a right or wrong. I'd probably need to know more before making a judgement call.

@chumley I am preparing a description or two and one is a connector that terminates on one end at a trailhead. I was just wondering what the correct name was for that type of trail. My curiousity about that item led me to ask about the more general type.

Handy Multi-Loop example: http://hikearizona.com/map.php?GPS=8966

@AndreyP Now that's what I call loopy!

I think that on HAZ they are simply classified as "One-Way". That's what Bright Angel trail is. It starts at a trailhead, and it ends at the river. But technically it is a connector to the Tonto Trail, River Trail, S. Kaibab, N. Kaibab, etc.

@chumley Yes, you are certainly correct. However, because the other options in that choiceset are "Round Trip" and "Shuttle" (and because the dropdown control for that designation abuts the string "Distance"), I think that descriptor is more to help with understanding why the distance is what is reported rather than what type is the trail.

Here's my idea of a "Summit Connector"

The Indian Spring Trail #627 bypasses Big Lake Knoll, a summit that can be accessed by a short trail to the summit, marked #627B on the topo map:
http://hikearizona.com/map.php?QX=2608