I hadn't ever really thought about it, but when I hiked out west I do recall that being mostly the case for me too, but here it's just the opposite most times.

Trailheads generally begin on a ridgetop here, and follow them down. Roads are built mostly on the ridgetops, that's why the trailheads mostly start there.

But it's never more than 7-8 miles before you hit a bottom, and usually much less, so a general rule is that last couple miles back you're trending uphill to a trailhead. I usually bushwhack a hollow on the way back that leads to the ridge and you come up either to the right or left of the trailhead.

I've learned to count the fingers and cuts as I hike through the hollows and on the ridges, and by doing that I usually have a pretty good idea of where I am in relation to where I want to go. After lots of climbing way steeper hills than I expected, I've even learned to read a topo map a lot better

I still surprise myself a lot though, and I learn something every time I get out. After 16 years here I think I can say I'm finally getting to know a little about how to get around here.

At least I know how to get where I'm unlikely to run into anyone that would be asking that question