Maps are at the start of every adventure.
Almost every microadventure starts with some research and there is no better research and mapping tool than Caltopo. This single website allows you to research areas you want to explore; to view Forest Service maps, USGS maps, Mapbuilder maps, aerial photographs, and combinations of these and others. Caltopo lets you view Snotel sites (shows the snow depth and temperature at various locations) and to add slope shading as a function of slope angle (useful for evaluating avalanche terrain risk).
You can trace out routes (use the Mapbuilder layer or overlay to make this very easy - click at the start and click at the end and it routes everything in between) and can display the elevation profile of the route and a dot will move along your path as you move your cursor along the profile. Weather forecasts for specific locations can be brought up just by right clicking on the area of interest. You can look at sun exposure and tree cover and can also evaluate areas with fires.
One of my favorite features is to trace out a route and then export the KML file. This imports seamlessly into Google Earth, which allows you to fly/walk through the route on Google Earth before even setting foot on site. This can add a lot of confidence during the actual hike because you can already be very familiar with the terrain.
Caltopo will also let you print paper copies of maps, which makes it a one-stop-shop for all your research and mapping needs. Spend some time getting familiar with the site. There is no better mapping program out there. Caltopo will do everything I have described for free. For a small monthly fee you can also do even more. Whether you are just beginning or have been backpacking forever, Caltopo should be a critical piece of your skill set and tool set.