Established Trails or Bushwhacking

“Preference: Hiking on established routes or finding your own way?”

“Hmmmm I like them both. There is a feeling of accomplishment off trail. Perhaps you are the first to go this way--one never knows. I like the challenge.

Some trails that I have hiked many times have lots of memories to go with them. I especially like to go on trails that I hiked with my sister before she died. Happy memories there.”

“in a group I hike on the trails - if solo I usually only hike on trails till I get to a good place to start bushwhacking”

“My aim is to take to the trail but due to my hiking style, i sometimes realize i am bushwacking instead. its all good....”

“bushwhacking is a misnomer if there aren't any bushes. I like a little cross country travel, especially when assending a peak. There are a lot of great places to hike where trails don't go, and with a little common sence you can find your way around the mountains useing the geography.”

“.'bushwhacking is a misnomer if there aren't any bushes.'
thinair

I agree. But for clarification, my Webster does not mention bushes.

bushwhack:- 1. To travel through or live in woods. 2. To ambush.

And the definition of bush includes: 2. rough, uncleared land.
-----------------------------
I use the trails, since I normally hike alone, have a heart condition and a few other considerations. I have considered bushwhacking and have one trip in mind. But prior to attempting it, I would first get myself in the best condition that I can. Then I would coordinate the trip with friends and with the park rangers or other officials.”

“I like to do it some but only if I know the area pretty well. I also do it more in the cold months when the vegetation is dead and I can see farther through the woods. Me and packrat cross country when he's got his GPS. It's hard to missplace yourself with that thing.”

“When is it appropriate to bushwhack and when is it not? I've heard many people say that it is improper to cut across switchbacks because it causes erosion (and that makes sense). Are there any other cases in which bushwhacking is inappropriate? Just a question of etiquette and conservation...what are your opinions? I've always stuck on a trail myself, though I do usually try to find the most secluded and undertraveled ones.”

“Flowbee,
Bushwhacking doesn't mean cutting switchbacks to save a hiker time or effort. Bushwhacking, to me anyways, means getting off the beaten path where appropriate, making your own route with the idea of exploring "new" country and enjoying some solitude.”

“probably the key to good (appropriate) bushwhacking is what I call dispersed hiking - ie try not to make a trail and if more than one person is bushwhacking together then they should not hike one after the other in line but should spread out side to side if at all possible. The problem with cutting switchbacks is that it does make a trail - usually a steep trail that is a serious problem with erosion.”

“I always *intend* to stay on the trail, but often find myself off-trail in search of "what's in those trees over there" or "that looks like water" or "that must be an old trail". I should stay on the trail for my own safety - down here in Florida - on trail means heat and mosquitos. Off-trail means chiggers, coral snakes, rattlers, cottonmouths, gators, palmetto bushes, wading in swamps, walking into giant spider webs, heat and mosquitos. All of which I would have missed on-trail. If my wife asks - tell her I never leave the trail.

By the way - when off trail I attempt to leave-no-trace thus I don't actually wack any bushes (they tend to whack me though).

If I stayed on trail I would not need these boots - I could stick with running shoes.”

“Only stay on the trail if your going where the trail is headed. Look at any wilderness map, how many destinations can actually be reached by trail?

Last year my dad was climbing some peak, (forgot the name) where he had to leave the trail. Upon his return, he met another party of three hikers. A woman in the group said to him, "don't you know your susposed to stay on the trails?" He just smiled at the comment.”

“Bushwacking and cutting switchbacks are not the same. Sometimes there are trace trails that have been developed by animals or humans that make it easy to go cross country and do not harm the trail. They do not cut switchbacks, but rather go up at either end of the switchbacks.

I only feel comfortable bushwacking if I am with someone and if I have all my maps, compass, and GPS. Otherwise I have found trails to be safer and faster.

One problem with bushwacking has been my external frame pack. My frame sticks up so high I have trouble going through some places. A lower profile pack would work much better. Center of gravity is better with an internal frame and that is much more important when bushwacking.

Bushwacking does not always save time because you have more obstacles (rocks, bushes, slog, retracing your steps, streams, indecision, etc.) that slow you.”

“Thought I’d bring this up due to the discussion on backpack’s eye thread.

I’ve never been real keen on bushwhacking but this past year I did quite a bit of it for one reason or another.

*Once my buddy and I were deep into a trail that was covered with blowdowns (we made 2 miles in 4 hours). After a whole morning of this I said, “We’re getting’ the phuck outta here!”. Broke out my compass and map and we headed off cross country. It was SO gratifying when to look at the map and tell my buddy, “Over this hill should be a small shelf and then a trail just beyond that.”, and by gawd, it’d be there.

*After reaching camp early in the afternoon I was sitting around looking at the map and found some heavy contours at the head of the hollow we were camped at. We bushwhacked our way to the head of the hollow and found big caves with ice pillar frozen water falls. We could tell no one had been there is years and years. It was cool to find it.

*Then there was the trip to Pa. Where someone thought it was a good idea to have a geologist as a guide! LOL! Budder took us over and down hills that were just shy of being cliffs, over boulders as big as a house, through little holes I wasn’t sure I’d even fit through, and straight across forest floors. It was one of the most rewarding trips I’ve ever had.”

“I hope you gave your guide a large tip!




LOL. good post, Nigal.”

“Half way up the 400' 30ish degree hill I stared yelling, "I want my deposit back!!". At that point the only tip would have got was the tip of my trekking pole! LOL! Felt so good to get to the top though.”

“I like to go where I have to bushwhack, but if a trail is available I use it. "Rabbit" trails made by people not following an established trail in a heavy use area drive me nuts.”