http://www.backpacker.com/june_2001_ski ... 145?page=1
Bushwacking: It's A Jungle Out There
From North Carolina to Alaska, bushwhacking is easier with the proper preparation and attitude.
by: John Harlin
Choose your route wisely
Use every viewpoint and topographic oddity (cliff, ravine, stream, avalanche chute, treeless patch) to plot your position.
Study local vegetation patterns to find the path of least resistance. If avalanche paths or north-facing slopes are usually brush-choked, avoid them. Often—but not always—you'll find less brush under big trees and along streambeds, and thinner shrubbery at higher altitudes.
When the brush gets really thick, don't just plow ahead. Check your topo for alternative routes—like going up and around—that can save time and frustration even if the distance is longer. Take precautions to keep you on course: Note landmarks and take bearings on high, distant objects; if the brush level permits, scan ahead with binoculars for ravines and other terrain traps.
Before you enter
Wear eye protection and durable clothing (gloves, long sleeves, and long pants) to ward off thorns, snagging branches, and poison ivy. Don't wear your good raingear—you don't want to get holes, and leaks, in it.
Streamline your load. Remove or tighten everything on your pack that can snag. To increase stability, lower your pack's center of gravity by packing heavy objects in the bottom.
Carry whistles or two-way radios to maintain contact, plus signal mirrors, emergency strobes, or flares on extended bushwhacks.
In the thick of it
Be patient, because your top speed will rarely exceed one-quarter to one-half of your normal uphill pace. You'll only waste energy or get hurt trying to go faster.
Look for game trails, which often offer easier walking and sometimes take you to a critical junction, like a pass, a route through cliffs, or a stream crossing.
If you're in bear country, make lots of noise, stop often to look and listen, and change course if you spot fresh bruin sign.
Look for a creekbed: It might be the clearest path (see "Up The Creek" in sidebar at right).
Beware of terrain traps. Don't let easier going (to escape the brush) lead you into ravines or down the wrong sides of hills. Stick to ridgelines when possible.
Be flexible about how you attack obstacles. Sometimes contouring around a ravine is better than sliding downhill and scrambling back up the other side. It all depends on the density of the brush, steepness, the firmness of the terrain, and your scrambling abilities.
If you're hiking with a group, spread out so you'll have a better chance of stumbling across a game trail, but keep each other within sight or sound.
If you have to punch through an occasional wall of brush, back through pack-first to save your face.
Bushwaking/Crosscountry travel
just for fun. There are not many articles(that was the only one I found) and I think theres much more to it then the above.
Here's my perspective: I'm up there for recreation, to enjoy myself. That's why you will never catch me doing any bushwhacking.
Nunc est bibendum
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FIGHT ON
FIGHT ON! (that's Trojan Talk for RIGHT ON!)simonov wrote:Here's my perspective: I'm up there for recreation, to enjoy myself. That's why you will never catch me doing any bushwhacking.
But I could see myself in a few years going wherever I wanted (off trails) w/o fear of getting lost.
I dont plan on finishing anything decent anytime soon. Its certainly not for the trail hiker, as if they go offcourse, their safety can diminsh rapidly. I dont want to encourage anyone to do a Baldy-Heaton hike just because they read something like the above.
I'm not a fan of bushwhacking either, at least the literal aspects of clawing your way through brush. I hate brush. But I think cross-country travel is intriguing and I can see why some people find it rewarding and enjoyable. They like the sense of adventure, the exploration and the thrill of the unknown. It's like being Lewis and Clark or one of the old pioneers. Sometimes I wish I lived in those exciting pioneering times.
It's not for everyone, though, because XC is nowhere near as efficient as trail hiking so your potential range is much smaller unless you plan to overnight. There's also a lot of trial and error. It's intimidating because you can get lost or get trapped in deadly terrain. I haven't done much of it either because as a solo hiker it does scare me.
It's not for everyone, though, because XC is nowhere near as efficient as trail hiking so your potential range is much smaller unless you plan to overnight. There's also a lot of trial and error. It's intimidating because you can get lost or get trapped in deadly terrain. I haven't done much of it either because as a solo hiker it does scare me.
Here are my thoughts on bushwhacking based on my experience:
The best bushwhack is the one that you don't do. Do your homework before you ever set foot on your route. Study the USGS topos for the area. Which trails can you use to get as close as possible to your objective in order with minimum bushwhacking? Many times there may also be commercially produced maps, forest service maps, or other types of maps for an area. Sometimes one map will reveal a good route that another completely omits. Use a variety of maps when practical in your planning process in order to get minimize bushwhacking.
Is there a local hiking club, Sierra Club group, or AHS chapter? Often they will know of "use" trails (trails created by constant use rather than by a trail crew), abandoned but still passible trails, and trails that may not be marked on the standard USGS topos. Likewise online forums can provide invaluable information on non-standard routes. What guide books or websites are available for the area? Guide books and websites can also be great resources to enable you to minimize bushwhacking.
Regardless of how much homework you do, bushwhacks are a fact of life in cross country travel; be prepared. Scree gaiters may be really helpful in preventing debris from going down your boots. If you don't normally wear boots for hiking, you might want to get a set if your route requires bushwhacking. The higher tops will keep more debris out of your footwear as well as protecting your ankles from turning or getting beat up by rocks or branches. If you don't normally wear a hat, bring one for bushwhacking. A hat will protect your head and keep debris out of your hair.
Your clothes may get pretty torn up. Carry a sewing kit and perhaps even swatches of cloth to effect repairs with. Duct tape also makes an excellent temporary "patch" for a tear in your clothing to keep the tear from getting larger until you get a chance to do a proper repair. Duct tape too can be used to make improvised scree gaiters to keep brush bits out of your boots.
When brush is head high or higher, a lot of brush bits may go down your shirt which is no fun at all. A collared shirt with a button at the neck may be useful to prevent leaves etc. from going down your back and chest. Sometimes, turning the collar up will help deflect debris. When proceeding through truly thick, high brush, use your weight not just your muscles to go through the brush. Lean into the brush, let the brush break or separate a bit, then take a step. It's really slow and completely undesireable, but sometimes it's a technique that one is forced to use.
When you're going through brush, depending on the type of brush, you may get really really dirty. Bring along things to wash up with, perhaps even a change of clothes. Regarding washing up, a bandana and some water go a long way. If you need soap, which is particularly helpful when you have to go through burn areas that have subsequently become overgrown with brush, make sure to use biodegradable soap and to keep even biodegradable soap away from all water sources.
Some notes on gear: walking sticks, trekking poles, and the like are worse than useless in brush: leave 'em behind. Even the telescoping type of trekking poles typically stick up above or below your pack and are prone to snaging on brush. Unless you can put your trekking poles completely inside your pack, leave the trekking poles at home. On multi-day trips, external frame packs are a very bad idea for bushwhacking. External frame packs generally have a higher profile and are more work to force through the brush. Many external frame packs even have a top bar. A top bar on an external frame pack is going to constantly snag on brush. Use an internal frame or non-frame pack if you can. If you just absolutely have to use an external frame pack, at least remove the top bar!
Often in montane areas (areas below sub-alpine or alpine areas but above foothill areas), the brush below conifers is thinner than in more open areas without trees. It's not always better under the pines, but it's at least worth checking out.
Flexibility is the key to bushwhacking. If the creek bed doesn't work try a ridge; if a ridge doesn't work, try game trails; if game trails don't work -- you get the idea. The idea is to not become rigid in the planning process as to exact routes and techniques. If something's not working when you're actually out in the field, do something different.
Make sure that you have the proper topo map for the area with you as well as a good compass. A GPS can be a great asset in brush. Regardless of whether or not you bring a GPS, bring and know how to use a map and compass. Stay continuously oriented. Stop early and often to check your position. The key to not getting lost is staying "found." As to topo maps, if your route takes you near the edge of the area covered by a particular quad, it's a good idea to bring the adjoining quad just in case you have to make a wider detour to get around an obstacle. That extra quad might just give you that extra option that reduces a miserable bushwhack to a tolerable one.
The scale to look for on topo maps is 1:24,000. Generally, a 1:24,000 scale will give you enough detail over a wide enough area to do accurate terrain association (visually determining which landforms on the ground correspond to the landforms on the topo map based on contours, elevation, compass bearing, orientation, etc. so as to determine one's whereabouts). If a 1:24,000 scale topo map isn't available, try to get a topographic map with the largest scale possible. Note: with respect to map scales, the smaller the number after the colon, the larger the scale of the map. For example 1:24,000 is a large scale map whereas 1:1,000,000 is a small scale map. A small scale map shows a larger area but with little detail; a large scale map shows a smaller area but in much greater detail. Scales of 1:50,000 or even 1:62,500 are often sufficient in areas with good identifiable terrain features, provided that they have a good contour interval. A good contour interval is about 80 feet or less. Military 1:50,000 scale maps with a contour interval of 40 meters (~130 feet) may not be the best for land navigation due to their overly large contour interval. Topo maps with smaller scales such as 1:100,000 or 1:250,000 generally make a poor choice for land navigation, but in some areas 1:100,000 is the largest scale available. Any topo is better than no topo, but bring the largest scale that you can.
Always file a route plan with a trusted, reliable family member or friend. Tell them where you're going, when you're going, and what time you'll be back. It's also good to list things like what you're wearing, what equipment and provisions you've got, who you're going with, the contact information of your group's members, and what your objectives are. A xerox of the topo map marked with your intended route is a great thing to provide as part of your route plan.
If something does go wrong, you want to make it easy for SAR to find you. Bright clothing and gear are the order of the day for both helping to keep the group in visual contact as well as adding SAR if needed. As much as possible keep the group in visual contact in brush. Signaling devices such as a signaling mirror for day use and a bright flashlight for night use are a good idea. Flares , signal fires, or other incendiary devices are a very bad idea in brushy or windy conditions. Use incendiary devices with extreme caution and always clear an area to prevent the incendiary device from coming into contact with flammable materials.
The best bushwhack is the one that you don't do. Do your homework before you ever set foot on your route. Study the USGS topos for the area. Which trails can you use to get as close as possible to your objective in order with minimum bushwhacking? Many times there may also be commercially produced maps, forest service maps, or other types of maps for an area. Sometimes one map will reveal a good route that another completely omits. Use a variety of maps when practical in your planning process in order to get minimize bushwhacking.
Is there a local hiking club, Sierra Club group, or AHS chapter? Often they will know of "use" trails (trails created by constant use rather than by a trail crew), abandoned but still passible trails, and trails that may not be marked on the standard USGS topos. Likewise online forums can provide invaluable information on non-standard routes. What guide books or websites are available for the area? Guide books and websites can also be great resources to enable you to minimize bushwhacking.
Regardless of how much homework you do, bushwhacks are a fact of life in cross country travel; be prepared. Scree gaiters may be really helpful in preventing debris from going down your boots. If you don't normally wear boots for hiking, you might want to get a set if your route requires bushwhacking. The higher tops will keep more debris out of your footwear as well as protecting your ankles from turning or getting beat up by rocks or branches. If you don't normally wear a hat, bring one for bushwhacking. A hat will protect your head and keep debris out of your hair.
Your clothes may get pretty torn up. Carry a sewing kit and perhaps even swatches of cloth to effect repairs with. Duct tape also makes an excellent temporary "patch" for a tear in your clothing to keep the tear from getting larger until you get a chance to do a proper repair. Duct tape too can be used to make improvised scree gaiters to keep brush bits out of your boots.
When brush is head high or higher, a lot of brush bits may go down your shirt which is no fun at all. A collared shirt with a button at the neck may be useful to prevent leaves etc. from going down your back and chest. Sometimes, turning the collar up will help deflect debris. When proceeding through truly thick, high brush, use your weight not just your muscles to go through the brush. Lean into the brush, let the brush break or separate a bit, then take a step. It's really slow and completely undesireable, but sometimes it's a technique that one is forced to use.
When you're going through brush, depending on the type of brush, you may get really really dirty. Bring along things to wash up with, perhaps even a change of clothes. Regarding washing up, a bandana and some water go a long way. If you need soap, which is particularly helpful when you have to go through burn areas that have subsequently become overgrown with brush, make sure to use biodegradable soap and to keep even biodegradable soap away from all water sources.
Some notes on gear: walking sticks, trekking poles, and the like are worse than useless in brush: leave 'em behind. Even the telescoping type of trekking poles typically stick up above or below your pack and are prone to snaging on brush. Unless you can put your trekking poles completely inside your pack, leave the trekking poles at home. On multi-day trips, external frame packs are a very bad idea for bushwhacking. External frame packs generally have a higher profile and are more work to force through the brush. Many external frame packs even have a top bar. A top bar on an external frame pack is going to constantly snag on brush. Use an internal frame or non-frame pack if you can. If you just absolutely have to use an external frame pack, at least remove the top bar!
Often in montane areas (areas below sub-alpine or alpine areas but above foothill areas), the brush below conifers is thinner than in more open areas without trees. It's not always better under the pines, but it's at least worth checking out.
Flexibility is the key to bushwhacking. If the creek bed doesn't work try a ridge; if a ridge doesn't work, try game trails; if game trails don't work -- you get the idea. The idea is to not become rigid in the planning process as to exact routes and techniques. If something's not working when you're actually out in the field, do something different.
Make sure that you have the proper topo map for the area with you as well as a good compass. A GPS can be a great asset in brush. Regardless of whether or not you bring a GPS, bring and know how to use a map and compass. Stay continuously oriented. Stop early and often to check your position. The key to not getting lost is staying "found." As to topo maps, if your route takes you near the edge of the area covered by a particular quad, it's a good idea to bring the adjoining quad just in case you have to make a wider detour to get around an obstacle. That extra quad might just give you that extra option that reduces a miserable bushwhack to a tolerable one.
The scale to look for on topo maps is 1:24,000. Generally, a 1:24,000 scale will give you enough detail over a wide enough area to do accurate terrain association (visually determining which landforms on the ground correspond to the landforms on the topo map based on contours, elevation, compass bearing, orientation, etc. so as to determine one's whereabouts). If a 1:24,000 scale topo map isn't available, try to get a topographic map with the largest scale possible. Note: with respect to map scales, the smaller the number after the colon, the larger the scale of the map. For example 1:24,000 is a large scale map whereas 1:1,000,000 is a small scale map. A small scale map shows a larger area but with little detail; a large scale map shows a smaller area but in much greater detail. Scales of 1:50,000 or even 1:62,500 are often sufficient in areas with good identifiable terrain features, provided that they have a good contour interval. A good contour interval is about 80 feet or less. Military 1:50,000 scale maps with a contour interval of 40 meters (~130 feet) may not be the best for land navigation due to their overly large contour interval. Topo maps with smaller scales such as 1:100,000 or 1:250,000 generally make a poor choice for land navigation, but in some areas 1:100,000 is the largest scale available. Any topo is better than no topo, but bring the largest scale that you can.
Always file a route plan with a trusted, reliable family member or friend. Tell them where you're going, when you're going, and what time you'll be back. It's also good to list things like what you're wearing, what equipment and provisions you've got, who you're going with, the contact information of your group's members, and what your objectives are. A xerox of the topo map marked with your intended route is a great thing to provide as part of your route plan.
If something does go wrong, you want to make it easy for SAR to find you. Bright clothing and gear are the order of the day for both helping to keep the group in visual contact as well as adding SAR if needed. As much as possible keep the group in visual contact in brush. Signaling devices such as a signaling mirror for day use and a bright flashlight for night use are a good idea. Flares , signal fires, or other incendiary devices are a very bad idea in brushy or windy conditions. Use incendiary devices with extreme caution and always clear an area to prevent the incendiary device from coming into contact with flammable materials.
Thanks Jim....it likely will remain that people who travel cross country initially travel with others through groups like the Sierra Club or ODC or canyoneering or what have you if they have no previous history.
There are at least hikes like Strawberry pk from Colby canyon, the East fork SG river,and some others that offer some cross-country parts.
It certainly contains trial and error, and thats where tips can be helpful. For example, because of the lack of scientific basis for this kind of travel, one of my personal rules is understanding the commital process. If you are flexible, you learn a lot less...the plan should be appropiate from the very beginning(I know that is very much a monday morning quaterback type of statement but is true). When descending, the number of options typically increases and if one is flexible, that will just result in a headache and slow time of pondering numerous whatifs. Being flexible means not taking the terrain seriously(unless its like a grass field). Granted, a change of plans can be in order, but should be done with a pause, as its not a good sign that everything is in order. The hiking plan should be gone over again based on the new info.
Then there is the microrouting, which is basically dealing with one segment at a time. The typical image of cross-country travel. Break out the machete! 8) Actually, most of the time it doesnt(shouldnt) come to that....purpose of XC travel is not to start destroying the ecosystem.
There are at least hikes like Strawberry pk from Colby canyon, the East fork SG river,and some others that offer some cross-country parts.
It certainly contains trial and error, and thats where tips can be helpful. For example, because of the lack of scientific basis for this kind of travel, one of my personal rules is understanding the commital process. If you are flexible, you learn a lot less...the plan should be appropiate from the very beginning(I know that is very much a monday morning quaterback type of statement but is true). When descending, the number of options typically increases and if one is flexible, that will just result in a headache and slow time of pondering numerous whatifs. Being flexible means not taking the terrain seriously(unless its like a grass field). Granted, a change of plans can be in order, but should be done with a pause, as its not a good sign that everything is in order. The hiking plan should be gone over again based on the new info.
Then there is the microrouting, which is basically dealing with one segment at a time. The typical image of cross-country travel. Break out the machete! 8) Actually, most of the time it doesnt(shouldnt) come to that....purpose of XC travel is not to start destroying the ecosystem.
I don't really dislike bushwhacking. It's required to get to some routes I've done that I loved every bit of. Like y'all said, it's a fact of life. I don't go out to bushwhack, but it's just another part of the adventure, which is what I look for... things nobody or few people have seen before. Adventure.
I don't entirely like bushwhacking after a snowstorm though, as you get very wet and don't always have the time or "facilities" to dry off (like camping voernight and using a fire).
I don't entirely like bushwhacking after a snowstorm though, as you get very wet and don't always have the time or "facilities" to dry off (like camping voernight and using a fire).
I understand what you're saying about flexibility. Perhaps I didn't say it well, but I was thinking along the lines of being flexible when you really need to. To deviate from a route plan that you've filed with others is just not a good idea, but sometimes conditions warrant it. In particular when I wrote the bit about flexibility I was thinking about the time my dad and I descended Sespe Creek. We'd cross the creek to get "better" brush when we encountered truly awful brush. We'd try to go down the bouldered creek bed awhile if that looked better. We switched things up fairly frequently just to try to give our selves a break from the brutal brush.AW wrote:Thanks Jim....it likely will remain that people who travel cross country initially travel with others through groups like the Sierra Club or ODC or canyoneering or what have you if they have no previous history.
There are at least hikes like Strawberry pk from Colby canyon, the East fork SG river,and some others that offer some cross-country parts.
It certainly contains trial and error, and thats where tips can be helpful. For example, because of the lack of scientific basis for this kind of travel, one of my personal rules is understanding the commital process. If you are flexible, you learn a lot less...the plan should be appropiate from the very beginning(I know that is very much a monday morning quaterback type of statement but is true). When descending, the number of options typically increases and if one is flexible, that will just result in a headache and slow time of pondering numerous whatifs. Being flexible means not taking the terrain seriously(unless its like a grass field). Granted, a change of plans can be in order, but should be done with a pause, as its not a good sign that everything is in order. The hiking plan should be gone over again based on the new info.
Then there is the microrouting, which is basically dealing with one segment at a time. The typical image of cross-country travel. Break out the machete! 8) Actually, most of the time it doesnt(shouldnt) come to that....purpose of XC travel is not to start destroying the ecosystem.