Your grading system is simple and logical, and it's about time somebody came out with a standard.
Maybe "bushwhacking" means you're whacking the bush, but usually it means, it's whacking you!
Here in the Eastern Rocky Mountains, the vegetation is a different mix. Not as lush and leafy. Instead I get a lot of twigs scratching my legs, so I can measure the "B" grade after I get home.
Also we get a lot of deadfall, which means you can never get there from here, so route-finding has an extra challenge.
Actually, we have a plant called "Shin-dagger" growing amongst the
rattlesnakes. You have to like blood and snakes to truly enjoy the
"wilderness" experience of AZ!!!! Like I said, it hurts so good!!
That's as far as I've gone. Yeah, I'm one of those hypocrites who loves solitude but hates bushwhacking! Actually, bushwhacking itself isn't so bad; I've done it often and enjoyed it. I think the real pain is mental-- when you feel that you're getting nowhere and that the slog will never end.
Fun read! You'd get along with my friend in the Bitterroots, thephotohiker. He loves punishing himself this way!
In order to enjoy bushwhacking, you've got to give yourself up to the biomass. Once this particular state of Nirvana is attained, you won't feel that "the slow (grind) will never end". In fact you won't want it to end.
No - certainly not cheating to use a game trail. The crafty beggars go on 4 legs and, therefore, slide happily under stuff that we have to thrash through.
No matter where you are, you must face the land on its own terms. That's what makes it such fun.
I do a lot of off-trail exploring in the Rocky Mountains, and I find a lot of areas where there are absolutely no sign that humans have been anywhere near. Not ever.
My number-one rule is, "Don't damage the land." and my second rule is "Take the easiest route". Well these hills are steep and fragile, I get a lot of scree with junipers and flowers growing in the rocks. The surface of the whole hill, and even larger rocks, are unstable and ready to get knocked down.
But the sheep and deer who live here have developed a network of trails going everywhere. I can always find one of their trails, and I know that every trail leads somewhere. The trouble is, those trails go where the animals want to go, not where I want to go.
The route-finding is still pretty uncertain, mind you! It's a giant puzzle, like Alice in the garden -- you never really know where you're going to find yourself!
As for the grade? Well of course a pre-made trail is always easier. I'd say that some hills I explore would be B2 - B3, or even worse, except the animal trails give me B1's. But by my rule #1 and rule #2, that's the way to climb a mountain safely, reach the objective efficiently, and have a great outing!
So I think it's smart to follow the animal trails.
... and so true :)
I'll surely refer to your article in my coming-soon TR from Montenegrin/Albanian mountains (one day of B4 bordering on B5).
Happy New Year!
kamil
Thanks kamil - I'll look forward to your Balkan mountains TR. It'll be interesting to compare your conditions with ours on the other side of the world.
Eric, I know! :) Here I once wrote: 'Those who have ever done it know that dwarf pine-whacking is actually a more advanced and sophisticated form of bushwhacking.'
Posted the mentioned TR, somewhere in the middle I described that bushwhacking day :) No good photos from there unfortunately, I was solo and too busy fighting...
cheers
kamil
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your article! Mixed with your humor is an informative grading system for bushwhacking which I have some experience in doing.
I used to love it as a kid, wandering the hills around my house but at Outward Bound, I think they made us do it just to test our map skills. It was definitely B3 and a royal pain in the arse, especially by hour 6 in the rain. You can only stand getting smacked in the face by rhododendron on steroids let's say 100 times a day max!
Now that I am, let's admit it, over age 50, I claim a bushwhack exemption!
Good job putting some definition to a rather unmanageable subject!
Kathy
Now that I live in the Southwest, bushwhacking has taken on a different meaning. No longer is my body bruised from negotiating thick tangles of balsam; now it is cut and pricked by cacti, scrub oak, agave, and catclaw (though manzanita does some bruising reminiscent of balsam).
Still, when people ask me how the brush rates on a trip, I may say, "2 on an Adirondack scale of 1 to 10".
dan2see - Dec 28, 2008 6:46 pm - Voted 9/10
The newYour grading system is simple and logical, and it's about time somebody came out with a standard.
Maybe "bushwhacking" means you're whacking the bush, but usually it means, it's whacking you!
Here in the Eastern Rocky Mountains, the vegetation is a different mix. Not as lush and leafy. Instead I get a lot of twigs scratching my legs, so I can measure the "B" grade after I get home.
Also we get a lot of deadfall, which means you can never get there from here, so route-finding has an extra challenge.
lcarreau - Dec 28, 2008 10:28 pm - Voted 10/10
It drives a man like me,(part Canadian), to go into a bushwhacking frenzy!!!
Arizona has a lot of Cats Claw and cactus - going from Point A to
Point B never felt better, because it HURTS so good!
Larry
vancouver islander - Jan 2, 2009 2:42 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: It drives a man like me,Thanks Larry. Good to see you desert dwellers seeking the off-trail option too.
lcarreau - Jan 2, 2009 3:32 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: It drives a man like me,Actually, we have a plant called "Shin-dagger" growing amongst the
rattlesnakes. You have to like blood and snakes to truly enjoy the
"wilderness" experience of AZ!!!! Like I said, it hurts so good!!
Bob Sihler - Dec 28, 2008 11:46 pm - Voted 10/10
B3, maybe B4That's as far as I've gone. Yeah, I'm one of those hypocrites who loves solitude but hates bushwhacking! Actually, bushwhacking itself isn't so bad; I've done it often and enjoyed it. I think the real pain is mental-- when you feel that you're getting nowhere and that the slog will never end.
Fun read! You'd get along with my friend in the Bitterroots, thephotohiker. He loves punishing himself this way!
vancouver islander - Jan 2, 2009 3:19 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: B3, maybe B4Thanks Bob.
In order to enjoy bushwhacking, you've got to give yourself up to the biomass. Once this particular state of Nirvana is attained, you won't feel that "the slow (grind) will never end". In fact you won't want it to end.
Happy trails in 2009!
Martin
Bob Sihler - Jan 2, 2009 3:29 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: B3, maybe B4I actually meant "slog," but I'm glad you spotted that!
Arthur Digbee - Dec 29, 2008 1:52 pm - Voted 10/10
amen!I love the way you equate bushwhacking with wilderness. But is it cheating to follow an animal trail?
I'd be curious how well the grades apply outside a temperate rainforest, though. Here in the Midwest, winter travel is almost always B1 at most.
vancouver islander - Jan 2, 2009 2:36 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: amen!Thanks Arthur.
No - certainly not cheating to use a game trail. The crafty beggars go on 4 legs and, therefore, slide happily under stuff that we have to thrash through.
dan2see - Jan 2, 2009 11:09 pm - Voted 9/10
Re: amen!No matter where you are, you must face the land on its own terms. That's what makes it such fun.
I do a lot of off-trail exploring in the Rocky Mountains, and I find a lot of areas where there are absolutely no sign that humans have been anywhere near. Not ever.
My number-one rule is, "Don't damage the land." and my second rule is "Take the easiest route". Well these hills are steep and fragile, I get a lot of scree with junipers and flowers growing in the rocks. The surface of the whole hill, and even larger rocks, are unstable and ready to get knocked down.
But the sheep and deer who live here have developed a network of trails going everywhere. I can always find one of their trails, and I know that every trail leads somewhere. The trouble is, those trails go where the animals want to go, not where I want to go.
The route-finding is still pretty uncertain, mind you! It's a giant puzzle, like Alice in the garden -- you never really know where you're going to find yourself!
As for the grade? Well of course a pre-made trail is always easier. I'd say that some hills I explore would be B2 - B3, or even worse, except the animal trails give me B1's. But by my rule #1 and rule #2, that's the way to climb a mountain safely, reach the objective efficiently, and have a great outing!
So I think it's smart to follow the animal trails.
kamil - Dec 29, 2008 4:44 pm - Voted 10/10
What a fun read read...... and so true :)
I'll surely refer to your article in my coming-soon TR from Montenegrin/Albanian mountains (one day of B4 bordering on B5).
Happy New Year!
kamil
vancouver islander - Jan 2, 2009 2:39 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: What a fun read read...Thanks kamil - I'll look forward to your Balkan mountains TR. It'll be interesting to compare your conditions with ours on the other side of the world.
visentin - Jan 5, 2009 4:41 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: What a fun read read...No need to go so far ! as far as I know there is some fine bushwhacking to do in Poland in our "kosodrzewina" :)
Fortunately offtrails is forbidden !
kamil - Jan 7, 2009 3:43 pm - Voted 10/10
kosodrzewinaEric, I know! :) Here I once wrote: 'Those who have ever done it know that dwarf pine-whacking is actually a more advanced and sophisticated form of bushwhacking.'
vancouver islander - Jan 7, 2009 5:18 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: kosodrzewinaWell known on the west coast of NA as "krumholtz"
kamil - May 16, 2010 6:40 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: What a fun read read...Posted the mentioned TR, somewhere in the middle I described that bushwhacking day :) No good photos from there unfortunately, I was solo and too busy fighting...
cheers
kamil
silversummit - Dec 30, 2008 7:36 pm - Voted 10/10
Great read, full of fun!I thoroughly enjoyed reading your article! Mixed with your humor is an informative grading system for bushwhacking which I have some experience in doing.
I used to love it as a kid, wandering the hills around my house but at Outward Bound, I think they made us do it just to test our map skills. It was definitely B3 and a royal pain in the arse, especially by hour 6 in the rain. You can only stand getting smacked in the face by rhododendron on steroids let's say 100 times a day max!
Now that I am, let's admit it, over age 50, I claim a bushwhack exemption!
Good job putting some definition to a rather unmanageable subject!
Kathy
vancouver islander - Jan 2, 2009 3:22 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Great read, full of fun!Kathy you're 50 - you're just a kid. 50 is the new 30!! Get off the trails and back into the bush. No exemption granted :)
Thanks for reading my stuff and so glad you enjoyed it.
Cheers,
Martin
Sarah Simon - Jan 2, 2009 6:26 pm - Voted 10/10
Here! Here!Bushwacking is surely one of my favorite passtimes. Thanks for pulling this piece together.
Cheers,
Sarah
MoapaPk - Jan 4, 2009 1:58 pm - Voted 10/10
geographyNow that I live in the Southwest, bushwhacking has taken on a different meaning. No longer is my body bruised from negotiating thick tangles of balsam; now it is cut and pricked by cacti, scrub oak, agave, and catclaw (though manzanita does some bruising reminiscent of balsam).
Still, when people ask me how the brush rates on a trip, I may say, "2 on an Adirondack scale of 1 to 10".