Disclaimer

Here's my site disclaimer and some information about being responsible outdoors.

My Wild Adventure is not responsible for your safety, any possible injury, or anything that happens if you choose to follow anything on this website. By going outdoors you are solely responsible to know your strengths and limitations, be aware of current conditions and proceed with the appropriate caution. My Wild Adventure is not responsible for your choices and the outcome.

Bushwhacking

Everybody defines bushwhacking in a different way. Here are a couple different definitions:

1. “A challenging, non-trail hike through (sometimes dense) foliage.” –Uncruise

2. “Hiking someplace off-trail” –Terns

3. “Most of the time a bushwhack means the bushes whack you, not the other way around.” –Terns

I guess the main thing to clear up is my definition of bushwhacking doesn’t involve making a path through the jungle with a machete or "creating" a new trail system. Terns offers a great answer to this misconception: "Most of the time a bushwhack means the bushes whack you, not the other way around. We don’t hack down branches, tie orange ribbon, strings, coffee can lids, or anything else on trees when we’re out there. The goal is to leave things as we found them and to come back with a few neat scratches."

The terms bushwhacking, off-trail hiking, and cross-country hiking are all somewhat interchangeable from what I’ve been able to find online. I find that the term "bushwhacking" makes the most sense to me since "off-trail" in my mind can imply there is a trail nearby or specifically deviating from a trail. "Cross-country" can also feel like it lacks emphasis on the difficulty involved, in non-dense areas I like this term, but in areas with slow movement due to vegetation it doesn't fit in my mind. "Bushwhacking" as a term can have its own drawback in that some people instantly think "machete in the jungle," but the term encompasses far more than that. I’m just going to keep it simple and call anything off-trail or cross-country, where I’m making my own way (without damaging nature), bushwhacking. It makes the most sense due to the area I live and recreate in. If I lived in a more open forest or alpine type area, I would probably lean more toward using "off-trail." I have yet to bushwhack in the PNW without being whacked by the bushes even on easier routes. The third definition listed above is definitely my favorite.

Be sure what you’re doing is legal. In certain areas going off trail is illegal and it’s important to respect those laws because they’re there for a reason.

I'd also like to mention that there are areas where bushwhacking is legally recognized, such as in Denali National Park in Alaska where "off-trail" hiking is one of the main ways to fully experience the national park. There are many recognized trails with sections that have no trail such as the Pacific Northwest Trail and the Wind River Range Trail in Wyoming. Backpack Magazine released an article titled "In Defense of Off-Trail Hiking" which is short, to the point, and does as it says, argues in defense of off-trail hiking responsibly.

When I do bushwhack, I do my best to follow “leave no trace” principles and leave the smallest footprint behind. This means not stomping all over plants or cutting things down to make a path. The idea is to move with the forest, not against it. When traveling in a group, disperse where each person walks so that it doesn’t trample down one area. It leaves less of an impact if you don’t all walk in one line. There are a few instances, in certain settings where using a device to get through brush can be appropriate, for instance, I think of a section on the Pacific Northwest Trail that has no established trail and the brush is very dense and constantly overgrowing the path. There is some realm to "make a path through." Not that I'm condoning it, but I just want to demonstrate some nuance. But for run of the mill bushwhacking, cutting things down to make a way is unnecessary.

Something I personally choose to do is partially encompass "leave no digital trace." I don't have social media any more and only write about my routes on my blog which I don't promote. Even if I had social media I wouldn't post about bushwhacking routes with location details on the off chance it blew up. We've all seen the effects of a social media post blowing up about a specific spot outdoors that then becomes overrun with people. Since my website receives low traffic, I feel comfortable sharing my bushwhacking adventures at this point, since the main purpose of this blog is for me to be able to reference my past explorations and trip reports.

I'd also like to note that bushwhacking doesn't mean cutting switch backs, trampling on sensitive vegetation areas, and shouldn't be used as an excuse for causing erosion or ignoring basic hiking etiquette. Bushwhacking should be intentional, and not done on popular trails as a way to "get somewhere faster." That's just being irresponsible. Bushwhacking/cross-country hiking is a means to accessing places without trails responsibly, not damaging trail systems we already have.

Bushwhacking is an activity that requires forethought, research, and skill. Navigation skills are a must when bushwhacking and understanding the terrain, slope angles, and hazards are very important. There is more inherent risk and it's each of our individual responsibility to be prepared and educated so we aren't putting a strain on search and rescue resources because we shouldn't have been out there without the needed skills in the first place.

Bushwhacking Difficulty Rating System

Creek and River Rating

Access Classifications on Lake & Peak Posts

Leave No Trace Principles

The 10 Essentials

My experience—knowing your skills & limitations

I’ve grown up hiking, backpacking and just being in the outdoors in general. I’m very comfortable in remote wilderness areas and driving on 4-wheel drive back roads. I know my skills as well as my limitations. I am always prepared and aware of the weather and environment I am in. I know what to do if something happens medically or I get lost. It’s important to know and evaluate your own skills and knowledge before doing any outdoor activity. There is always a risk and by choosing to go out you are willingly choosing to take that risk.

1. It’s important to have a healthy respect for nature and wildlife.

2. Always let someone know where you’re going, especially if you’re going out alone. Even if you’re going out with multiple people you should still let someone know where your group is going.

3. Be smart and cautious. If you feel uncomfortable doing something don’t do it. (Unless you’re an anxiety ridden person like me who wouldn’t leave the house if you listened to that uncomfortable feeling. I've found it important to learn the difference between my anxiety/paranoia and my gut response to something feeling wrong or too risky.) Just be aware of your limitations and don’t put yourself in an unnecessary situation that could cause injury.

4. Make sure you have a map of the area and compass (and know how to use them!). I also use Gaia GPS for my GPS tracking and route finding. I have a satellite device (SpotX) for contacting my family and for emergencies.

Information Not Provided

• I choose to intentionally not rate the difficulty of trails beyond stating the ways to access and my personal experience, because I find trail difficulty ratings to be subjective. There are plenty of websites where trail difficulty ratings are given such as AllTrails and if that's something you're interested in knowing I'd suggest looking there or somewhere else.

• I also, most of the time, don't share the length of time it took to hike somewhere since that also varies by person. I really want to promote recreating in the outdoors in whatever way that works for you, at whatever pace, and in a way that works for your own body and needs.

• I don't share the location of dispersed campsites most of the time because I think half of the fun in dispersed camping is finding a spot to camp while out adventuring. There are resources online that do provide information for dispersed campsites if you don't find the same enjoyment in spontaneously finding campsites as I do. Make sure to check the legality of dispersed camping in whatever region you are recreating in.