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As I work my way up to a nice rock shelf to take a break from the canyon traverse, I look down and note whether the blood is getting on to anything that might not benefit (camera lense... turkey sandwich...) and, it occurs to me that not all hikers would appreciate this moment. In fact, it might not really fall into their definition of what hiking is about. It is nice to have the category of Canyoneering to cover this off trail form of outing. Though, it is not dependent on really having a canyon... it could be ridges and valleys with downfall trees and thick scrub....

I have to admit that when I am making my way over, around and through obstacles that the activity hardly resembles rambling along on a developed trail. The issue of getting lost is mute... there is nothing to get lost from. The essence of the activity is exploratory discovery.... not knowing what to expect nor whether or not you can really get there from here. There is a sense of being in the right place at the right time... not getting someplace. I don't think it is better than trail hiking, just different.

There has to be a total acceptance of the minor aspects of cuts, scrapes and bits of physical abuses not normally found in trail hiking, and that too makes the activity outside the acceptable for many hikers. Yet, I have to believe that once experienced, nearly all lovers of the outdoors would find the bit of adventure and discovery inherent to this style of hiking would be both appreciated and even desired.

If you have yet to experience that off trail outing, you might want to set aside a special weekend to venture off and away... if you're really lucky, you'll score a neat scar to commemorate the event!

My cup of tea, at least occasionally. But I wear protective clothing, usually. Cami military pants, long sleeved shirt, leather gloves. And leave the poles in the car, or shorten them down and attach to my pack! They just get in the way!

imike wrote:There has to be a total acceptance of the minor aspects of cuts, scrapes and bits of physical abuses not normally found in trail hiking,

People look askance when, coming off the trail bleeding in 20 places, you respond to the status inquiry with: "no really, they're just little surface cuts".

I'll never forget the cowboy coning toward me in the Chiricuahuas. "It's pretty brushy back there, huh?" "Just one stretch on the back side of that mountain. How did you know?". Then I saw my own arm as I was pointing back.

big_load wrote:

imike wrote:There has to be a total acceptance of the minor aspects of cuts, scrapes and bits of physical abuses not normally found in trail hiking,

People look askance when, coming off the trail bleeding in 20 places, you respond to the status inquiry with: "no really, they're just little surface cuts".

.

I recall getting off trail years ago in the dark up in Ventana (first time hiking it...) then running into a couple of folks on the trail... with sweat mixed with the blood, to the effect of looking much like a car wreck victim. The lady had dragged her boyfriend out for the hike, and he saw me and immediately wanted to turn around and head home. She only saw the developed leg muscles... and became more excited about the potentials of more hiking and training. One great candidate for off trail hiking... one potential and lasting coach potato..

It's easy to lose the trail in Ventana, actually. You can usually rejoin it again almost immediately, but, I swear - the path of that trail has changed about fifteen times over the last decade.

To misuse a line from a classic film: "We don't need no stinkin' trail!" I like wandering. I see things that have interesting names on a topo and go and see why they're so named. I liked bushwhacking back into Madrona before they started cutting the AZ trail (Which will bypass Madrona, BTW.) Following old, overgrown two tracks can frequently land you somewhere worth checking out, too. But, there's nothing like cutting your way up a hill, that's for sure!

Speaking of which, ask Nick about his Cleaver experience...

Jeff MacE wrote:I see things that have interesting names on a topo and go and see why they're so named.

Word to that. But I'm a bit hesitant to explore "Death Trap Canyon" in the Whetstones.

Preston Sands wrote:

Jeff MacE wrote:I see things that have interesting names on a topo and go and see why they're so named.

Word to that. But I'm a bit hesitant to explore "Death Trap Canyon" in the Whetstones.

There's one down here in the Little Rincons called "Hell's Gate" that Nick and I have been talking about checking out...

Once upon a time, it was all off trail....

well, yeah... pre-mastadon maybe...

imike wrote:well, yeah... pre-mastadon maybe...

Yeah, I follow game trails all the time. Deer make some decent paths, but they're often not tall enough, forcing me to hunch way over and catching my pack on too many branches.

Elk is nicer... bit taller and tend to angle cross slope better. Raises the interesting off trail issue of acceptable trail practice of snapping and trimming limbs to make the return trip/next trip easier... pro/con?

joe bartels wrote:viewtopic.php?t=1123

Nice referral... Joe, what happened to all those folks posting from those earlier years... not too many familiar faces.

Rock bottom canyon off trail does not really allow for adding to the erosion... the cycles of seasonal water have an aggressive and constant redistribution of the sides, and bottom of the canyon. all traces of passing are eliminated with a single light rain...

Up in the forest here, the constant deadfall cycle also tends to obliterate all passing, the exception being the jeep and ATV tracks cutting and recutting the erosion patterns too deeply. While the forest service specifies which routes are allowable for ATV, they fail to enforce... I constantly run into hunters and rec'rs all over where they are not supposed to be...

I'm a wierdo purist -I try not to alter the land at all. I'll even brush over my tracks from time-to-time because I'm sick in the head.