Bushwhacking

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Salient
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Re: Bushwhacking

Post by Salient »

OldTrad wrote: Fri Oct 01, 2021 10:42 am You haven't really suffered bushwhacking until you've tunneled through the massive poison oak growth that extends between the road and the base of the Finger Lick'n cliff in Yosemite Valley. And of course, the suffering is the gift that keeps on giving for many weeks after.
Unless you're immune to Poison Ivy/Oak like me, in which case it probably isn't that painful.
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Re: Bushwhacking

Post by Boggy B »

supranihilest wrote: Thu Sep 30, 2021 10:30 pm Well I guess I'm going to have to check out this ridge in Box Factory Park. Good excuse to go there since I've never been. A bit off topic but how's that amazing looking couloir on Whitehouse's north face? It was impressive from Corbett and I figure of all people you've at least scoped it if not climbed it.
Yep, in 2013 with FireOnTheMountain. Not super steep, but the terrain is wild.

Re: Box Factory ridge, the fun starts around 38.03775, -107.86521. Not sure why anyone would go that way since the whole Mears N side approach down along the creek goes with _relative_ ease. The S9 N side approach is even more straightforward via the west(?) W Fork Dallas creek.
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Re: Bushwhacking

Post by Matt »

I think Buffalo Peak (Jeffco HP) qualifies as a four on this scale. I'm not sure if any route up it has some trail.
In spite of what I say below, it was the worst bushwhack so far for me.
shelly+ wrote: Thu Sep 30, 2021 6:43 pm In my experience, it's not bushwhacking unless there's blood, hundreds of cactus spines lodged under your skin, and a yucca that nearly pokes out your eye. Everything else is just a pleasant thrashing through vegetation.
I agree that desert bushwhacking is on another level not seen much in CO except where scrub oak exists. Willows don't have needles. Cholla do. Anyone who's hiked in Chihuahuan desert knows lechugilla readily swallow unprotected feet like a venus fly trap. No plants here are likely to kill you if you fell on one, but agave spines would go right through you. Plus, when it's 100 degrees out, you're wearing pants.
That being said, I really miss the desert.
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Re: Bushwhacking

Post by blazintoes »

[quote="Jon Frohlich" post_id=754659 time=1633103240 user_id=1068]
El Capitan from Guadalupe Peak in Texas. Not even slightly enjoyable. Just don't. At least a 3, maybe a 4. I don't know how much blood was lost but enough. For added suffering you have no choice but to reverse course and go back the way you came.

45443440_10156807472304099_4930650403160195072_n.jpg
[/quote]

Mmmm hmmm. I remember looking at that and thinking, well that’s pretty but moving on. Why Jon?
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Re: Bushwhacking

Post by blazintoes »

[quote=Salient post_id=754662 time=1633106872 user_id=106409]
[quote=OldTrad post_id=754661 time=1633106555 user_id=65216]
You haven't really suffered bushwhacking until you've tunneled through the massive poison oak growth that extends between the road and the base of the Finger Lick'n cliff in Yosemite Valley. And of course, the suffering is the gift that keeps on giving for many weeks after.
[/quote]

Unless you're immune to Poison Ivy/Oak like me, in which case it probably isn't that painful.
[/quote]

Stinging nettle coming down George Creek last month burned for 24 hours. My partner is also clearly immune to it and Ivy. Not fair.
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Re: Bushwhacking

Post by cougar »

Buffalo Peak wasn't bad at all, actually enjoyable scramble. A 1 or 2.

Chihuahuan desert has sotol, a serrated leaf variety of yucca. Cuts easily. Most desert spiky things are spaced at least.
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"Bushwhacking is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get."
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Re: Bushwhacking

Post by 12ersRule »

blazintoes wrote:
Jon Frohlich wrote: El Capitan from Guadalupe Peak in Texas. Not even slightly enjoyable. Just don't. At least a 3, maybe a 4. I don't know how much blood was lost but enough. For added suffering you have no choice but to reverse course and go back the way you came.
Mmmm hmmm. I remember looking at that and thinking, well that’s pretty but moving on. Why Jon?
Pilgrim and I didn't have too much of a hard time with it, as I recall. I think it may be the difference of going on March 1 vs. late October?

Worst bushwhacks for me:

-Northern California near Shasta Lake, some old fire road that deadended and was a tunnel of manzanita and poison oak (that I didn't see at the time). I definitely feel like I'm way more susceptible to Poison Oak than Poison Ivy.

-Savage Peak in Wyoming, I was definitely off that day, but I stumbled into everything.

-attempted some point on Block Island, RI. Got about 10 feet into these 15 to 20 ft high thorny bushes and said 'no way'.
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Re: Bushwhacking

Post by hokiehead »

12ersRule wrote: Fri Oct 01, 2021 12:20 pm
blazintoes wrote:
Jon Frohlich wrote: El Capitan from Guadalupe Peak in Texas. Not even slightly enjoyable. Just don't. At least a 3, maybe a 4. I don't know how much blood was lost but enough. For added suffering you have no choice but to reverse course and go back the way you came.
Mmmm hmmm. I remember looking at that and thinking, well that’s pretty but moving on. Why Jon?
Pilgrim and I didn't have too much of a hard time with it, as I recall. I think it may be the difference of going on March 1 vs. late October?

Worst bushwhacks for me:

-Northern California near Shasta Lake, some old fire road that deadended and was a tunnel of manzanita and poison oak (that I didn't see at the time). I definitely feel like I'm way more susceptible to Poison Oak than Poison Ivy.

-Savage Peak in Wyoming, I was definitely off that day, but I stumbled into everything.

-attempted some point on Block Island, RI. Got about 10 feet into these 15 to 20 ft high thorny bushes and said 'no way'.
acknowledging your list of mountaineering accomplishments, the irony of you getting turned around on Block Island, where I'm guessing the point is maybe 400' above sea level, is incredible.

in seriousness, it's a good lesson to not underestimate Mother Nature.
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Re: Bushwhacking

Post by cougar »

12ersRule wrote: Fri Oct 01, 2021 12:20 pm
Mmmm hmmm. I remember looking at that and thinking,
-attempted some point on Block Island, RI. Got about 10 feet into these 15 to 20 ft high thorny bushes and said 'no way'.
acknowledging your list of mountaineering accomplishments, the irony of you getting turned around on Block Island, where I'm guessing the point is maybe 400' above sea level, is incredible.

in seriousness, it's a good lesson to not underestimate Mother Nature.
[/quote]

It's 211 ft. Lots of thick wild rose vines and shrubs, and beach tomatoes. Easy to trip over and fall down in a thorny entanglement. The beach below Mohegan Bluffs is full of cairns, confusing route finding.

Grand Canyon national park highpoint is also thick with deadfall, lots of logs, fortunately a short stretch.
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"Bushwhacking is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get."
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Re: Bushwhacking

Post by James2015 »

Don't forget the bushwhacks at the end of day back to TH where you have the pit in your stomach going, "this needs to go or I'll have to reverse ALL of this"... Ugh!
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Re: Bushwhacking

Post by supranihilest »

Boggy B wrote: Fri Oct 01, 2021 11:29 am
supranihilest wrote: Thu Sep 30, 2021 10:30 pm Well I guess I'm going to have to check out this ridge in Box Factory Park. Good excuse to go there since I've never been. A bit off topic but how's that amazing looking couloir on Whitehouse's north face? It was impressive from Corbett and I figure of all people you've at least scoped it if not climbed it.
Yep, in 2013 with FireOnTheMountain. Not super steep, but the terrain is wild.

Re: Box Factory ridge, the fun starts around 38.03775, -107.86521. Not sure why anyone would go that way since the whole Mears N side approach down along the creek goes with _relative_ ease. The S9 N side approach is even more straightforward via the west(?) W Fork Dallas creek.
Thanks for the beta! The Sneffels Range never disappoints.
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Re: Bushwhacking

Post by disentangled »

blazintoes wrote: Fri Oct 01, 2021 12:12 pm
Stinging nettle coming down George Creek last month burned for 24 hours. My partner is also clearly immune to it and Ivy. Not fair.
There's a theory that repeated exposure to stinging nettle on the skin will produce immunity to its pain. Idk about poison ivy or poison oak, but I've often thought the same might be true of cactus spines. I haven't tested that theory but I know that they hurt less nowadays than they used to.

On another note, cooking eliminates the sting in stinging nettles and, apparently, they make an excellent and highly nutritious pesto.
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