Tried a new shortcut on the Appalachian Trail near the Smokeys last spring

Thought I found a faster way through that section, ended up bushwhacking for 4 hours straight through poison ivy. What's the worst shortcut you've ever taken that totally backfired?

3 comments

3 Comments

carter.joseph6d ago

Hold on, 4 hours through poison ivy? That's rough, but I gotta ask - was it really that bad? My uncle used to say a little poison ivy builds character, though I bet he never tried walking through a whole field of it. I've taken plenty of "shortcuts" that added an extra hour of walking, but I usually just end up finding a creek or something cool I would have missed otherwise. Unless you're talking about the kind with the vines that can pull a car door off, I'm gonna say you probably just got a good story and a week of itching. Maybe try actually looking at a map next time, yeah?

jakeb816d ago

Man's gotta learn to read a topo map before heading out, or at least check satellite imagery. A good pair of gaiters and some lightweight pruners in your pack can save you a whole lot of misery.

charles_young926d ago

The satellite imagery argument only gets you so far when you're standing in a thicket and the map shows a clear line that just doesn't exist on the ground. I've had plenty of those "shortcuts" turn into hour-long detours too, but 4 hours of poison ivy is a whole different level of stubborn. That uncle quote about building character sounds nice until you're scrubbing your legs with dish soap and still waking up with blisters for two weeks. Sometimes the "good story" is just a reminder that sticking to the blazed trail beats proving a point to yourself.