LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 37 Topo, you can use multiple different layers to identi- fy where public land is, important landscape features, and possible destinations like a body of water or a small summit. Once you have a possible bushwhack in mind, you can simply trace a route, assess its distance and el- evation gain, and download it as a "gpx" file. Garmin has a fantastic software called Garmin Explore, where you can upload the file you saved, and it'll sync to both the GPS you have, and an application on your phone called Earthmate. This adds great redundancy to your navigation system in the backcountry. This process is similar for other products too, and with the Adiron- dacks having a healthy bushwhacking community, you can easily find folks using varying methods to inform what you would like to do. You can use a paper map and compass, your GPS, and your phone as tools for travel. 5. Tips for the Bushwhack Now that you're prepared with all the necessary gear, know-how, and a route, it's time to step off the trail. Here are some tips for when you take the leap. Go slower than you would on a trail. This lets you be mindful of topography, drainage patterns, and other landscape cues to get you to your destination. Look for seams in tree type (deciduous versus co- niferous), where the woods may be more open. Some- times it's better to take the path of least resistance go- ing up a slope, rather than a straight line to the summit. Greater distance travelled doesn't always equal more time. During hunting seasons, wear bright colors. Hunters are inherently bushwhacking, and are out in the same wild spaces as those that are hiking. Avoid crossing private land boundaries, which can be marked, but oftentimes aren't. Keep an eye out for open rock and thin trees, this is where you'll find the views. But Troy, why would I want to bushwhack?! There are some obvious, perhaps glaring, answers to the question. You can get away from the crowds in a tangible way. In many years of bushwhacking, I've only come across one other person off trail. You can learn new skills, especially with the preparation it takes to actually go on a bushwhacking adventure. These skills can even allow you to take on some hiking challenges that require bushwhacking, like the Adirondack High- est Hundred. Aside from these tangibles, the creative process that you go through to plan routes, in addition to the sol- itude and wild nature of where you end up, become many bushwhackers "why." It allows you to experience adventure in its truest sense, and can be a rewarding endeavor when done safely. t While bushwhacking is not without its challenges, the views are often worth the effort.

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