Bushwhacking the "Big Ones"

[Mavs00]

Discussion in another thread (about re-climbs, multiple rounds, ect.) got me thinking. One of my lifetime goals is to bushwhack all 46 high peaks. I'm not going for any special rocker for my 46r patch, I just love the High Peaks and I love to bushwhack so it makes sense. There really are no rules I quess, but I have given myself some guidelines.

I'm curious as to your imput, particularly my fellow bushwhackin' brothers and sisters. Got a few in already and have routes (picked up here and there) on most of the others. Here's some of what I'm thinking.

• Approaches: Level approaches along trails, herd path or roads are fine, so long as the elvation gain is not more than 50% of the total for the hike. (i.e. you can't take Herbert Brook herd path 3/4 of the way up and then stroll into the woods for the rest. Slides are acceptable bushwack routes.
  
• Routefinding: So long as there is no marked trail or "commonly accepted" herd path, it's fair game. Slides are fine (so long as they're not part of a herd path (like Macomb & Allen Brook)
  
• Summits: Summits must be invidually approached via a bushwhack route. (i.e You can't bushwack up Grace and then take the herd path over to Carson, Macomb, etc and count those too). You can bushwack from summit to summit (i.e. Phelps to Tabletop).
  
  The bushwack route doesn't have to lead to actual summit and may link up to a trail near the summit area so long as it reaches to within 300 vertical feet from the top (i.e. Bennies Brook, Chiken Coop Brook, etc.) and the majority of the elevation gain is "off trail"
  
• Descent: As long as its under you're own power, no problem. Trailed route and paths are fine for the way down.

That's about it. I want to make it challenging for myself, but still allow for enjoyment too. I'm just curious as I know some of us like to do this stuff. I know John Winkler did it, did he give himself rules? Anyone know?

[Skyclimber]

We did about a dozen by the slides, as they are truly a bushwack to get to the base of them. Then fighting the cripplebush to get to the top.
We did Phelps by bushwack from South Meadows, up an old tote road. Cliff from the Old Marcy Trail in Tahawus, (trying to find the slide) The Dixes by Route 73, Dial from Gravestone Brook, etc., Seward from half way to Ward Brook, up to an old lumber camp. I count Donaldon from Calkin's Creek a bushwack as it truly is. I remember doing one from "Railroad Notch." Maybe that was Big Slide. (Can't remember which one) Saddleback from Chicken Coop. Just to name a few.
We never really set a "game plan," just not taking the trail, to the top. We always took the trail down. We just did it for fun. Different way to the mountain, verses the traditional ways.

I heard of John Winkler having a plan. Funny I just got an email a couple weeks ago, about how he did it. Unfortunately I deleted it, after reading. A friend of mine, just climbed with him just recently. Basically he just bushwacked to the top, taking the trail down.

[Kevin]

I count Donaldon from Calkin's Creek a bushwack as it truly is.

Unfortunately it's being used so much it's in better shape then the actual herd path off Seward and the one up Seymour. Personally, I wouldn't consider it a bushwack (anymore). It probably wasn't as heavily used the last time you hiked it.

Tim, I think those sound like reasonable 'rules'. I'm still interested in trying the Tabletop to Phelps whack sometime, maybe we can connect for that next summer/fall. Cliff would probably be easier from Tahawus then it is now following the herd path (it's my understanding that 46r trail work is slowly being done to hopefully change that). There's a ton of slides and such that I'd like to explore too, and some are only accessible by whacking your way in. I see myself doing more bushwacking in the future, but right now I barely have time to get the trailed hikes in.

[Skyclimber]

When I bushwacked Calkin's Creek about 13 years ago, in about two feet of snow, we followed along the brook itself, for about half to 3/4 up, then up the rock headwall, of Donaldson. I don't believe the herdpath follows this route along the brook.

It was much more beautiful than today's herdpath route, as the last time I took that was about four years ago.

[Kevin]

When I bushwacked Calkin's Creek about 13 years ago, in about two feet of snow, we followed along the brook itself, for about half to 3/4 up, then up the rock headwall, of Donaldson. I don't believe the herdpath follows this route along the brook.

It was much more beautiful than today's herdpath route, as the last time I took that was about four years ago.

Sounds you did indeed take a different route then the current herd path (the one we took). I like following brooks to their origins, often there are a lot of small waterfalls near the upper reaches as it gets pretty steep.

Caulkins brook looked very 'rugged' when we crossed it again at about 3,000 feet, so this would definitely still be a wack if you were just following the brook.

[Neil]

I'm still interested in trying the Tabletop to Phelps whack sometime, maybe we can connect for that next summer/fall.

There's an excellent TR on this very trip on VFTT. After reading it I knew I'd never do it, so have fun and don't forget the kevlar.

[Kevin]

There's an excellent TR on this very trip on VFTT. After reading it I knew I'd never do it, so have fun and don't forget the kevlar.

Yeah, I had some PM's exchanged with that guy and he convinced me it was 'do-able' but to bring the GPS and preset some waypoints just to be sure (becuase there's a few small ledges and it's pretty thick). I think I saved those PMs...

[Skyclimber]

Sounds you did indeed take a different route then the current herd path (the one we took). I like following brooks to their origins,

I do too, that's what makes bushwacking so interesting sometimes. That and the thick cripplebush.

[Mavs00]

Yeah, I had some PM's exchanged with that guy and he convinced me it was 'do-able' but to bring the GPS and preset some waypoints just to be sure (becuase there's a few small ledges and it's pretty thick). I think I saved those PMs...

I think he may have gone the hard way. I've talked to a few that have done it and they don't describe it nearly as difficult as he described it. It is thick, but not nearly as bad as bad as some they've seen. That's the funny thing about bushwhacking, you can be crashing and thrashing through the toughest, ugliest, thickest, carnivous brush, while 20-30 feet on either side of you is nothing but wide open cinderella forest, AND YOU'LL NEVER KNOW IT.

I remember this exact case on one bushwhack last summer, I was pressing uphill through some real ugly stuff and was swearing like a drunkin sailor while I postholed through the mossy loam. My son kept calling (and laughing) to me from about 30 feet away and as I struggled over to him, the trees opened right up and I could spin around with my hands spread wide and not touch a thing............and then the trees closed and swallowed us up again a minute or two later

God that's fun.

[Skyclimber]

I remember this exact case on one bushwhack last summer, I was pressing uphill through some real ugly stuff and was swearing like a drunkin sailor while I postholed through the mossy loam.

Yes that sounds like our trip to Kilburn several years back in the Summer. When the fricken' ground caved in with just about every step and we were up to our waist in DIRT and ROCKS, for up to an hour. We decided to take a different route down, where we came out about 5 miles from our car at about 9:00 at night. Fortunately we got a ride, not a pleasant one, on the back of a pick up truck.

[percious]

Mavs,

You should consider whacking Giant from the backside. There is a marvelous slide there, with interesting views of Green Mountain, and Vermont/Champlain. It is a seldom taken route, so you can be assured solitude. This is NOT the "bottle slide."

-percious

[NukedRocket]

whacking Giant from the backside

Sounds a little masochistic to me

[redhawk]

A couple of weeks ago, when we did Copperas, we stopped at the Mountaineer on the way home. Kevin pointed out a book of photography thaty was taken by someone (s)? bushwhacking in the high peaks and there were spectacuar views that are not experienced by sticking to the trails and the conventional routes.

It certainly makes the case that the reward makes the effort worthwhile.

I wish that I were capable of bushwhacking some of the peaks, but too many cigarettes over too many years has limited me to less challanging terrain. Still, I think that bushwhacking anywhere is more rewarding in the long run than follwing a trail somewhere.

[Skyclimber]

A couple of weeks ago, when we did Copperas, we stopped at the Mountaineer on the way home. Kevin pointed out a book of photography thaty was taken by someone (s)? bushwhacking in the high peaks and there were spectacuar views that are not experienced by sticking to the trails and the conventional routes.

Would that had been, "The Bushwacker's View," by John Winkler? It's a beautiful book, which was given to me as a gift, on my completion of the 4 Seasons back in 1995. I've only looked at the pictures and still haven't read it.

[redhawk]

Would that had been, "The Bushwacker's View," by John Winkler? It's a beautiful book, which was given to me as a gift, on my completion of the 4 Seasons back in 1995. I've only looked at the pictures and still haven't read it.

I'm not sure. Kevin may remember the name better then me, he brought it to my attention. It's a "coffee table" sized book.