Can we talk about skipping the official PCT entry near Etna in favor of a forest road?

After hitting a massive snowfield that added 3 hours to my day, I cut west on an old logging track marked on my 2019 map and shaved off 5 miles, so is breaking from a marked trail for a known shortcut ever worth the risk of getting turned around?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesley8733mo agoMost Upvoted

Honestly, "shaved off 5 miles" is a huge win. I used to be a total purist about staying on the marked trail no matter what. But getting stuck in a whiteout one year on a different route totally changed my mind for me. If you have a solid map and the road is clearly there, that calculated risk can save your butt. Just gotta know your own skill with navigation.

derekp703mo ago

Man, that reminds me of the time my compass failed near a logging road.

parkerrodriguez9d ago

@derekp70 been there too man, compasses can get weird around heavy iron deposits or old logging gear buried in the ground. glad you made it out, those roads usually beat bushwhacking any day if you know where they lead.