BWCA Bushwhacking tips Boundary Waters Listening Point - General Discussion
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bjohns347
  
10/02/2017 03:56PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I recently posted a trip report about a bushwhack from thunder to bunggee lake that went somewhat ok. I was also once lost in the BWCA foolishly without a compass. After a few minutes of panic the rain stopped and I could see where the sun was through the clouds and I regained my bearings. Does anyone have any stories about being seriously lost in the woods? Anyone have bushwhacking tips based on experience on how not to get lost?
 
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mastertangler
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10/02/2017 04:28PM  
I hate hassles so I typically will walk a bushwhack before committing my gear to it. Plus after walking it a time or two you get an idea of what works best. A bit of flagging tape here and there also helps. I haven't been much interested in bushwacking lately but if I did i would now wear clear safety glasses. Also pay particular attention to beaver workings........the channels, which are often grown over with grass, can drop you and the workings can impale you if your not careful enough.
 
10/02/2017 05:13PM  
Have enjoyed bushwacking in BWCA primitive management areas (=PMA's). If a relict trail is not found, we use map and compass. We do not usually carry much gear across on the first pass, but use some flagging tape (always removed on the go-through). I would say that a relict trail is most often found. Keep track of where you left your stuff and where you are. It has the magic of seeing new places, but could put you in trouble, also...
 
Savage Voyageur
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10/02/2017 05:31PM  
I've never been lost in all my trips up there. I've done a lot of bush whacking over the years. When I did I would use USGS Topo maps and a good compass. Orient the map, get a bearing to something you can see and walk to it, repeat. I also use a GPS to verify my position. The older GPS units had no maps so I just plotted my location on the map. My new GPS has a USGS Topo map in it so it's very easy, just walk and occasionally look at the GPS map.
 
DrBobDg
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10/02/2017 06:39PM  
trying to find a trail once and put down the canoe,,,,,a green canoe... and then couldn't find it on the way back after finding the trail....that caused me some nervous feelings. Don't plan on doing something stupid like that again..... usually try to have a piece a flagging tape...

dr bob
 
MagicPaddler
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10/03/2017 07:19AM  
Check out current BWJ page 68 by Darrel. While on a section of the bushwhack we were looking for the trail that was so clear when I walked it 5 years earlier I checked my GPS. I told Darrel we are within 10 foot of my old tracks.
 
missmolly
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10/03/2017 07:45AM  
I bushwhack like NASA would, with major redundancy. So, I've got GPS and a map and a compass and flares and a whistle and a little food and a space blanket and trail marking tape and a PLB and even then, I still break tree limbs.
 
bjohns347
  
10/04/2017 03:27PM  
Thanks for the tips. Next time I will definitely bring a good topo map and maybe even a gps.
 
10/04/2017 04:10PM  
Redundancies are huge. Never rely on just one method.

Always have a map and compass, a GPS is a very nice tool, and then the flagging tape as a visual reference of your path. If you lose any 2 you'll still be able to find your way back.

Couple other things. Never set anything down without marking your location with flagging tape or on the GPS. Finding it again can be very difficult without marking the spot.

Also mastertangler touched on a key piece of gear you should always have during a bushwhack... safety glasses. Any time I'm off trail in a forest I wear clear safety glasses. I usually wear clear glasses usually worn for shooting at the range. They are lightweight and low profile. Its so easy to catch a stick in the eye or get some other sort of debris in your eye while bushwhacking and that's the last place you want to lose your eyesight. Makes your 3 navigation tools mighty tough to use.
 
MagicPaddler
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10/04/2017 04:57PM  
Take more water than you think you will need.
 
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