Bushwhack or take the easier route????

[Broken arrow]

I know where I want to go but can't decide how to get there. Basically there is a main trail into the area that forks and goes around the mountain. Should I
A. Hit the fork and head straight up into what will be a hell of a hike... Or
B. Take the trail around and up through a little easier terrain but will probably end up passing through an outfitters camp?
I don't mind the rough stuff but I haven't been through that area. I'll be sleeping where ever night fall comes. GE shows a lot of what looks like rockslides and steep mountain goat stuff and my topo shows a lot of contours close together. There appears to be a couple benches I can zig zag to avoid the really steep stuff. Just hate the thought of wasting time in what might be crazy mans land. At the top there is a really nice bowl with a few meadows and a nice mix of dark timber and aspens. From the outfitter camp it's over an hours hike to get there.

[JimKirk]

unless you see something on a topo map that could be a perspective hunting area, i'd take the trail. those steep contour lines could either be rock cliffs or some rough brush. probably take you longer than taking the trail.

[Swede]

Take the best route into your hunting area. Just be respectful of the other camp site when you come to it.

[Bowhunter]

Take the trail and save your energy for chasing elk. The outfitter camp is probably just off the trail and I doubt they hunt right there. You shouldn't bother them and they shouldn't mind. Make sure to wave as you pass by, especialy when you return with a bull on your back good luck.

[twinkieman]

Take the trail, usually takes less time than cross country.

[RockChucker30]

"Shortcuts" in the mountains are only shortcuts if you've done the routefinding prior to using the route. Otherwise you could waste a ton of time getting cliffed out.

Take the trail more traveled, then branch off.

[Backcountry]

I'm young.. Im bushwhacking.

[Harmy]

Here is a short cut story. Climbing related but still relevant. My wife and I were doing a large climbing link up in the mountains above Salt Lake City. 19 miles hiking linking 4 climbing routes for 20 pitches of climbing. We were hiking from Lone Peak to Hogum Fork cross country. We wanted to hike around the south face of BigHorn peak but it was about 1/3 the distance to cut across the steeper north face so we chose the steep route. Big mistake. First my wife stepped onto a flat boulder about the size of a refrigerator. It slide. She rode for 15 feet when it stopped. 30 steps later I had the same thing happen only it was about the size of my car. I ended up riding that boulder for several hundred feet and jumped off once it started rolling. I tumbled another 40 yards. I still can't believe neither of us were hurt. Now if there is an easier way I usually take it.

But of course, I can't learn from my mistakes. Went to climb Kings Peak in Utah (highest mountain). My partner and his wife were in excellant shape being runners and skiiers but I failed to recognize that they did not have mountain legs. On the descent there is a short cut that goes down 2000 vertical talus. Many people descend this thing. It looked easy to me as for the most part I just "skiied" down by letting myself just slide down with the loose rubble and when things get out of control just side step and let the junk run past. Something I have done hundreds of times in the mountains while descending big slopes with lots of loose talus/rubble. I neglected to realize my partners had no such experience and had no idea how to deal with steep loose terrain (rock sized from dirt to pebbles to several feet in diameter all moving down the mountain as you step). I descended this slope in 10 minutes leaving the other two behind. It took them well over 3 hours to descend this slope. It would have only taken 1 hour to hike around the standard trail. We ended up not making it back to camp until well after dark due to that poor decision.

[Broken arrow]

Thanks for the responses I'll take the trail. Probably better to know if anyone's camped there. Might help me avoid hunting in the same area as they are. I'm planning to bring some cash a little $$$ might get me and my elk off the mountain via horseback.

[pointysticks]

hahah..i already hid a couple of bills in my backpack. last time a man leading a string of empty packhorse past me..the look on my face must have reeked of desperation. next time, i am flashing cash!

i try to keep bushwacking to a minimum. even fishing, i am skeptical when a buddy tells me just climbing over this pass will cut out an hour of travel time..yea..right.

[MT_Nate]

Harmy brought up some climbing stories...but there's an old wise saying that kind of has similar flavor:
"Never go down a route/face that you didn't climb up."

You could almost say the same thing about thick forest routes:
"Never go up a bushwhack that you didn't come down."

So get in there pre-season and figure out that bushwhack. You never know , that route could just be the ticket to get you in place at first light, etc.. Just make sure you "know" it so well you can navigate it quietly in the dark as well as the light.