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Found a way to skip the crowded switchbacks on the Timberline Trail loop
Last month near Mount Hood, I took a game trail that cut off about two miles of steep switchbacks. Some hikers say it's bad for erosion, but it saved us a ton of time and energy. What's your take on using unofficial shortcuts in popular areas?
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evan2956mo ago
You said it saves time and energy, but I read a park ranger interview about that exact problem. Those game trails people create by cutting switchbacks cause serious soil erosion that can ruin the trail for everyone else. It might feel like a small thing, but when hundreds of people do it, the damage adds up fast. The switchbacks are there for a reason, to make the climb sustainable and protect the land. Taking shortcuts might help you, but it hurts the trail in the long run.
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alex_king6mo ago
Yeah, that's a really good point from @evan295. I guess I wasn't thinking about the bigger picture, just my own tired legs on a steep part. When you put it that way, it makes total sense. One person cutting a corner seems fine, but if everyone does it, the trail just falls apart. It's like a slow-motion crowd effect that wrecks the place. I'll stick to the built path from now on, even if it's a bit longer.
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eva_thompson106mo ago
Wait, you actually followed a game trail? That's how people get lost, man. Those paths aren't marked and can just vanish. Saving time isn't worth a rescue call.
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