Trail Etiquette Question: Avoid switchbacks?

[+creagerstonefamily]

On the back of the Official Logbook in the Geocaching Trail Etiquette it lists the following:

 

"Support the protection of the natural environment. Use existing trails and avoid switchbacks."

 

What exactly does "avoid switchbacks" mean? The only "switchback" I know is is a 180° (or thereabouts) turn in a trail to let you tack up or down the side of a mountain.

 

To what does this term refer?

[+briansnat]

I think they probably mean "avoid cutting across switchbacks"

 

"Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing" - Helen Keller

[+worldtraveler]

I saw this error almost a year ago when I received my first order of logbbooks from Groundspeak, and I notified them via email. I think I suggested they modify future printings to read something like "use switchbacks" or "avoid shortcuts". I never heard anything back, so I don't know whether they ever did anything about it. They may still be selling stock from their first printing.

 

Worldtraveler

[+Alan2]

quote:

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Originally posted by BrianSnat:

I think they probably mean "avoid cutting across switchbacks"

 

"Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing" - Helen Keller

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OK I'm not a real hiker so could you guys explain what the heck you're talking about?

 

Tks.

 

Alan

[+Perfect Tommy]

switch·back Pronunciation Key (swchbk)

n.

A road, trail, or railroad track that follows a zigzag course on a steep incline.

A sharp bend in a road or trail on a steep incline.

Chiefly British. A roller coaster.

 

intr.v. switch·backed, switch·back·ing, switch·backs

To proceed in sharp turns in alternating directions on a steep incline: the trail switchbacked up the mountain; the hikers switchbacked up the hill.

 

Better yet, drop the wife off at the Palisades (the mall not the park) and try this nearby cache for a demonstrative example.

[+Perfect Tommy]

switch·back Pronunciation Key (swchbk)

n.

A road, trail, or railroad track that follows a zigzag course on a steep incline.

A sharp bend in a road or trail on a steep incline.

Chiefly British. A roller coaster.

 

intr.v. switch·backed, switch·back·ing, switch·backs

To proceed in sharp turns in alternating directions on a steep incline: the trail switchbacked up the mountain; the hikers switchbacked up the hill.

 

Better yet, drop the wife off at the Palisades (the mall not the park) and try this nearby cache for a demonstrative example.

[+Alan2]

OK. Now I know what a switchback is. But why would there be a rule against using these or crossing these?

 

Alan

[mtnsteve]

OK, this isn't out of the dictionary, but I spent enough time typing it, I'm going to post it....thats my story and I'm sticking to it......

 

Switchbacks are where the trail makes a zig zag going up/down a hill, it cut's the angle of slope down to something manageable for horse's and people and helps cut down on erosion.....Some folks in a hurry, or because they are lazy, will avoid the added distance the switch backs cause and just go straight down the hill...this can cause erosion when the rains follow the new foot paths and form gully's going down the fall line of the hill.

 

Man, ya gotta be fast around here....or "refresh" just before you post.

 

____________________________________________________________

It's not about the mistakes we make, it's about what we learn from them....

 

[This message was edited by mtnsteve on October 07, 2002 at 04:53 PM.]

[mtnsteve]

OK, this isn't out of the dictionary, but I spent enough time typing it, I'm going to post it....thats my story and I'm sticking to it......

 

Switchbacks are where the trail makes a zig zag going up/down a hill, it cut's the angle of slope down to something manageable for horse's and people and helps cut down on erosion.....Some folks in a hurry, or because they are lazy, will avoid the added distance the switch backs cause and just go straight down the hill...this can cause erosion when the rains follow the new foot paths and form gully's going down the fall line of the hill.

 

Man, ya gotta be fast around here....or "refresh" just before you post.

 

____________________________________________________________

It's not about the mistakes we make, it's about what we learn from them....

 

[This message was edited by mtnsteve on October 07, 2002 at 04:53 PM.]

[+Alan2]

OK Now I got it. Use switchbacks. Don't short circuit them.

Tks.

Alan

[+OzzieSan]

[+Night Stalker]

You know the picture above looks a lot like some we drove over in our 4wheel drive this summer attempting to find a cache. The road??? was 1 lane wide with infrequent turnouts. After driving all the way up this road (an adventure we will not repeat) and searching for more than an hour we gave up. It turned out someone had removed the cache. Oh well.

 

Lost? Keep going. You're making good time anyway!!

[+Night Stalker]

You know the picture above looks a lot like some we drove over in our 4wheel drive this summer attempting to find a cache. The road??? was 1 lane wide with infrequent turnouts. After driving all the way up this road (an adventure we will not repeat) and searching for more than an hour we gave up. It turned out someone had removed the cache. Oh well.

 

Lost? Keep going. You're making good time anyway!!

[ikayak]

Team 5-oh,

Where was the switchback picture taken?

 

Signed,

ikayak from the bottom middle side of WA state

 

Time Flies like an arrow. Fruit Flies like a banana

[+OzzieSan]

quote:

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Originally posted by ikayak:

Team 5-oh,

Where was the switchback picture taken?

 

Signed,

ikayak from the bottom middle side of WA state

 

Time Flies like an arrow. Fruit Flies like a banana

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From up near where this cache used to be. Sauk Mt.