Buskwacking Basic's

[SSSdave]

Of course an abundance of poison oak at lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada too however there are few hiking much less backpacking opportunities at those elevations. Highest poison oak I've seen has been on the Tuolumne River canyon rim just below 5k. Otherwise not common 4.5k to 5k. Same thing with rattlesnakes. Generally down at those Sierra elevations one is also encountering whole different vegetation communities with more species of denser jungles with their own nightmares.

[creekfeet]

Don't be stubborn. Too many times I've found myself bushwacking because I chose a poor route, and rather than backtrack and cut my losses, I've decided to keep forging ahead. And along those lines, if you're already committed to the bushwack, don't let your frustration let you make poor decisions. It's easy to forget to drink water and make sure you're staying safe when your entire focus is on getting out of the brush.

[sekihiker]

Be patient. Don't expect to make good time.