Figured out a shortcut on the Pacific Crest Trail near Mount Whitney that saved me 4 miles of switchbacks

I was stuck behind a slow group and decided to follow a faint use trail marked by cairns that cut straight down a ridge, and it dumped me right back on the main route without any bushwhacking. Has anyone else found hidden shortcuts on popular trails that actually work?

2 comments

2 Comments

black.margaret5d ago

Used to roll my eyes at people taking shortcuts on established trails, but a few summers back I tried one myself on the JMT and it saved me quite a bit of time. The key is making sure the use trail is well-defined and doesn't cause erosion or damage. It changed my mind about shortcuts being totally off limits.

susan_wells4d ago

used to roll my eyes at people taking shortcuts" yeah me too. Then I tried one on the High Sierra Trail. Cut a mile off a long switchback section. Felt guilty for a minute. Then I just kept hiking. If the path is there and not causing damage, whatever.