Sept. 21
Every couple of months Trail Notes will go off trail with Backcountry Brad. This mild-mannered software engineer and dad to two daughters from Austin seems like a nice enough guy if you chat with him at the local swim meet or brewery, but if he invites you on a hike, think twice.
Back in 2016, Backcountry Brad invited me on a little jaunt into the Tusk Zone of Big Bend National Park. I was an Eagle Scout with my orienteering merit badge. I did fine in all the Land-Nav exercises with the military and I recently soloed Big Bend’s Outer Mountain Loop, so how challenging could a little off-trail jaunt be? Well, I broke a hiking pole descending a scree slope, desolated a pair of Italian mountaineering boots and shredded my legs with a thousand cuts from cactus, lechuguilla and agaves. Also, I’ve never been happier as a hiker!
Let me begin by saying, “Don’t try this at home.” Off-trail navigation these days has become dangerously easy with state parks and national parks seeing a spike in backcountry deaths and rescues. With the advent of apps like GAIA GPS and CalTopo coupled with emergency beacons like Spot or In-Reach, people who never would have dreamed of sticking a toe off a trail now march brazenly into the wilderness like Michael Scott in that episode of The Office where he drives his rental car into a lake following the directions of a TomTom.
Before you step off the trail take the time to learn the terrain, the flora and the fauna. Put in the work to study maps, identify bail-out points, set check-in times and train with experienced backcountry guides. After reviewing Backcountry Brad’s permit request, an NPS employee once asked if he was a former ranger. If you have the time and resources, check out classes with local outfitters such as REI or organizations like the National Outdoor Leadership School.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let me now say, backcountry travel provides a sense of adventure unmatched by any trail from Nepal to Alaska. And backcountry exploration doesn’t need to be all or nothing. Some of my favorite experiences occurred a quick side hike from well-established trails. I offer my last outing with Backcountry Brad as an example.
Big Bend’s Outer Mountain Loop is my favorite long weekend backpacking trip. This 30-mile traverse takes you deep into the heart of the Chisos Mountains, then hurls you across the high desert below the South Rim, before returning you to the Chisos Basin via Blue Creek and Laguna Meadows. However, the trip proves especially challenging because there is no reliable water on the route. Boot Canyon and Dodson Springs often have water but not enough to gamble with dehydration. At least sixteen pounds of your pack is dedicated to two gallons of water. That is, unless you know Backcountry Brad, Big Bend Chat, and the geography of Fresno Canyon.
Fresno Canyon drains from the Chisos Mountains making its way to the Rio Grande River near Solis landing. The Dodson Trail, which comprises the desert portion of the Outer Mountain Loop, passes right over this drainage. For the prepared, adventurous spirit it offers a fairly reliable water source and a glimpse into desert treasure. The Water Works reside about a mile down Fresno Canyon where the gravel bed turns into a series of slick rock tinajas and pouroffs. During wetter times these cascades teem with life as water flows and trickles gently down the chutes and pools. Maidenhair ferns and tadpoles abound in this oasis. Yet even in the driest of seasons these features impart a feeling of flow as you get to bank and plunge over the water works.
All said and done, this off-trail side hike only adds 2 miles to your loop, but in terms of wonder and adventure, this first foray into unmarked territory can open up a world of new possibilities where planning, skill, discipline and wisdom can show you wonders few have ever seen.