Trail Marking

[captpschar]

Marking tape is litter. Drives me nuts. I take it down and put it in my pack whenever I see some...so I wouldn't go that route as someone might be eating your breadcrumbs as you drop them.

Most marking tape is biodegradable and has a life of 6-24 months. Most of the time its hung for a pretty good reason too.

Where does someone get biodegradable marking tape?

[SuperX]

Marking tape is litter. Drives me nuts. I take it down and put it in my pack whenever I see some...so I wouldn't go that route as someone might be eating your breadcrumbs as you drop them.

Most marking tape is biodegradable and has a life of 6-24 months. Most of the time its hung for a pretty good reason too.

Where does someone get biodegradable marking tape?

Safeway, in the toilet paper isle! 

[brocka]

Marking tape is litter. Drives me nuts. I take it down and put it in my pack whenever I see some...so I wouldn't go that route as someone might be eating your breadcrumbs as you drop them.

Where do you do this? There is likely a reason why those ribbons were hung. Road centerlines or clearing limits, timber harvest boundary, cruise ribbon....  I get it's not pretty but man I get so mad when someone rips my ribbon down.

I have never taken marking tape down in an area that there would be a road, clear-cuts or timber harvest. I do not hunt areas where those would take place. Plus I do have a little common sense. The ribbon I have pulled down and packed out is in the wilderness areas or in national forest where, frankly its flat out litter. I also found some ribbon on some state land while pheasant hunting last year that led into some into very thick Russian olives. I followed it and it took me right to a marijuana grow site. Should I leave it up next time so they can get to their weed?

Anyway, good to know that its biodegradable. That makes me feel alot better about it!

Anybody else want to blast me for trying to clean up our wilderness, national forest and state land?

[Shawn Ryan]

... I'm looking for input.

/ / / /

How do you guys mark your paths when you go off trail?  Cairns?  Marking Tape?  Is there an approach that works for you that's a bit unusual?  How do you think of it?  What's best?

Cairns. Definitely, cairns.  That way you'll be so busy building cairns that you won't have wandered far from the parking lot.

Sorry, couldn't resist and/or bad judgment today. But seriously, the replies above have you covered: Navigation skills, GPS, paper map, compass, and lots of pre-trip planning/map reviewing. And, seriously, thanks for asking. That's what this place is good for.

[2MANY]

If it's a trail why mark it?

[SteelheadTed]

Marking tape is litter. Drives me nuts. I take it down and put it in my pack whenever I see some...so I wouldn't go that route as someone might be eating your breadcrumbs as you drop them.

Where do you do this? There is likely a reason why those ribbons were hung. Road centerlines or clearing limits, timber harvest boundary, cruise ribbon....  I get it's not pretty but man I get so mad when someone rips my ribbon down.

I have never taken marking tape down in an area that there would be a road, clear-cuts or timber harvest. I do not hunt areas where those would take place. Plus I do have a little common sense. The ribbon I have pulled down and packed out is in the wilderness areas or in national forest where, frankly its flat out litter. I also found some ribbon on some state land while pheasant hunting last year that led into some into very thick Russian olives. I followed it and it took me right to a marijuana grow site. Should I leave it up next time so they can get to their weed?

Anyway, good to know that its biodegradable. That makes me feel alot better about it!

Anybody else want to blast me for trying to clean up our wilderness, national forest and state land?

I'm not sure you got blasted but I think it a reasonable criticism.  Some folks take trail cameras that aren't theirs because they say it is "littering".   Is that OK?  At what point is it OK to remove something you didn't put there?

[Stein]

I was waiting for someone to mention trail cams.  Seems like you can either leave stuff in the woods or not.  I leave trail tape but pull it on the way out and it is the kind that breaks down in a season either way.  Trail tape is a legitimate marking tool in my mind just the same as leaving a bunch of cams or bait or salt around.

Now a big pile of TP on the side of the road we can have a discussion about.

[WapitiTalk1]

I was waiting for someone to mention trail cams.  Seems like you can either leave stuff in the woods or not.  I leave trail tape but pull it on the way out and it is the kind that breaks down in a season either way.  Trail tape is a legitimate marking tool in my mind just the same as leaving a bunch of cams or bait or salt around.

Now a big pile of TP on the side of the road we can have a discussion about.

Well put 

[JimmyHoffa]

Seems best to find big, easy to find natural markers--snags, dead trees, twisted trees, oddball species.  Then mark in between them.  Flagging can be color dependent or even need wind.  I think the neon green and pink seem to work best, especially if you hang it high.  Orange and yellow can be tough to find in fall sometimes.  The reflective tacks work pretty good.  Problem with marking a trail in any sense is others will find it and use it.  Kind of have to find ways to keep the marks kind of hidden, but easy for you to find.

[optic2]

I'm going to give a back country scout in the Olympics wilderness areas a shot this year, leaning towards a back country hunt if it goes well.  I'm concerned about going off trail in such a remote area, and I'm looking for input.

I've always explored really open areas that are hard to get turned around in (southwest, badlands), or stayed on trail in closer more confusing terrain (northern forests).  The Olympic wilderness areas seem like something halfway between these sorts of terrain, and this will be my first time going off trail where there's a reasonable chance I could get turned around.  I'm going to have to figure out a way to mark my path, and I'm not sure which approach is best.

How do you guys mark your paths when you go off trail?  Cairns?  Marking Tape?  Is there an approach that works for you that's a bit unusual?  How do you think of it?  What's best?

Buy this book. Learn it backwards and forwards. Also buy and inreach in case you get completely lost or get injured in the backcountry. You may be able to find your way out, but if you break your ankle then you aren't going anywhere.

https://www.amazon.com/Wilderness-Navigation-Finding-Altimeter-Mountaineers/dp/1594859450/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=wilderness+navigation&qid=1558498955&s=gateway&sr=8-1

[lee]

Marking tape is litter. Drives me nuts. I take it down and put it in my pack whenever I see some...so I wouldn't go that route as someone might be eating your breadcrumbs as you drop them.

Most marking tape is biodegradable and has a life of 6-24 months. Most of the time its hung for a pretty good reason too.

Where does someone get biodegradable marking tape?

Costco,.... Kirkland brand double ply!!!!!!

Sorry I couldn't resist,... but would be interested in this kind of tape.

As other's have stated,  I always carry my GPS with installed maps, a compass and printed maps sealed in water proof..... only thing I also carry not mentioned yet is an PLB.... just in case the SHTF.

Lee

[Stein]

Just google it.

https://www.amazon.com/Biodegradbl-Flagging-Tape-Orng-100ft/dp/B007PD2UMG/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_60_lp_t_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=G0MDA0HDJE2WXH1H399C

A bunch of the stuff sold at sporting goods stores is similar, they break down pretty quickly.

[fishngamereaper]

I run the Basemap app..pretty dang happy with it.

[Matth]

Marking tape is litter. Drives me nuts. I take it down and put it in my pack whenever I see some...so I wouldn't go that route as someone might be eating your breadcrumbs as you drop them.

Where do you do this? There is likely a reason why those ribbons were hung. Road centerlines or clearing limits, timber harvest boundary, cruise ribbon....  I get it's not pretty but man I get so mad when someone rips my ribbon down.

I have never taken marking tape down in an area that there would be a road, clear-cuts or timber harvest. I do not hunt areas where those would take place. Plus I do have a little common sense. The ribbon I have pulled down and packed out is in the wilderness areas or in national forest where, frankly its flat out litter. I also found some ribbon on some state land while pheasant hunting last year that led into some into very thick Russian olives. I followed it and it took me right to a marijuana grow site. Should I leave it up next time so they can get to their weed?

Anyway, good to know that its biodegradable. That makes me feel alot better about it!

Anybody else want to blast me for trying to clean up our wilderness, national forest and state land?

I agree with this completely. In the national forest, and in wilderness areas i pull it all down, and put it in my pocket. State, and private lands are a different story. I hunt the same area of the GP every year, and i pull it out of the same areas every year.

[Stein]

If it's a trail why mark it?

I don't think many people mark an established trail.  In the past, I have marked the place on a trail I need to peel of to get to a kill site as well as putting them near blood when trailing so you can find it again if you need to or look back and get an idea on the route the animal may be taking. 

They are also handy for showing other people where to go if you have a buddy trying to find you.

There are also a bunch of commercial uses from logging, biologists, forest managers, land managers and a long list of other people that use them to mark things.