[pct-l] Poison Oak

[jeff.singewald at comcast.net]

Another couple of points re: poison oak.  Poison oak rarely if ever grows above 4000' in elevation so if you are aware of your elevation, you can use this as a guide if you have questions when spotting poison oak. 



Additionally, while long pants and long sleeve shirts may help to initially deflect the oil from your skin, keep in mind that the oil will remain on your clothes and shoes for a period of time and you can easily transfer the oil from your clothes to your hands and other body parts when you are dressing/undressing.  My mother would frequently get poison oak rash while washing our clothes when we were kids growing up in Norcal as we had the oak all over the hills around the ranch. 



For some folks the rash is just a nuisance as Piper has suggested but for others it can be lead to much more than this.  I was hospitalized when I was young after a hunting trip when I came in contact with the oil when I was field dressing a deer.  I had that darn rash in every orfice of my body!  Even now at my age, I have been forced to go onto steroids to clear the rash on several occassions. 



I typically carry a product called Technu which I use to clean the oil off my skin.  I also used the technique mentioned earlier of rubbing areas with fine dirt when I was on the PCT in 2006. 



But, just be on the watch anytime you are under 4000 feet in elevation. 



Elevator 




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Len Glassner" <len5742 at gmail.com> 
To: "CHUCK CHELIN" <steeleye at wildblue.net> 
Cc: Pct-l at backcountry.net 
Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 8:19:34 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific 
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Poison Oak 

The interminable descent down to Seiad Valley gets my award for best 
poison oak on the trail. Probably because I picked some up here or on 
the way out. I would say that it's not all that easy to avoid in some 
of the spots in NorCal.  In some places it significantly encroaches on 
or drapes across the trail.  Constant vigilance and evasive maneuvers 
are in order.  I saw a plant that had been so highly unavoided that 
the leaves were worn off the part that draped, leaving only the stem. 

I highly recommend scratching the bejesus out of it.  Some claim this 
will spread the stuff but that was not my experience.  Same for 
skeeter bites. 

On Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 6:36 AM, CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net> wrote: 
> 
> The greatest infestation of poison oak that I saw on the PCT was in N. 
> California, particularly just after descending from the north end of Hat 
> Creek Rim.  Elsewhere, poison oak is scarce and highly avoidable provided 
> one can recognize the leaves. 
> 
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