Re: [pct-l] ..Cholla Cactus

[Tom Rogers <tfrogers@san.rr.com>]

I do most of my "winter" hiking in the desert east of San Diego and have
developed a deep and abiding respect for cholla, as well as the myriad
of other cactus, chapparal, and generally mean critters that populate
those parts.  Two suggestions:
1. Include a set of good sharp tweezers in your kit.
2. Wear some kind of leg protection.  Gaitors are ok, but tend to cause
my feet to get hotter than they would otherwise. 

In general, if you leave the trail tread and any part of your body
contacts the ground you will pick up cactus spines.  During a solo
cross-country last year just east of the PCT, a boulder I had jumped on
rolled, my feet pointed skyward, and I came down full weight on a
cholla.  I took several hundred spines in one hand, forearm, shoulder,
ear, and skull.  It took a few hours to pull the majority out, and I
lived with the rest, mostly the ones that broke off at or below skin
level, for the next few months.  Just last week I took a minor fall in
camp and several loose spines from a cholla ball lying on the ground
penetrated a parka and 2 shirts and imbedded themselves exactly in the
center of my back.  They were still there after I took the clothes off
and I had to pull them out blind using my trusty tweezers.  Took so long
I ended up cooking in the dark.

The desert is a uniquely beautiful place.  But it can hurt you if you
let your guard down.

Happy trails, Tom
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