[pct-l] Dogs and Poison Oak

[treerings at gmail.com]

Poison oak is a California native plant. A weed, by definition, is a plant
that's growing where it is unwanted, and the usual context is that it's not
native to the area of concern. Poison oak is native and is an important
part natural ecosystems that we enjoy and appreciate. Like cold nights,
high streams, bad bugs, and of course Big Foot, take the good with the bad
and hike on.



On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 3:09 PM, CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net> wrote:

> Good afternoon, All,
>
> This is a caution for hikers encountering dogs along the trail.
>  Significant
> stretches of PCT up to 3-4000 feet elevation might be infested with
> trailside poison oak, and most trail-dogs are the perfect height to
> accumulate the oily toxin urushiol on their coats.  Poison oak can usually
> be avoided by hikers staying in the middle of the trail, but the likelihood
> of an active and curious dog staying in the middle of the trail – even on a
> leash – is somewhere between slim and none.
>
> Friendly dogs are probably the worst because they want to sniff and rub
> past my bare legs.  I do what I can to fend them away with my poles but
> some are just too exuberant.  People who pet dogs -- either owners or other
> hikers -- will spread the toxin on themselves including their faces.
>
> The trail crews do what they can to suppress the weed, with varying degrees
> of diligence and frequency, but it’s still there.  The first significant
> patches of poison oak I saw was lower down on the south side of Hauser
> Canyon, and twice I’ve seen significant infestations near and around Barrel
> Spring.  From there north, except at higher elevations, patches can be
> found in typical habitat.  Many miles of N. California have extensive
> infestations as well.
>
> Steel-Eye
>
> -Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/
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