Go that way, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn. - Charles De Mar

That's pretty much my philosophy when hiking. I used to be faster, but even now I still point up and just go when I'm not sure where the actual route is. This usually works for me, but sometimes...

We were supposed to be heading for Silver Peak just south of Snoqualmie Pass. I've been there many times by many routes. However, in the snow it's a little more difficult to find the official trail and I missed it a bit. I did follow a set of tracks up a slope, but they disappeared.

Looking around I could see I was too far south to get to Silver and meet up with the other TNAB hikers. However, I'm not the sort that just gives in. I'm far too stubborn for that. Up above me was Tinkham Peak so I figured I'd just keep climbing, tag Tinkham, and hook up with the others on the way down.

Except when the snow got thin and I started punching through into the talus. Or when the slope got really steep and I was balancing precariously on downed trees to climb. Or when, finally on the trail to the peak, Treen had enough and refused to follow me up the last 50 feet of loose rock.

The key to successfully following the advice is to never go up something you can't come back down (safely). You never want to get into a spot where you can't continue to go up and can't go back the way you came. As long as you protect your retreat just keep going up. And if something gets in your way... turn.

(If you're not of a certain age and the advice doesn't ring a bell you should check out Better Off Dead and specifically this scene.)