Content deleted Content added
| (29 intermediate revisions by 15 users not shown) | |||
Line 13:
===Paint===
[[File:Swiss_trail_marker_in_Tenna.jpg|thumb|Painted marker in Switzerland]]
[[Image:BergAlpinWegweiser.jpg|thumb|Painted marker in Switzerland]]A painted marking of a consistent shape or shapes (often rectangular), dimension and colour or combination of colours is used along the trail route. The system by which blazes are used to signify turns and endpoints in trails (see below) strongly favors the use of paint blazes.▼
▲
[[Image:Stripe-marked trail red.svg|left|60px|Basic Marker – red, used in Central Europe for difficult or summit trails]] European countries usually use systems of painted bars or shapes in more than one colour. The [[Central European Hiking Markers System]] uses three bars – usually one color in between two white bars, with different meanings attached to different colours – in a 10 cm x 10 cm square. Red is often used to mark difficult or summit trails. Arrows of similar design signal a change of direction. This system was first used in today's [[Czech Republic]] in May 1889, to mark a trail from the town of [[Štěchovice]] to a nearby spring. Today there are {{cvt|42000|km|abbr=on}} of marked trails in the Czech Republic.<ref>{{cite web |title=Turistické značky máme od roku 1889, jsou geniálně jednoduché a závidí nám je celý svět|url=https://budejovice.rozhlas.cz/turisticke-znacky-mame-od-roku-1889-jsou-genialne-jednoduche-a-zavidi-nam-je-7046780|publisher=[[Czech Radio]]|language=cs|date=2016-10-09|access-date=2022-12-25}}</ref> This system is used also in [[Slovakia]], [[Poland]], [[Ukraine]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Brazil]] and other countries. French, Italian, Austrian and Swiss trails use a similar system of white and coloured stripes. Slovenia, Croatia and other former members of [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]] use [[Alojz Knafelc|Knafelc trail blaze]].▼
[[Image:Stripe-marked trail red.svg|left|70px|Basic Marker – red, used in Central Europe for difficult or summit trails]]
European countries usually use systems of painted bars or shapes in more than one colour. The [[Czech Hiking Markers System]] uses three bars – usually one color in between two white bars, with different meanings attached to different colours – in a 10 cm x 10 cm square. Red is often used to mark difficult or summit trails. Arrows of similar design signal a change of direction.
▲
In the [[United States]] and [[Canada]], a single colour is used, usually white, red, blue or yellow. Trails in [[South Africa]] are often marked by yellow footprints painted on trees and rocks.
In [[Israel]], trails are marked by three stripes. A painted stripe surrounded by two white stripes can indicate length with black, green, blue, or red representing short (<10 km) trails, and purple or orange representing longer trails (60 to 100 km). In addition, some trails are represented by specific colour combinations such as the Golan Trail (white, blue, green), the [[Jerusalem Trail]] (blue, gold, blue), and the [[Israel National Trail]] (white, blue, orange).<ref>{{cite web |title=Trail Markers in Israel – The Complete Guide |url=https://israelbylocals.com/trail-markers-in-israel/ |website=Israel by Locals |access-date=13 February 2024}}</ref>
Blazes may also be painted on obvious rock surfaces or on posts set into the ground (or on utility poles, fences, or other handy surfaces) where the trail follows a road or goes through fields and meadows.
===Carvings===
[[File:Waymarker at Southern Upland Way.JPG|thumb|Carved marker – wooden marker using a stylized thistle to mark the [[Southern Upland Way]], Scotland]]
In North America, Australia and New Zealand,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Deep South USA Visitor Information|url=https://www.deep-south-usa.com/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=Deep South USA|publisher=Lofthouse Enterprises}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-11-12|title=Australian Alps walking track|url=https://theaustralianalps.wordpress.com/experience/aawt/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=Australian Alps National Parks}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mangonui Heritage Trail|url=http://www.doubtlessbay.co.nz/see-and-do/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827124746/http://www.doubtlessbay.co.nz/heritagetrail.htm|archive-date=27 August 2016|access-date=2020-07-20|website=doubtlessbay.co.nz}}</ref> there are trails blazed by cuts made in bark by axe or knife, usually the former. Most often these are informal routes made by [[logging|loggers]] or [[hunting|hunters]], or trails descended from those routes. Originally a tree would be blazed by hatchet chops (still the dictionary definition) but today other methods have become more common, with [[environmentalism|environmental]] and aesthetic concerns sometimes playing a part in the choice of blazing method.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Hiking Basics - How is the A.T. marked?|url=https://appalachiantrail.org/explore/plan-and-prepare/hiking-basics/|website=Appalachian Trail Conservancy|date=11 December 2019 }}</ref> Other navigational aids, such as [[cairn]]s, are used where blazes are unsuitable. In 1902 the miners of Idaho created and marked the [[Three Blaze Trail|Three Blaze "shortcut" Trail]] with a series of three distinctive blazes cut on the trees, usually with an axe, to define the specific route to the Thunder Mountain Mines of Central Idaho.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Fuller|first=Margaret|title=Trails of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness|publisher=Trail Guide Books|year=2002|isbn=9780966423327|edition=2nd|location=Weiser, Idaho|pages=208|oclc=50596610}}</ref>
Line 35 ⟶ 40:
===Flagging===
[[Image:Tape flag.JPG|thumb|Flag marker – a rare use of a tape flag as a blaze on an official trail in the US, here indicating where the trail re-enters the woods after crossing an open ledge]]
[[Surveying|Surveyor]]'s tape hung from branches or tied around trees is sometimes used to indicate trail routes, but usually only for temporary or unofficial trails, most commonly when a trail route has been selected but the trail itself is under construction. Flags are sometimes used for permanent trails, but they are the most vulnerable to the elements of any trail blazing method and may be more difficult to see.
Line 40 ⟶ 46:
===Poles===
[[Image:BergAlpinWegweiser.jpg|thumb|Trail signs in Switzerland]]
[[File:Markierung_Alpiner_Wanderweg.jpg|thumb|right|Pole marker on an [[Alpine route]] at Piz Uccello, Switzerland]] Poles, colored or not, are often used to keep the trail visible during winter and under snow cover.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Trail construction and maintenance notebook.|vauthors=Hesselbarth W, Vachowski B, Davies MA|publisher=USDA Forest Service Technology and Development Program|year=2007|location=Missoula, MT|pages=125|chapter=Signs|oclc=959245369|chapter-url=https://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/htmlpubs/htm07232806/page13.htm}}</ref> Poles are standard trail markers in [[Austria]], Canada, USA, the [[Czech Republic]], [[Switzerland]], and [[Slovakia]].▼
[[File:Markierung_Alpiner_Wanderweg.jpg|thumb|right|Pole marker on an [[Alpine route]] at Piz Uccello, Switzerland]]
▲
===Cairns===
Line 49 ⟶ 58:
Below the tree line, cairns are used less frequently, often like flagging to indicate informal or unofficial paths or just their junctions with official trails. They may become obscured by [[snow]] in areas with heavy winters and may be easily knocked over. In some areas the recreational building of numerous cairns has obscured the proper use of cairns to mark junctions and crossings. In some areas of the United States, park rangers and land managers must disassemble excess cairns when they become eyesores or when they mislead navigation.
Where rocks are scarce, poles can be used. Poles are also frequently used to mark ski and snow shoe trails.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mt. Seymour Peak|url=https://trailpeak.com/trails/Mt-Seymour-Peak-near-Vancouver-BC-305|access-date=20 Jul 2020|website=trailpeak.com}}</ref>
====Trail ducks====
Line 76 ⟶ 85:
[[National Trails]] in England and Wales generally use an [[acorn]] symbol.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=South West Coast Path – Is there signage on the Trail?|url=https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/south-west-coast-path/trail-information/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816130022/https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/south-west-coast-path/trail-info/there-signage-trail|archive-date=16 August 2018|access-date=20 Jul 2020|website=National Trails}}</ref> The [[National Cycle Network]] in the United Kingdom is signposted using a white bicycle symbol on a blue background, with a white route number in an inset box, but with no destination names or distances. ''National Route'' numbers have a ''red'' background, ''Regional Route'' numbers have a ''blue'' background. The system of symbols is based on that used by the [[Danish National Cycle Routes|Danish National Cycle Route network]].
The colour used may also indicate the status of the route, for example on [[
==Meaning of trail signs==
Line 92 ⟶ 101:
==See also==
<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->
{{wiktionary|trailblazing}}▼
* [[Daymark]]
* [[Desire path]], a trail created by repeated use, sometimes informally marked
* [[Land mark]]
* [[Paper chase (game)]]
* [[Quilt Trail]]
* [[Sea mark]]
Line 101 ⟶ 111:
* [[Wayfinding]]
* [[Waypoint]], a GPS navigation term
* [[Trail difficulty rating system]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category}}▼
▲{{wiktionary|trailblazing}}
▲{{Commons category-inline|Trail blazes}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trail Blazing}}
[[Category:Hiking]]
[[Category:Outdoor recreation]]
[[Category:
[[Category:Geopositioning markers]]
| |||