by Eric Fies, Leave No Trace (LNT) Master Educator
It’s likely we all secretly pretend to be great explorers discovering new, wild, and untouched places while on our backcountry adventures. Pith-helmeted and gallantly leading our brave expeditions down barely distinguishable native paths, through untamed forests, and over uncharted terrain, we choose each step carefully and make our way toward our dubious objective. Coming across the frustrating, fire-ringed remnants of someone’s campsite, our delusions are shattered and we’re instantly jarred back to the reality that we’re not the first to step foot in that place. The horror!
Take a walk through many car-camping areas, roadside campgrounds, or front-country trail systems and you will surely see the terrible effects of overuse and mismanagement. Worn patches in the shape of tents and convenience paths crisscrossing the landscape mark a lack of understanding for LNT Principle #2. Traveling and camping on durable surfaces, the skillful LNT practitioner ensures everyone’s enjoyment of our natural world—and the protected Indiana Jones moments we all clandestinely crave and truly deserve.
Surface durability, a fairly easy concept to understand, is all about how the natural surface responds to or recovers from our passage. Rock, sand, and gravel are highly durable and can withstand the trampling. Ice and snow, while temporary, provide a durable layer for our use when proper precautions are followed. Vegetation is the most vulnerable. Trampling effects on vegetation can take time to show and vary by type and season, but we should stick to the trail whenever possible.
If you must venture off-trail, spread out to avoid creating one clear path that may encourage others to follow. This practice should not be applied when you are forced to pass through desert environments possessing fragile cryptobiotic crust or any area bearing sensitive lichens and vulnerable mosses. Avoid these areas at all costs, but when forced, your party should maintain a single file and try to use rocks or other more durable surfaces to minimize impact. Desert puddles and mudholes are extremely important ecologically, and you should avoid disturbing them in any way.
Choosing a proper campsite is essential in any overnight trip and can have the most impact on the environment and the wilderness experiences of others. Before breaking out the tent, we must analyze our surroundings and balance minimizing ecological impact with our social needs, comfort, and convenience. Reflecting on the LNT Principle #1—Plan Ahead and Prepare—give yourself enough time at the end of the day to select the right site and get set up.
Avoid camping close to water and trails. This practice will help reduce wildlife encounters and preserve passing hikers’ enjoyment. In high-use areas, where the signs of previous repeated camps have affected the vegetation, it is generally best to concentrate tents, traffic routes, and kitchen areas on the existing impacted places. This avoids enlarging the disturbed area. If you have a camera with you, take a picture of the area before you set up to help remind you of how you found it.
Do not camp in undisturbed, pristine areas unless you and your party fully understand and are committed to the LNT Principles. When you do, spread out tents, avoid repetitive traffic routes, and move camp every night. Always be cognizant of trampling impacts, and try to use durable surfaces for high-traffic areas, such as the field kitchen and where packs are stored. A good rule of thumb is to camp no closer than 200 feet, or about 70 adult paces, from water. Take care to reduce the number of trips for water by carrying containers, such as collapsible dromedaries.
When breaking camp, no matter how eager you are to hit the trail and chase adventure, take time to return the site to nature. Cover scuffed areas with natural materials found in the immediate area, brush out footprints, and rake matted grassy areas with a stick to obliterate any trace you were there and aid the ecological recovery. Then march on to glory knowing that you have truly made Bigfoot proud and given the next intrepid explorers the untamed terrain they, like you, so desperately desire.
Explore responsibly!
Join the fun and follow me on Twitter @RangerFies. To learn more, please visit www.explorenorthstar.com.
Note: The member-driven Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics teaches people how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Any copyrighted information has been reprinted with permission from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org.