Entertainment : GETTING OUTSIDE
GETTING OUTSIDE

Take a Hike

08.03.2009

Submitted by tmeronek on Sun, 08/02/2009 - 11:00pm.
Hiking
The Bite:
Wanna tell eco-distress to get gone? Next time you hit the trails, lower your impact. Just follow a few simple principles for the good of the planet and your future outdoorsy excursions. Peace out.
The Benefits: 
  • Telling eco-effects to kick rocks. Even if you visit a place only once, leaving things as you found them ensures that others can enjoy it as much as you did.
  • G'bye, harmful impacts. Only 10% of American prairies are still around, and 90% of old-growth forests have been lost to logging. Little things like packing out litter help keep what's left pristine.
  • Hello, inexpensive fun. Getting outside's great for your sanity, hiking burns cals, and a trip to the state park's way cheaper than most vacations.
Personally Speaking: 
Elementary school is great for cheesy field trip maxims that stick with you. Mike's fave: "Take only pictures, leave only footprints."
Wanna Try: 
The Leave No Trace Principles:
  1. Plan ahead and prepare. Try to bring food (or repack it) that doesn't have a lot of packaging - you'll have less of a chance of leaving litter behind.
  2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces. Sticking to established campsites will be comfier and helps prevent erosion.
  3. Dispose of waste properly. Pack out all litter, obvi, and check LNT's site for tips on dealing with human waste.
  4. Leave what you find. That means rocks, flowers, anything you see (though feel free to pack out trash you find)…and try not to introduce any nonnative species (even stuff like apple seeds) on your hike.
  5. Minimize campfire impacts. Keep 'em small, use an already created fire ring, and always put out fires completely.
  6. Respect wildlife. Avoid feeding (including keeping your own food secure) or trying to befriend animals, no matter how soft and fuzzy they look. It could mean harm to them or yourself; and human food, however gourmet, isn't usually good for them.
  7. Be considerate of other visitors. One thrown in especially for your fellow peeps. Do unto others…

Cocktail Fact

Backpacker magazine's most dangerous American trail is The Maze in Canyonlands National Park, UT, which boasts 100-degree-plus temps in the summer, few sources of water, and tons of cliffs and dead-end canyons.

Bang For The Bite

Taking a little extra care to follow nature's golden rules is a small price to pay for making sure every trip's as good as the last one.

11 comments
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Urban Hillbilly  on August 03, 2009 at 01:49 PM 1
My fellow local hikers are doing pretty well in regard to litter, but please, PLEASE, take note of number 3. I know you don't want to carry your used toilet paper back with you. I can understand that, so please bury it under the leaves, rocks, whatever. Otherwise, it's going to be there until the next heavy rain (or longer) which could be months in this climate. Thanks for reading.
waxghost  on August 03, 2009 at 01:53 PM 2
Doesn't it seem like there should be a better way than stuffing your toilet paper in a plastic bag? First of all, I hate the idea of being presented with my own waste again every time I look in my bag and second, I hate the idea of using a plastic bag that I would NOT reuse. I also hate the idea of stripping the trees nearby of any leaves or accidentally grabbing poison ivy. I've tried remaining squatting until the drip stops but that doesn't always work. Is there really nothing else that we can do?
juliadevi  on August 03, 2009 at 02:51 PM 3
waxghost, you can use a bandanna/handkerchief (but just for peeing! ;). urine is biologically sterile... and you can hang your pee rag on the side of your pack to dry between uses, if you're backpacking - it works just fine and is much faster than waiting for the dripping to stop... (been there, done that ;)
Patty Christie  on August 03, 2009 at 03:12 PM 4
Great comments and suggestions--especially to take out any trash you see, no matter who left it. We do that when we scuba dive, as well... Another suggestion would be to help support organizations such as American Hiking Society, which maintains our country's hiking trails. www.AmericanHiking.org
waxghost  on August 03, 2009 at 05:00 PM 5
Thanks, juliadevi. I'm an aspiring archaeologist who usually just takes day trips to wilderness areas so maybe I could just hang it on a distant tree between bathroom breaks. :)
Mekolo  on September 07, 2009 at 01:53 PM 6
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Jump  on September 26, 2009 at 09:13 AM 7
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