Leave no trace

[IndianaHiker]

Heck of a response from everyone. I just know that if more people followed the Leave No Trace guidelines our wilderness areas would be pristine for generations to come. It's our legacy to all who follow us.

Agreed. The funny thing is that when you get out in the back county even areas that are pretty popular you see less trash. Funny the difference between 1 mile from the trail head and 3 or 4. Then you get past 5 and there is a world of difference. Many are just to lazy to clean up after themselves, and those that trek further don't have that issue and also respect nature more.

 

[wvbreamfisherman]

I was quite pleased that the section of the AT we hiked was so clean. You'd occasionally find something that someone had dropped, but ever around the shelters that were heavily used, things were very clean.

 

[Grandpa]

Sorry Coz:tinysmile_twink_t2: but my observation is the foot soldiers are a lot cleaner in the back country than the Cavalry. I think it has more to do with the riders having time for snacks while the horse does the work and wrappers get accidentally dropped and it's too much hastle to stop, get off and pick it up.

My next observation is boy scouts can be messy. But don't blame the boys, it's the leaders that are failing in the teach and the follow up. Recently, three of us Webelos leaders had a combined group hike. The boys from one of the groups was constantly dropping wrappers and the boys from the other two groups was constantly catching them at it. They had no idea what LNT meant and showed it when we hit the switch backs and straight over the edge they went. As my boys and the other dens boys kept critiqueing them, it was obvious the leader had no idea what it was all about.

 

[Hikenhunter]

I was quite pleased that the section of the AT we hiked was so clean. You'd occasionally find something that someone had dropped, but ever around the shelters that were heavily used, things were very clean.

I've seen some shelters that look like garbage dumps. Many hikers on the AT could care less about the mess they leave behind. While all hikers are not slobs, much of the credit for the cleanliness you experience has to go to the volunteers that maintain various sections of the trail. Most sections of the trail are maintained by a hiking club or other groups that monitor their chosen section of the trail. These groups then break down thier section of the trail and have volunteers that will take a certain part and look after it. I've met a couple of these guys who take the job they have chosen very seriously. It is a shame that the trail has to be maintained this way but these stewards of the trail need to be thanked for the job they do and we hikers need to give them less to do by cleaning up after ourselves.

 

[dinosaur]

Grandpa, are you sure that's an aspen?

 

[Grandpa]

Very sure Dino. Actully, this populus tremuloides.

 

[RandySki]

Many are just to lazy to clean up after themselves...

That's exactly the reason for the beer cans and other garbage that I see. People are just lazy and don't care. I often wonder if their homes look like the trash heap they leave behind.

 

[ChadTower]

The thing that bugs me is that LNT shouldn't even be necessary. They should call it something more accurate like Don't Be an Arrogant Pig. Leaving something the way you found it is only basic respect.

I can't even keep my front yard clean because I live on a main road and jackasses are constantly throwing fast food trash and beer cans out of their cars. After each time it rains I have to go out and sweep my driveway for cigarette butts that runoff dumped on me. Few things make me legitimately angry but stuff like this does it quickly.

 

[hikeorbike]

Absolutely. Not only is it disrespectful to other campers and nature itself to leave litter/campfires/etc. behind, but you're endangering animals, could be causing pollution and possibly start a forest fire if you're not careful.

 

[ChadTower]

Now, with that said, I have hiked with LNT folks who go way too far. Yes, break up the fire ring and spread out the ashes. You don't have to have a broom for resetting the pine needles so there are no footprints. You don't have to wash off the rocks you used in the fire ring.

 

[FlanneryCam]

I have always camped in a leave no trace manner. I want the natural spaces to be save and beautiful for ever. I want to visit wilderness landscapes not litter them, not own them.

I did try one trip where we took leave no trace to the max and biked to our campsite, then we did work at one of the parks we visited to pay off our support van's carbon trace. It was a lot of work especially for a group of 12 people.

I haven't done leave no trace that way since.

 

[Davefromva]

Found a MSR propane fuel canister tucked in on the inside of a metal fire-pit, under some debris. Great place. Good thing I only burn twig fires. If I had built a larger fire that canister could have exploded. They left a zip lock baggy of trash with it also. I cleaned out the pit of debris and hauled the trash back out. I feel for the person that I catch littering in the wilderness in the future. Many years of frustrations with people destroying nature will all come out on that individual.

 

[shaun]

I do practice the principles of 'Leave No Trace'. I was a boy scout when I was a kid so it has been instilled into me from an early age. It really annoys me when people don't respect nature. I always leave the area in the state I found it.

 

[ejdixon]

I follow as much of it as I can remember: keeping and leaving the campsite clean, making sure that the fire pits are killed completely, not to take home souvenirs except pictures. Pretty much, I put myself in the situation of the next camper. How I would like a campsite to look like when I arrive there is the way that I leave it.