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Low Impact Wilderness
Enjoyment
by: trailblazer
Protecting the wilderness
is a vital part of our responsibility as visitors to these
areas. Every person can play a role to protect the environment,
and these roles can simply be nothing more than leaving a
minimum impact while visiting.
Every visitor should follow leave no trace
guidelines. These simple guidelines include:
---Plan your trip ahead of time. Contact
the organization(s) that manage the region you are visiting
before you trip to determine their rules and regulations.
---Travel and camp on durable surfaces. Avoid
hiking through or camping in sensitive meadows. If hiking
on trail, stay within the width of the trail and do not shortcut
switchbacks. Camp at least 100 feet from water sources.
---Packing out all of your trash. If you
see trash on the trail, pick it up.
---Dispose of human waste properly. Solid
human waste should be buried 6-8 inches deep AT LEAST 100
feet from any water. The cathole should be covered and disguised
when through, and toiletries should be packed out with other
trash. In some areas, users are recommended to pack out all
solid human waste in "wag bags".
---Take no souvenirs - leave what you find.
This includes artifacts such as arrowheads, as well as natural
resources such as flowers.
---Minimize campfire impacts. Campfires can
cause lasting impacts on the wilderness. Where campfires are
legal, use existing and established fire rings, keep fires
small, and completely douse campfires when you leave. In the
Sierra Nevada, there are many places where campfires are illegal,
including higher elevation areas (these elevations and areas
vary based upon management agency - please contact the management
agency in charge of the area you are visiting to find out
specific regulations). In these areas, use a lightweight stove
for cooking.
---Respect wildlife. Wildlife should be observed
from a distance and never fed. Pets should controlled at all
times (some regions within the Sierra Nevada restrict pets,
contact the region you are visiting for specific regulations).
---Respect other visitors. Be courteous of
others you meet on the trail. Avoid loud noises. Step to the
downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
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High Sierra Topix forums.
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