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 Practicing “Leave No Trace” Camping

Always remember where you are

• Remember that you are traveling in a sensitive alpine environment.  In many respects, it is no different than travel in the Arctic.  The lush vegetation can be somewhat deceptive.  These plants grow slowly and may take years to recover.
• Keep in mind that “summer” is only three months long in this environment. Some of the trees you see here may be hundreds of years old, even though they are not very large.

Stay on the Trail

• Do not cut across switchbacks.  This will lead to erosion and deterioration of the trail
• Do not leave the trail to avoid mud or other minor inconveniences.  This results in “trail braiding”.

Choosing a campsite

• Camp and Travel on Durable Surfaces
• Utilize durable ground when hiking, stopping for rest breaks, and camping. The best surfaces to utilize are sand, rock, snow, dry grass, and pine needles.

In High-use Areas:

• concentrate use in established campsites.
• Keep tents, kitchen areas, and traffic in "hardened" areas that are already bare from previous use. 
• Use established trails; stay off of untrammeled green areas.

In Remote Low-Use Areas:

• spread use. Spread out while hiking, avoid creating paths while in camp and utilize only durable ground for camping and walking.
• Avoid places where impact is just beginning. Leave barely-used sites alone to regenerate.
• Keep your cook area away from your tenting area, and keep both away from water sources.

Pack It In, Pack It Out

1. Reduce litter at the source by repackaging food into reusable containers.
2. Carry out all trash and garbage so it will not be left half-burned or dug up by animals.

Properly Dispose of What You Can't Pack Out 

• Human Waste: Where toilets are available, always use them! Where they are not, bury human waste 6-8" deep in individual catholes. The best option is to carry out toilet paper in plastic bags as buried TP is often dug up by animals.
• Grey Water: 
  • If there are pit toilets, dispose of grey water in the toilet.
  • Where there are no toilets, strain or separate food particles from cooking water, scatter the gray water 200 ft. from water sources and camps.
  • In bear country, strain out food particles, then consolidate water in sump holes.
• Minimize soap use to keep the backcountry free of chemicals. If washing with soap, rinse 200 ft. from water sources.
• Scatter fish or hunting remains discretely, well away from trails or camps.
• In bear country, hang all food and toiletries and camp at least 100 ft. from cooking and food storage areas.

Leave What You Find

• Minimize site alterations by choosing sites that are sheltered and do not require trenching. Carry enough gear to be comfortable in bad weather.
• Avoid damaging live trees and plants. It is unnecessary to chop or nail trees, harvest plants, or harm living things.
• Leave natural and cultural artifacts, such as bones, pottery, or petrified wood, intact for others to view and enjoy.

Minimize Use and Impact of Fires

• Know current regulations and weather conditions. During dry periods, it may be dangerous, or even prohibited to build fires.
• Use a stove for cooking whenever possible. If you can't use a stove,
  • Use provided wood, if available
  • Collect and burn only dead and already-downed wood, and only do this is very low-impact areas. Do not collect wood in high-impact areas.
  • Use small wood (wrist size or smaller). It burns hot and easily burns to ash. Break wood to smaller lengths as needed: extra wood can be returned to the forest before leaving camp.
• In high-use areas, use existing, legal fire pits.
• In remote areas, use no-trace methods such as fire pans or mound fires.