In order to satisfy the requirement for Leave no Trace, I must have been on 3 camping trips using the principles of it. Camporee is my first one, as it was just chuck full of us cleaning up everything at that site. Rendezvous was the same way, and I would feel comfortable saying we followed the principles there as well. The third one has not occurred yet, but soon the campout at Inks Lake will complete the trio.
What follows is my presentation to whatever "group" wants to watch it. A summary is provided after the video.
- Plan ahead and prepare.
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
- Dispose of waste properly.
- Leave what you find.
- Minimize campfire impacts.
- Respect wildlife.
- Be considerate of other visitors.
1) If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail. It's a popular saying but it holds true. Part of journeying into the outdoors is recognizing the need to be prepared for whatever can happen, and hopefully mitigating the possibility of something bad happening. Limiting group size, observing area regulations, hiking at a pace comfortable to the least skilled hiker, all of these things are considered proper prior planning. It's also important to be aware of the weather and to allocate enough time to get to the designated campsite as well as planning meals appropriately to keep minimal trash.
2) To avoid unnecessarily destroying the land, it is important to walk on established trails, or when in a remote area to spread out to avoid accidentally creating a new trail. Also while camping, it is important to set up tents on things that won't leave a permanent campsite, such as gravel, boulders, snow, dry grass... moving camp daily will also help lessen the impact. Preferring forests over meadows and staying away from rivers will keep from deterring animals that may rely on those areas for their sustenance. The goal is to make it seem like you weren't there when you leave, so anything that permanently damages the area is a no-no.
3) If you pack it in, you must pack it out. Be it food, waste (sometimes... places like caves and desserts and some national parks will require this. Others will be fine with catholes), or something else. Dig catholes 6-9 inches deep and 200 feet from campsites. When disposing of dishwashing water, strain it first to pack out the remaining food particles, then dispose of the water (with biodegradable soap!) 200 feet away from water sources.
4) "Take only photographs, leave only footprints" or something like that. (We sure are going through a lot of sayings, aren't we?) Coming across a stripped campsite is no fun, so leave everything like you found it so others can enjoy it as if it was the first time it was discovered too. In some places it may even be illegal to remove things. Also, minimize site alterations and return the everything to where you found it if logs are to be used as camp furniture.
5) Overuse of camp fires lead to an overuse of wood and subsequent stripping of an area. To avoid this, it is better to use backpacking stoves and lanterns for cooking and light, respectively. Although if a fire must be used, try to use an existing fire ring. Burn only wood as thick as your wrist and burn things to completion. Remove unburnt trash and pack it out. Be certain the fire is dead out by drowning it in water until it is cool to the touch. Be sure to check with the land manager to see if fires are allowed.
6) If you are close enough to an animal to where it alters its normal behavior, you have stressed the animal. Like humans, animals don't like stress either. So observe only from afar, and store food and garbage safely so they can't get to it.
7) People who go camping might be doing it to get away from everything. Including people. Be courteous by keeping your distance and keeping noise at a minimum. So leave music players at home, don't be rowdy, and try to blend into the environment. Be respectful of others' privacy.
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