Tag Archives: leave no trace

The QiWiz Big Dig Ultralight Titanium Trowel is an ultralight 0.5 ounce (15 grams) titanium cat hole trowel for digging holes in hard, rocky, and root-filled soil. It’s much sturdier than the cheap plastic trowels made by GSI Outdoors and much lighter …

Shit takes longer to decompose in the desert than it does in more humid places. Studies show that there can still be harmful bacteria present in the human fecal matter even after a year in the desert soil. Because of this, there …

Had a reader contact me recently asking me how I managed to get any sleep when backpacking solo. He’d gone on their first overnight trip in Dolly Sods (WV) and been freaked out worrying about eastern bears at night and being attacked …

Forget mail drops. In an effort to relieve trail town and post office congestion, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Google Express have launched a new resupply initiative using cargo drones called Air-Drops, so that thru-hikers can resupply on the Appalachian Trail without …

Two weeks ago I co-led Andrew Skurka’s 3 day/2 night Ultimate Hiking Course in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It was my first time working with Andrew on a trip, but it all went quite smoothly even though we’d only met a …

. . . well, let me confess, it’s me! At one time. Of course, I wasn’t organized enough then to think this far ahead, to pause at the trailhead and ponder What do I do when I have to go? Or you …

I led an Appalachian Mountain Club Beginner Hiking Trip and Leave No Trace Awareness Workshop on Mount Pemigewasset (also called ‘Indian Head’) in Franconia Notch on Saturday that was a lot of fun. We had great weather and clear views from the …

This is the first post in a series of articles about Low Impact Stealth Camping that explains how you can to minimize your impact on pristine wilderness sites so no one will know that you ever camped there. This takes a little planning …

Stealth Camping  – What is it? Stealth Camping is when you camp off-trail at an unprepared, virgin campsite. It’s called “Stealth” because you want some privacy and don’t want people to know you are there, but people also do it to be …

I came across this note last week when I was hiking south past Rainbow Lake on the Maine Appalachian Trail.  It reads: HELP, Aug 7 11AM, All Hikers, Towards the lake, I found a root fire. I’ve spent the past 2.5 hours …

  Here is my slightly abridged, take no prisoners, version of the Leave No Trace Principles. Plan Ahead and Prepare. Know local regulations. Shelters may be full; bring a tent, tarp or hammock. Carefully map out your route before you arrive including …

I like camping far away from established campsites. If I’m hiking solo on a managed trail, I usually avoid shelters and lean-tos unless I want company. If I’m bushwacking there is usually no other option. When I get tired or the light …