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Backcountry Etiquette
The guidelines on this page are a mix of law and courtesy. If there's something
that I missed, let me know using my feedback
page.
I hope this is common knowledge but just in case it
isn't, here it is:
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Pack out (don't bury) everything you bring in.
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Pets, weapons, and motorized/mechanical equipment are illegal in the national
park backcountry. Don't fool yourself about a dog on the trail. I've seen on
four different occasions tickets given out at $500 a pop.
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Shortcutting trails within the national park backcountry is prohibited. Help
reduce erosion and preserve vegetation by staying on the trail.
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100 Feet from Water:
Always try to camp at least 100 feet away from water but NEVER closer that 25
feet.
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Avoid Improvements:
Always try to camp in established camp sites and don't construct new fire
rings.
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Trail Sight:
Unless camping in an established campsite, always try to choose a site that
can't be easily seen from the trail.
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Level Ground: For sleeping comfort, do your best to find level ground to
pitch your tent.
Remember to get a fire permit from any ranger station before starting on your
hike. These permits are free and all you need to do is listen to or read the
safety regulations.
Fires are usually not permitted above a certain elevation in the Sierra Nevada
due to lack of vegetation. That elevation is usually somewhere around the tree
line but can range between 8,800 to 11,200 feet. You can usually determine what
elevation applies to you by reviewing the topographic map for your hike or by
asking a ranger.
Use the following guidelines when building a fire:
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NEVER
leave fires unattended!
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Put out fires completely with lots of water and stirring before leaving.
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Use existing fire rings
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Use only dead and fallen wood. Never remove branches from a tree to make your
fire even if the tree appears to be dead.
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Don't burn plastic or foil.
All the official rules regarding food storage are geared towards keeping it away
from the wildlife. In the Sierra Nevada, the greatest concern is the American
black bear (ursus americanus) no matter what color the bear actually is.
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Definition of:
'Food' is anything with a scent. Besides what we normally consider food items
like trash, soap, sunscreen and anything else that smells could entice a bear
to take a bite.
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Bear Boxes:
The metal food storage boxes ('bear boxes') should be used wherever possible.
Bear boxes are usually at the trailhead and sometimes, if you're lucky, at
popular overnight backpacking campgrounds. Storing your food in one of these
boxes instead of your car could mean the difference between having a door or
not when you get back.
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Food Cables:
Some backcountry campgrounds (i.e., Moraine Dome near Little Yosemite Valley)
have cables that are strung between two trees. These metal cables can be
lowered via a pulley on one side so you can attach your bags to the cable and
then raise it again. Quite a step up in convenience compared to
counterbalancing (below).
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Bear Canisters: These are black contains to put your food in that bears
can't get into. They're ingenuous contraptions and are sometimes required
when you go backpacking.
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Backpacks:
When bedding down for the night, make sure there is nothing odorous in your
backpacks. Leave the backpacks outside with ALL of the pockets and pouches
open. This allows the bear to stick a nose in without tearing the bag up.
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Counterbalance: Counterbalancing your food is a method used to hang food
in a tree to keep it away from bears. Use this method if food boxes, cables, or
canisters are unavailable.
Counterbalancing must be done
appropriately to reduce the risk of a bear getting at it. I've seen food hung
on a few occasions (i.e., Alta Meadow - Sequoia National Park) where the one
bag was hung at only 2 feet off the ground. It looked like someone was fishing
for bears! Therefore, to ensure you don't loose your food and don't see people
dropping in a belly laugh, following these guidelines:
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Campsite:
Choose a campsite that has a good tree for counterbalancing. The ideal tree
will have a live branch that is at least 10 feet out and 20 feet high. Ensure
that there is nothing for a bear to stand on under the branch (i.e., stump or
rock). Also, ensure that your campsite is near enough to the tree where you can
scare bears away if needed.
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Daylight:
I promise that the following steps will be MUCH easier if they are done with
light. Therefore, do whatever possible to finish supper and get the bags hung
before it gets too dark.
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Packaging: Divide all the food (see
definition of
above) into two equally weighted bags.
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Throw Twine:
Tie a rock to the end of the string or twine and throw it over the end of the
branch. The place where the string loops the branch must be strong enough to
hold the food and weak enough to hold a bear cub.
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Tie & Hoist:
Tie one end of the string to one bag and hoist it all the way up to the branch.
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Tie & Tuck: Tie the other bag as high
as possible (you still need to reach it) on the opposite end of the string.
Roll up the excess string and tuck it partially
within the bag.
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Counterbalance:
Either toss up or use a long stick to push the second bag upward to where both
bags are hanging at approximately the same height.
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Retrieve: To get the bags down, use a stick
to pull out the tucked in string and/or push one bag upward until you can reach
the other.
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Purify Water:
Purify all drinking water by using a water filter, iodine tablets, or boiling
for 3-5 minutes. If using a water filter, ensure that it filters out giardia
and other water born bacteria.
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Human Waste:
Bury human waste 6" deep and at least 100 feet from trails, camps, and water
sources. If buried less than 6" there's a greater chance of animals digging it
up. Burying deeper than 6" will slow decomposition.
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Don't Wash Directly in a Water Source: Tote water at least 100 feet from
its source before washing (i.e., yourself, clothing, dishes). Remember that
biodegradble soaps pollute too so dispose of them just like you would normal
soap.
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