"7. Be considerate of other visitors." I live on the Sonoma Coast in CA in a seaside village called Bodega Bay. We have several camping/RV parks which are becoming more crowded every year. I walk one of the most popular beaches nearly everyday. Doran Beach hosts several camp/RV areas and is the most sought after camping areas in Bodega Bay. Principle #7 is sorely lacking here in this area and in our current society in general. Thanks so much for your videos. I'll pass them on in an attempt to educate others.
Darris B. Nelson Thanks Darris! Yeah, I'm with you. It's a major bummer when people are disrespectful of other visitors and their space. I find that most people I meet in the backcountry are pretty good about this one, but drive-in campgrounds and RV sites are particularly bad at this one. Thanks for your support!
When I was backpacking I always followed the rule "Take only pictures. Leave only footprints." Then again, my backpacking was only for several hours. No overnights. I took a couple sandwiches and a few bottles of water to drink. What I carried in, I carried out. I wanted to enjoy nature, not destroy it.
Dakota fire is perfect no trace fire, and pretty much sightless. Fill it in, in the morning, level the ground, no risk of fire from embers...Good video! Thanks again!
As a Venture Scout Crew Adviser I'm teaching the Introduction to Leadership Skills course to new BSA leaders and this video has been a big help since I will be utilizing many of LNT principles into the modules I will be teaching (campsite selection, outdoor ethics, fire building and food prep.) I will also be using your food videos. If it was a classroom lesson I might even consider showing them, but since we're going to be outdoor I won't be able to. Thanks for the great videos Dave. Looks like you're in southern Utah. I actually grew up in St. George and Zion was my backyard. Great videos and beautiful backdrop.
Excellent advice, walking lightly on the land and being as one with nature in the great outdoors makes for a far better experience. Thanks for this enjoyable and informative video
David Stone Thanks David! I put a lot of work into trying to get them right, so it means the world to me to get comments like that. I really appreciate it!
I've been looking for a video that was reasonable, interesting, and didn't treat the viewer like they'd never heard about LNT. Your video was the best I've seen. Thank you.
Excellent video, Dave - thanks for creating it. I got here while looking for material for an article I'm writing about piling rocks (building cairns or inukshuks, whatever people what to call it). I'm going to include a link to your video as a great discussion about what Leave No Trace includes.
Are there any restrictions on sharing this video? I will be teaching (as a volunteer) a backpacking workshop next spring and I think this video would bed be perfect for introducing the LNT principles to the workshop participants.
As a prospector in the bush by myself for week at a time I find I need a fire, something about it keeps me calm. I do take from the land and water that's whats it's all about gold and gems.
+tom mcdougall Thanks for the comment Tom. I agree that fires can be extremely calming and wonderful in the woods. I love to build safe fires when I can. Have a good one!
Question: If it can be done safely, can used toilet paper be burned instead of packing it out? Can it be burned in the hole used for feces before closing said hole? I did some research and believe fresh feces (not dried) to be non-flammable or fire resistant; is this true?
Good question. If you dig a deep hole and use natural toilet paper it's safe to burry it in some areas. In other areas it's better to pack it out in a separate ziplock bag, and it's really not that bad. We've had to do that many times in sensitive habitats with a lot of travelers. But burning TP is almost always a bad idea because of the threat of forest fires. For example, in a very famous stretch of the W trek in Patagonia in one of the most beautiful ranges on the planet a huge forest fire was started by a backpacker trying to burn their TP in a hole. So we generally recommend not burning TP.
It's interesting that if you follow the principles of a military ethos behind enemy lines you will naturally follow a leave no trace philosophy. I mean...leave no trail for the enemy to follow and you reduce the chances of them knowing you were ever there. An extreme example but it's true nonetheless.
Thanks Dustin. Check out my shelter page - www.cleverhiker.com/shelters/ for my favorite shelters. That one is from Tarptent, but there are a bunch of great choices on my website.
Good call Jullie. I have a friend who's an expert on the subject. Maybe I can work with him to put something together down the line. Thanks for the great recommendation!
Dave, what did the "enviroment" do , when thousands of buffalo came through, before guys like you gave us tips on how not to affect the wild lands??? ;))
Haha, good question. Luckily the buffalo didn't bring a bunch of plastic trash and chemicals to litter the plains with. And then humans came along shot nearly all of them. Not exactly the best story to demonstrate environmental restoration. All I'm getting at with this video is that humans make an enormous impact on wild lands, so it's best to try to limit our damage as much as possible.
Cattle replaced bison three time over. I support LNT but don't kid yourself, the environmental impact doesn't come from toilet paper and apple cores but our lifestyle off the trail.
I always bring some empty beer bottles to break around camp to make it feel more like home. Along the trail I randomly disperse bottle caps, tabs and old cigarette butts to brings a little bit of the city to the outdoors. Humiliate the terrain, devastate the environment, you deserve it.
Apple cores will not take years to decompose. If there is any wildlife at all in the area, they will disappear in a week at most. Maybe less if there is any deer at all in the area. I haven't tested orange peels, i can't eat citric fruits.
This. LNT is mostly cosmetic. Leave no trace in the wilderness but get some drive-thru from a SUV on the way back home to suburbia to order some individually bubble-wrapped fleece made from recycled bottle... which takes plastic from land to sea at every wash.
"7. Be considerate of other visitors." I live on the Sonoma Coast in CA in a seaside village called Bodega Bay. We have several camping/RV parks which are becoming more crowded every year. I walk one of the most popular beaches nearly everyday. Doran Beach hosts several camp/RV areas and is the most sought after camping areas in Bodega Bay. Principle #7 is sorely lacking here in this area and in our current society in general. Thanks so much for your videos. I'll pass them on in an attempt to educate others.
Darris B. Nelson Thanks Darris! Yeah, I'm with you. It's a major bummer when people are disrespectful of other visitors and their space. I find that most people I meet in the backcountry are pretty good about this one, but drive-in campgrounds and RV sites are particularly bad at this one. Thanks for your support!
When I was backpacking I always followed the rule "Take only pictures. Leave only footprints."
Then again, my backpacking was only for several hours. No overnights.
I took a couple sandwiches and a few bottles of water to drink.
What I carried in, I carried out. I wanted to enjoy nature, not destroy it.
A well rounded view on hiking in a "leave no trace" context.
Dakota fire is perfect no trace fire, and pretty much sightless. Fill it in, in the morning, level the ground, no risk of fire from embers...Good video! Thanks again!
Thanks this video really saved me from a bad mark on a school project
As a Venture Scout Crew Adviser I'm teaching the Introduction to Leadership Skills course to new BSA leaders and this video has been a big help since I will be utilizing many of LNT principles into the modules I will be teaching (campsite selection, outdoor ethics, fire building and food prep.) I will also be using your food videos. If it was a classroom lesson I might even consider showing them, but since we're going to be outdoor I won't be able to. Thanks for the great videos Dave. Looks like you're in southern Utah. I actually grew up in St. George and Zion was my backyard. Great videos and beautiful backdrop.
Thanks so much Christopher! I really appreciate the kind words and best of luck with your classes!
Would you mind if I shared this video on my blog? This is probably one of the more detailed and informative videos I have found on LNT principles.
Excellent video. Succinct, precise and motivating. Professional audio and excellent video sequences. Five Stars!
Excellent advice, walking lightly on the land and being as one with nature in the great outdoors makes for a far better experience. Thanks for this enjoyable and informative video
Thanks so much!
Your videos are really good. Thank you for making them open to all.
David Stone Thanks David! I put a lot of work into trying to get them right, so it means the world to me to get comments like that. I really appreciate it!
Hey man, i love your vids, great content, production and presenting! Thanks for sharing and greetings from sunny England!
Really well made and you've made many good points in there! Noted it all down to remember it in the future :D
+Shaun Gan Thanks for the comment! Glad you enjoyed the vid.
im gonna be honest. first thing i noticed is emancipator. amazing instrumentals. good vid too
+Skylar L Haha! That's fair. And I appreciate the honesty. Emancipator is amazing indeed! Thanks for the comment.
I've been looking for a video that was reasonable, interesting, and didn't treat the viewer like they'd never heard about LNT. Your video was the best I've seen. Thank you.
+IntoTheWildOregon Thanks! I really appreciate the comment. Happy to help!
Excellent video, Dave - thanks for creating it. I got here while looking for material for an article I'm writing about piling rocks (building cairns or inukshuks, whatever people what to call it). I'm going to include a link to your video as a great discussion about what Leave No Trace includes.
Thanks so much Murray!
Are there any restrictions on sharing this video? I will be teaching (as a volunteer) a backpacking workshop next spring and I think this video would bed be perfect for introducing the LNT principles to the workshop participants.
Well done. Comprehensive. Thx!
You’re welcome! Thanks so much for the kind feedback.
awesome vid, very clear and great ideas, excellent.
Great show! Very informative!
Thanks Alex! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Leave No Trace should use this clip for its training video.
Jared Dangerfield Thanks Jared!
This is a great ... perfect one... but only one question ... Why are you standing on the vegetation instead of established trails?
funny man! :))
another great video guys!!! you're the best!!!
Thanks so much Joe! I really appreciate the support.
Great video, you need to teach the homeless people in the cities, thank you for the video
As a prospector in the bush by myself for week at a time I find I need a fire, something about it keeps me calm. I do take from the land and water that's whats it's all about gold and gems.
+tom mcdougall Thanks for the comment Tom. I agree that fires can be extremely calming and wonderful in the woods. I love to build safe fires when I can. Have a good one!
Question: If it can be done safely, can used toilet paper be burned instead of packing it out? Can it be burned in the hole used for feces before closing said hole? I did some research and believe fresh feces (not dried) to be non-flammable or fire resistant; is this true?
Good question. If you dig a deep hole and use natural toilet paper it's safe to burry it in some areas. In other areas it's better to pack it out in a separate ziplock bag, and it's really not that bad. We've had to do that many times in sensitive habitats with a lot of travelers. But burning TP is almost always a bad idea because of the threat of forest fires. For example, in a very famous stretch of the W trek in Patagonia in one of the most beautiful ranges on the planet a huge forest fire was started by a backpacker trying to burn their TP in a hole. So we generally recommend not burning TP.
It's interesting that if you follow the principles of a military ethos behind enemy lines you will naturally follow a leave no trace philosophy. I mean...leave no trail for the enemy to follow and you reduce the chances of them knowing you were ever there. An extreme example but it's true nonetheless.
Nice video. Thank you.
You're welcome!
good video, what tent are you guys using in it?
Thanks Dustin. Check out my shelter page - www.cleverhiker.com/shelters/ for my favorite shelters. That one is from Tarptent, but there are a bunch of great choices on my website.
Hiking with your dog video please.
Good call Jullie. I have a friend who's an expert on the subject. Maybe I can work with him to put something together down the line. Thanks for the great recommendation!
Dave, what did the "enviroment" do , when thousands of buffalo came through, before guys like you gave us tips on how not to affect the wild lands??? ;))
Haha, good question. Luckily the buffalo didn't bring a bunch of plastic trash and chemicals to litter the plains with. And then humans came along shot nearly all of them. Not exactly the best story to demonstrate environmental restoration. All I'm getting at with this video is that humans make an enormous impact on wild lands, so it's best to try to limit our damage as much as possible.
Dave Collins Just ribbing you bro.. Your efforts and insight do not go unnoticed. Love the channel.
Thanks! I really appreciate the support!
Cattle replaced bison three time over. I support LNT but don't kid yourself, the environmental impact doesn't come from toilet paper and apple cores but our lifestyle off the trail.
wait a minute. if you see others trash pick it up. next rule - leave what you find. I'm confused. :)
thanks neaded this realy bad
I always bring some empty beer bottles to break around camp to make it feel more like home. Along the trail I randomly disperse bottle caps, tabs and old cigarette butts to brings a little bit of the city to the outdoors.
Humiliate the terrain, devastate the environment, you deserve it.
+s0nnyburnett Lol, better just stay in the city I guess :) Thanks for the funny comments!
Campfires should be an emergency survival measure. It should Not be used as a source of entertainment or distraction.
How often do you actually go camping or backpacking? RVs and cabins don't count.
Apple cores will not take years to decompose. If there is any wildlife at all in the area, they will disappear in a week at most. Maybe less if there is any deer at all in the area. I haven't tested orange peels, i can't eat citric fruits.
Very informative.
Please get rid of the annoying "CH" watermark in the lower left corner.
Lol, noted. Thanks!
Ok lol
First comment in a year
Do oil fracking billionaires follow these guidelines too? lol
This. LNT is mostly cosmetic. Leave no trace in the wilderness but get some drive-thru from a SUV on the way back home to suburbia to order some individually bubble-wrapped fleece made from recycled bottle... which takes plastic from land to sea at every wash.
No good campsites are MADE
+Charlie Taroni Thanks for the comment Charlie.