SIX WAYS TO TREAD LIGHTLY IN THE MOUNTAINS
Now, we certainly aren’t reinventing the wheel with any of these tips for the trail, but we feel strongly in our soles to remind you about some of the ways you can tread lightly in the mountains when adventuring. Whether it’s as simple as keeping trash off the trail or carpooling to the trailhead, together, we can reduce the boot prints we leave in the wild.
Photo: Jake Dyson / Banff Lake Louise Tourism
Carpool Party
You want as much gas in the tank for the last leg of the hike, but use it mindfully getting there. Be sure to plan ahead on how you’ll get to the trailhead: can you and your trail crew fit in one vehicle? Is there a way to get there on public transit? What about by bike? When exploring locally think about the start of your adventure as the moment you leave your doorstep and try to make transportation decisions that have a minimal impact on the environment you’re about to spend time admiring.
Bag Peaks and Your Garbage
How many times have you come across discarded tissue, wrappers, orange peels or even abandoned articles of clothing on the trail? Guys, the world is your oyster, not your dumpster. “Leave no trace” not only applies to litter, but also to ensuring food (or non-food items that smell like food) are properly secured at all times while frontcountry and backcountry camping. Leaving out garbage and/or food can attract wildlife and lead to human-wildlife conflicts. Parks Canada says it best when they say: human food kills wildlife, which is why this is a big one that always bears repeating.
Where the Wild Things Are
Sometimes we aren’t smarter than your average bear, so it’s important to educate yourself on the specific guidelines each park has when it comes to respecting wildlife. That being said, there are the cardinal rules: do not approach or feed wildlife and do keep your distance. As mentioned earlier, you should also properly dispose of garbage, waste, and food too. If you’re in bear country, make noise to make sure bears aren’t startled by your presence and carry bear spray in the event that they are.
Stick to the Trail
These boots were made for walking… on the trail. Staying on the trail prevents damaging vegetation and contributing to erosion that could negatively affect the mountain or area you’re exploring. Keeping to designated trails at all times also decreases the possibility of creating multiple routes or shortcuts, which scar the landscape. Be mindful of not widening trails either when trying to avoid obstacles like branches, mud, or water. Pull yourself up by the bootstraps and do your best to walk through it.
Leaf It As You Find It
“It’s just one, nobody will notice it missing.”
If every hiker said this to themselves when picking up wildflowers, colourful rocks, or petrified wood to put into their backpacks as a souvenir to take home to display as a natural knick-knack, well, there might not be much left for others to discover and enjoy. It’s especially important to leave nature as you find it because in national parks and in other protected areas, it’s the law. Parks Canada deems that natural and cultural resources such as plants, rocks, fossils, artifacts, horns, antlers, wildflowers, and nested must be left undisturbed. So stop and sketch a drawing or snap a photo of the roses instead!
Tag Responsibly
Ever end up off of the beaten path to find yourself at a scene seldom seen on social media? It’d be super tempting to geotag it and declare yourself a discoverer. But, a more modern adaptation of the “leave no trace” principle now includes your digital footprint. These days, geotagging precise locations can lead to increased vehicle and foot traffic in an area, which can cause environmental degradation and disrupt delicate ecosystems. Which is why some influencers and adventurers are swapping out exact geotags for the more generic Tag Responsibly, Keep the West Wild location. So think before you tag, a little change in how you use social media can go a long way as you tread lightly in the mountains.
By all means, this is not an extensive list when it comes to mitigating our boot prints. But if we consider these simple six when adventuring in the mountains, we can help to make our collective environmental impact lighter.
Resources:
Leave No Trace Canada: We would also highly encourage you to do your homework and read up on the seven principles developed by Leave No Trace Canada. We’ve given a snapshot of a few of the guidelines to go by, but they’ve written the book on this stuff.
Parks Canada: Always look to the experts on how to respect wildlife and how to stay safe near wildlife when exploring in our national and provincial parks. We can’t stress the importance of keeping wildlife wild, so check out these tips - straight from the warden’s mouth.
Roam Public Transit: If you’re in the Bow Valley this summer, Roam Public Transit offers several routes to popular hiking destinations in Banff National Park, including Lake Louise, Lake Minnewanka, and Johnston Canyon. Park at your hotel, campground, or in visitor parking and then Roam!
Tag Responsibly, Keep the West Wild: Check out the generically geotagged snaps for yourself. Sure, it’s in our nature to want to share where we found these vista gems, but that could put these diamonds in a rough spot. Best to tag responsibly and keep the west wild.
A NOTE FROM WILDLY: You, the reader, are responsible for your own safety and gathering the information you require to tackle these trips. Please adventure safely.