Leave No Trace Principles for Climbing, Camping and Hiking

Outdoor activities like climbing, hiking and camping are a few of the exciting extracurricular activities offered at boarding high schools.  Students taking part in these activities, will learn the fundamentals of outdoor exploration including Leave No Trace principles.

“The future of wilderness camping, hikes and other sustainable outdoor recreation depends on more people adopting what’s known as Leave No Trace principles...These are the golden rules of outdoor recreation. Simply put: Leave the wild places you visit the way you would like to find them,” writes the Wilderness Society, a wilderness conservation society.

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, an organization dedicated to teaching people how to responsibly explore the outdoors, says there are seven principles hikers, climbers and campers should keep in mind while enjoying the outdoors. First and foremost, plan your trips ahead of time.

“Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit. Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies,” writes The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. The organization also says, when possible – explore the outdoors in smaller groups, avoid excess waste and the use of marking paint.

Students at boarding high schools and abroad should keep all seven principles for Leave No Trace in mind when exploring the outdoors. The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics says this includes keeping campsites clean, away from bodies of water and refraining from altering the camp, hiking or climbing area.

Additionally, when exploring the outdoors at boarding high schools or in your own leisure time, remember to properly dispose of waste. Any food, trash or belongings brought with you into the wilderness must also return with you.

Human waste must also be disposed of properly. In areas without plumbing, this means buried beneath ground in “catholes” six to eight feet below the surface and at least 200 feet away from water, trails or camps, says the organization.

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics points out that responsible climbers, hikers and campers strive to leave everything in nature the way they found it – free of human alteration. The organization stresses this also includes wildlife.

Watch wildlife at a distance, never feed them, keep your food secure and pets leashed. In addition, The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics says, when it comes to campfires, only used pre-established pits, keep flames small and completely put out a fire after use.

Whether you’re a student at boarding high schools or an outdoor enthusiast the principles of Leave No Trace are applicable to everyone. Be a responsible explorer and do your part to keep the wilderness beautiful and wild. 

Nicole Donaldson is an academic writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Wasatch Academy. Follow on Twitter.