Between a Rock and a Coffee Pot

Climbers in Joshua Tree

On Saturday mornings in one of the premier climbing spots in the country, Park Ranger and legendary character Bernadette hosts Climbers' Coffee at Joshua Tree National Park. The e-tour had the chance to stop by this event this week and chat with avid rock climbers who had flocked to this climbing mecca over warm cups of coffee and tea. A number of these individuals were familiar with Leave No Trace, but had not yet heard about the bounty of resources available from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics regarding rock climbing. Everyone was stoked to get their hands on the brand new plastic reference card for rock climbing from the Center as well as to flip through skills and ethics books on both rock climbing and desert and canyon ecosystems. Bernadette and her fellow rangers at Joshua Tree have also just come out with a climbing guide to the park that not only highlights good climbing routes but also focuses on techniques to minimize impacts while at and around crags. We were ecstatic to flip through the guide and see information on preventing impacts around the base of climbing routes, how to dispose of waste, and features about preserving heritage sites near climbs. A huge thanks and props to Bernadette and her crew for getting out such great information!

Twentynine Palm Salute, 

Quinn & Frank

Out West with Team West

Saguaro!

What's the only thing better than one Traveling Trainer team? Two Traveling Trainer teams! This past week we met up with Mark & Tara from Team West for a few days and an event together in Tucson. With our powers combined, we capitalized on our time in the desert amid the beautiful cacti of the Southwest. One highlight of our collaborative adventures was a PEAK session at the Tucson REI where we met various community members including our Leave No Trace Arizona State Advocate Cindy! State Advocates serve a vital role in the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethic's volunteer corps and Cindy does a great job of outreach in Arizona. Whether it's getting out the word about training opportunities or connecting people with valuable Leave No Trace resources, State Advocates like Cindy make the Leave No Trace mission truly possible. Thanks Cindy!

The e-tour also had the opportunity to work with Cindy talking to Venture Scouts from the Catalina Council of the Boy Scouts while in town. These dedicated outdoorspeople pursue a variety of outdoor adventures ranging from backpacking to climbing to rafting, and it was great to have an evening program with them where we got in depth about Leave No Trace. At one point we even passed around a Go Anywhere Bag to challenge both the youth and adults to really think about Dispose of Waste Properly and whether or not to pack out human waste! It was awesome working with a group that cared so much about the desert ecosystem around them and the scarce water resources that they strove to protect!

Heading to the Ocean,

Quinn & Frank

Gettin' out the WHY in AZ!

Our week kicked off with back-to-back stellar sessions in Flagstaff and Sedona with the Northern Arizona University Trip Leaders and the Red Rock Ranger District in the Coconino National Forest. With both groups we got to really dig into the "why" of Leave No Trace -- talking about ecological and social impacts in their part of the country as well as how to message the information.  After an intense and snow-filled weekend of trip-leader training, we met with the students back at their awesome rec center. As a group, we got to play some fun games, including Plan Ahead and Prepare Charades and a great game focusing on different outdoor user groups. Two highlights of the afternoon were working with them to reflect on their experience in the field that weekend and discussing how to talk to individuals, both on their crews and people they encounter in the outdoors, about Leave No Trace skills and ethics. Students and leaders like these make it clear why NAU is such a great educational partner for the Center. They even lead Trainer Courses of their own throughout the year and are truly dedicated to practicing and educating the principles of Leave No Trace!

With Candice from the Forest Service in Red Rock Country!

In Red Rock Country, we met with a diverse group of Sedona-lovers including Forest Service personnel, volunteers from the Friends of the Forest, and outfitters. These groups are dedicated to protecting one of the most beautiful parts of the country. One clever technique they employ is having a marketing campaign to educate visitors about cryptobiotic soils -- both their fragility and their importance to the desert ecosystem. In addition to desert issues, we had a great discussion about the frontcountry program from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. The area receives over four million visitors a year, most of them headed to day-use only locations. By focusing on educating these visitors in a myriad of ways, these frontliners are getting out the WHY to both first-time users and backcountry aficionados. We felt fortunate to spend the day with such impassioned individuals! Thanks for all the hard work you do!

From Red Rocks to Cacti,

Quinn & Frank

When nature calls... in a canyon

Dear Education Department,

I just went canyoneering for the first time a couple weeks ago. While we were in there, we were wondering just how exactly one goes to the bathroom in a canyon. Is there any other answer besides a WAG Bag or Restop? It might sound lazy that I don't want to carry it out, but it would be great to know all of our options.

Sincerely, Grossed Out

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Dear Grossed Out,

First, we always recommend adhering to the land manager’s rules and regulations, particularly those pertaining to disposal of human waste in sensitive environments such as desert canyons. We also encourage recreationists to always consider using the lowest impact practices possible when enjoying the out of doors.

I know that the idea of packing out your human waste can be fairly (to completely) unpalatable, but there is no doubt that it leaves the least impact of any other method of disposing human waste. Both Clean Waste Kits (formerly WAG Bag): http://www.cleanwaste.com/, Biffy Bags: http://www.biffybag.com/ and Restops: http://www.whennaturecalls.com/are all very sanitary options for packing out your human waste.

I personally use a bag type system on river trips in the arid west where allowed, and have found them to be a great product for dealing with what could be a very unpleasant proposition. I’d encourage to you give some thought to the impact that you leave behind, which will undoubtedly impact other people, water, wildlife or all of the above. If you really enjoyed the place you went canyoneering, and you like the thought of it staying in the same (or better) condition as when you first visited, think about how you can minimize your individual impact the next time you venture out.

Our general guidance for proper human waste disposal in any environment is as follows –

Proper human waste disposal will allow you to:

• Avoid polluting water sources
• Eliminate contact with insects and animals
• Maximize decomposition
• Minimize the chances of social impacts

Improper disposal of human waste can lead to water pollution, the spread of illnesses such as giardia, and unpleasant experiences for those who follow.

Facilities/outhouses. Whenever possible, take time to locate and use bathrooms, outhouses, and other developed sites for human waste disposal.

Cat holes. If no facilities are available, deposit solid human waste in cat holes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp,trails, and drainages. Look for organic soil under trees and away from cryptobiotic soil crusts for your cat hole site. Bring a trowel to dig the hole, and disguise it well before leaving. Ideally, the microbes found in soil break down feces and the pathogens they contain, but in the desert, this process happens very slowly, so make sure your cat hole site is well-hidden and buried deeply so it won’t be uncovered accidentally. Don’t leave human waste under rocks or in alcoves because it will decompose slowly there. If the cat hole method is ill suited to your group, it’s best to camp where an outhouse or pit toilet is available. Good cat hole sites isolate waste from water sources such as lakes, streams, dry creek beds, ravines, potholes, and other visitors. Whenever possible, use a remote location during the day’s hike to help prevent a high concentrations of cat holes near campsites.

Toilet paper. Plan ahead to pack out used toilet paper in a plastic bag. This practice leaves the least impact on the area. Packing soiled toilet paper with baby wipes deodorizes the trash bag, and the wipes help you stay cleaner. Double bagging your trash prevents any accidental contamination. Burying toilet paper in the desert is not recommended. The arid environment preserves paper—newspapers from the 1870s that were used to insulate mining cabins in the desert are still legible today. Burning toilet paper at the site is also not recommended both because it is hard to burn the paper completely and because the practice has caused wildfires. Natural toilet paper such as grass, river rocks, sticks, and snow can be surprisingly effective. If you choose to use natural toilet paper, bury it in your cat hole. Always pack out feminine hygiene products because they decompose slowly and attract animals. If you do not believe your group is capable of packing out toilet paper hygienically, your only option may be to instruct everyone to bury it in their cat holes. If you choose this option, be particularly diligent about digging down deeply enough to prevent scavenging animals from excavating the contents.

Carrying waste out. Often, visitor use is high and soils sparse in desert areas. Recreation managers seeking to protect human health and water sources employ a spectrum of toilet designs and approaches to managing human waste—even airlifting such waste out with helicopters. There are a number of products available now for packing out your own feces. One effective, low-cost option is to carry and use a homemade poop tube or to purchase a device designed specifically for transporting human waste. Some of these products allow you to dispose of human waste in landfills or trash cans, others need to be deposited in pit toilets or porta-johns. Check with local land managers or the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics for information about these products and other appropriate disposal techniques for human waste.

New National Monument in the Works in California

Mojave Desert National Monuments in the Works

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) says she plans to introduce legislation today to establish two national monuments on roughly 1 million acres of Mojave Desert outback that is home to bighorn sheep and desert tortoises, extinct volcanoes, sand dunes and ancient petroglyphs.

Its centerpiece, Mojave Trails National Monument, would prohibit development on 941,000 acres of federal land and former railroad company property along a 105-mile stretch of old Route 66, between Ludlow and Needles.


The smaller Sand to Snow National Monument, about 45 miles east of Riverside, would cover about 134,000 acres of federal land between Joshua Tree National Park and the San Bernardino National Forest in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Its diverse habitats range from desert scrub to yellow pine forests 9,000 feet above sea level.

The legislation, which had been delayed by efforts to resolve conflicts among environmentalists, off-roaders and renewable energy interests, would also designate 250,000 acres of public land near the Army's training center at Ft. Irwin as wilderness; add 41,000 acres to the southern boundary of Death Valley National Park and add 2,900 acres to northern portions of Joshua Tree National Park.

Article continues: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-mojave21-2009dec21,0,7093884.story

Why Leave No Trace Belongs at Burning Man

This past weekend my colleague Sara (Membership and Development Manager) and I attended Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada. A huge collection of art installations, live music and people (over 41,000!) descend on the playa for a week desert survival.

In addition to its commitment to creativity, the Burning Man (what is Burning Man? Go here) community is vehemently supportive of Leave No Trace ethics - on and off the playa.

"Burning Man community is committed to creating a Black Rock City that makes the smallest environmental impact possible. Additionally, we are committed to take what we have learned Leaving No Trace on the playa and to extend that principle into the real world in our daily lives."

It's refreshing to be in a community that so widely accepts, promotes and lives the ethics of Leave No Trace. It's the norm for folks to pick up a stray piece of trash (called MOOP - matter out of place - on the playa). With a small army of dedicated volunteers and employees of Earth Guardians, Burning Man can continue to host huge crowds of desert enthusiasts.