North Cascades National Park Service Complex - leave no trace (U.S. National Park Service)

The National Park Service participates in a nationwide program called Leave No Trace (LNT). LNT skills and ethics help backcountry visitors leave minimum impact while enjoying the nation's wildlands. Many of these techniques have been incorporated into this guide. Your backcountry permit is a signed contract between you and the National Park Service. It's an agreement to treat the wilderness with respect by practicing LNT techniques. Keep in mind that Leave No Trace camping goes beyond following the rules; it requires thoughtful judgement for each situation that comes up. For more information on LNT, go to www.LNT.org.

Fragile Vegetation

July through September, when the high country is most accessible, the meadows are filled with wildflowers. To heighten your enjoyment of the park, carry a lightweight field guide to identify them. Some of these plants, such as the low-growing mountain heather, are very fragile. Although heather can withstand extreme weather, its woody stems are easily broken when trampled or camped on. Grasses and grass-like sedges are the only vegetation that can readily withstand being walked and camped on, and these, too, will eventually be impacted. In addition, trampling of vegetation often leads to new trails, bare ground, and erosion. Recovery requires laborious transplanting of heather seedlings by revegetation staff and volunteers. The Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount maintains patches of alpine plants for viewing and identification. If you're interested in the park's revegetation program, ask at the Wilderness Information Center.

Tread Lightly

Sneakers, sandals, or water sport slippers are a welcome change at camp after a day in heavy boots. They also cause less damage to fragile vegetation around campsites, especially in cross-country zones, and they're useful for wading streams as well. You can also help protect heather and other fragile vegetation by staying on the trail. When traveling cross-country, choose resistant surfaces such as rocks, snow, gravel covered streambeds and dry grass or sedge meadows. Routes through sparsely vegetated forest areas are good choices too. If you must cross fragile vegetation, spread out to avoid creating a new trail. Don't mark a new route with blazes or litter the backcountry with flagging tape.

Pitching Camp

On trail: Camping is allowed only in designated sites. Pitch your tent on established tent sites and not on undisturbed vegetation. Never dig a trench around a tent.

Cross-Country: You may select your own campsite following LNT techniques and the restrictions listed above. Rock, snow, sedges and forest duff are the best surfaces to camp on. Do not alter your campsite by digging out rocks, moving logs or building windbreaks. Try to tuck your camp out of sight of others. Remember, brightly colored tents announce your presence, whereas earth-tone tents blend into the landscape.

Backcountry Sanitation

Pit or composting toilets are located at most designated campsites. When these facilities are not available, do the following:

Choose a spot at least 200 feet from water and trails. With a small trowel or ice axe, dig a cat hole 6-8 inches deep for fecal waste. To promote decomposition, choose a site in organic rather than sandy mineral soil. After use, fill in the hole and replace the sod plug.
Pack out used toilet paper in double re-sealable bags. Sanitary napkins and tampons should never be buried; they are slow to decompose and are frequently dug up by animals. Pack them out in re-sealable bags.
Urinate on rock or bare ground well away from camp. Salt-starved deer and mountain goats can cause dramatic damage as they paw up soil and defoliate plants looking for newly deposited salts.
In the alpine, digging a sufficient cathole is difficult or impossible. In these areas, the best method of waste disposal is to pack it out, using a "blue bag" or other double-bag system. Blue bags are available at the Wilderness Information Center, the Sedro-Woolley Information Center, and some other stations. Staff can advise you on use and appropriate disposal methods for the bags.

Drinking Water

Purify drinking water by one of the following methods:

Portable water filter
Full boil for one minute (increase time with increasing elevation)
Water purifying tablets

Cooking and Clean-up

Bring a portable stove to cook your meals. Stoves give you maximum flexibility and ease of cooking, particularly in bad weather, and they avoid the impacts caused by gathering wood for campfires.

Repackage food into reusable containers or plastic bags. This not only saves weight and space in your pack, but also reduces the amount of trash to carry out.

Bring a collapsible water container to transport water to your campsite for cooking and washing. This minimizes the number of trips made to the water source and allows you to wash dishes well away from lakes and streams.

Carry water at least 100 feet (30 m) from lakes and streams to wash your dishes. Scrape off food scraps and pack them out with your garbage. Hot water and perhaps some sand for scouring eliminate the need for soap. Dispose of the wash water by tossing it over a wide area away from campsites.

Bears and Other Wildlife

There are black bears and a few grizzly bears in the park. While bears are potentially dangerous, rodents and deer are the chief threat to your equipment and food supply. To keep bears and other animals away from your campsite:

Store all food and scented toiletries in lightweight animal-proof containers. These containers are available from a number of backpacking retailers. They are also available for free loan at the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount and other stations.
Another option is to hang food and scented items at least 15 feet (4.5 m) above the ground and at least 5 feet (1.5 m) out from the tree trunk. Bring 50 feet (15 m) or more of utility cord. Since trees with large limbs are not always available, this technique can require time and ingenuity. Avoid trampling fragile vegetation in your search for a tree.
Keep a clean camp. Avoid bringing greasy, odorous foods into the backcountry. Seal leftovers and garbage in airtight containers or plastic bags and store with food.
Cook well away from your sleeping area. Keep food and scented items out of your tent.
Never feed wild animals. Handouts disrupt natural feeding behavior and can create bothersome, even dangerous pests.
Don't throw food into any toilet. Pack out all food scraps and garbage.

Beware: Deer, mountain goats, marmots and other rodents are attracted to urine and sweat, and they can chew holes in clothes, boots, and camping gear left unattended.

Mosquitoes and flies can be very annoying in some areas during July and August. Bring insect repellent or be prepared to cover up with lightweight clothing and perhaps a headnet.

Pack Stock

Access to trails is limited, yet pack stock have the right of way on all trails where they are allowed. Hikers should yield to the downhill side of the trail where they are easily visible to stock and riders. Speak to the riders as they approach to let the animals know you are there.

For more information on stock access to the park, ask for a copy of the North Cascades National Park Stock Use brochure, available at most ranger stations.

For more information on LNT, go to www.LNT.org.