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Olympic's Seven Principles
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
- Bring proper clothing and equipment, including the Ten Essentials.
- Visit in small groups. Smaller parties tend to have less impact.
- To reduce trash, repackage food into reusable containers.
2. Camp and Travel On Durable Surfaces
In high-use areas, concentrate use.
- Hike on existing trails down the middle of the trail, even if wet or muddy.
- Camp in pre-existing sites. Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site can cause lasting impacts.
- Minimize impact by concentrating camping activities within the site.
When off-trail, spread out your use.
- Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
- Keep party size small and spread out while traveling.
- Hike and camp on impact-resistant surfaces: snow, rock, gravel, grasses.
- Avoid fragile vegetation such as heather and huckleberry.
- Bring a map and compass to eliminate the use of rock cairns or flagging.
- Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
3. Dispose of Waste Properly Pack it in, pack it out.
- Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter.
- Urinate on rocks or trails, away from campsites or water.
- Deposit human waste in toilets where available. If not available, dig a cathole 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
- Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
- To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes. Avoid using soap. Strain out food particles and scatter dish water.
- Bury fish entrails in catholes.
4. Leave What You Find
- Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch, cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
- Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
- Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
- Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the wilderness. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
- Know where fires are restricted. Where permitted, use established fire rings and leave them clean.
- Keep fires small. Use loose, dead and down wood no larger than your arm.
- Burn all wood to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.
6. Respect Wildlife
- Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
- Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
- Protect wildlife, yourself and your gear by storing food and trash securely at all times.
- Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
- Respect other wilderness visitors and their desire for solitude.
- Let nature's sounds prevail. Keep loud voices and noises to a minimum.
- Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
- Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
The Campsite Check
Many wilderness travelers perform "the campsite check" before they leave their campsite. This activity allows the visitor to take a good look and check to see if their actions have had a negative impact on wildlife, plant life or other visitors. Look for overturned rocks, flattened flowers or plants, bits of garbage or food, or any other sign that someone has camped there.
Strive to leave the wilderness as you found it, or better.
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