Litter and Garbage: Pack it in ... Pack it out.

I guess it's obvious what that means. What ever you take in with you make sure you bring out. Most people hiking the trail are very good with litter but we do have offenders. The list below is for those that need to hear it.

1. Do not leave garbage in the bear caches. That's like me leaving garbage in your fridge.
2. Do not hide garbage (plastic bags, beer cans etc. behind stumps, in root holes, under logs etc.
3. Do not leave half burnt garbage in fire pits.
4. Do not put bottles or cans in fire pits. Fire pits are for fires ... not garbage.
5. Do not drop wrappers, band aids, bottle caps along trail. When opening a granola bar etc. you will usually tear off one corner of the package then open the rest of the package. We constantly find these little corners of hiking bar wrappings on the trail. Make sure none of the wrapper is discarded.
6. Please hide or bury your toilet paper and tissues. They show up bright white and are always offensive to see.
7. Do not put garbage in pit toilets. It fills them up and attracts bears. We find plastic bottles, plastic bags, beer cans and more. Discarded food in toilets will make them stink and attacked bears.

 

After you have packed up camp and are ready to go take a last look around for the small stuff. Bread clips, twist ties, the corners of wrappers, bottle caps, band aids, toilet paper or tissue. The saying is " Don't leave a trace"

If you do have small amounts of organic %100 biodegradable waist you can take it away from the camp area and trail and bury it. Only %100 biodegradable. That does not include many paper products that have plastic or wax coatings.