Welcome back to another episode of a True Good Beautiful Life! Today, my friend Lindsey Habegger of Chaos Thriving and I will be discussing the amazing and breathtaking Grand Canyon for both our TRUE and BEAUTIFUL segments of the show and afterwards for our GOOD portion of the show, I will share with you the seven principles of the "Leave No Trace" concept, which will help us be better stewards of God's creation as well as better humans to one another. Charlotte Mason believed that traveling and enjoying nature were wonderful ways to learn and appreciate the wonders and glory of God. What better way to do this than to explore the Grand Canyon!
"The Leave No Trace" website and the "52 Week Hike Challenge" website both have helpful articles on the seven principles of "Leaving No Trace," used when you are hiking or camping. The principles include the following: 1) Plan Ahead and Prepare, 2) Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces, 3) Dispose of Waste Properly, 4) Leave What you Find, 5) Minimize Campfire Impacts, 6) Respect Wildlife, and 7) Be Considerate of Other Visitors. There is a lot that is involved in each of these aspects of caring for the places we visit and so I encourage you to check out either of these websites for further information.
I do want to highlight a few that I found interesting:
With regards to Principle #1- Plan ahead and Prepare: Be prepared by bringing the 10 essential hiking items: fire (matches, fire starter), first aid, insulation (extra clothing, layers), sun protection (lip balm, sunscreen/sunglasses), knife (other tools/repair kits), illumination (headlamp/flashlight), navigation (map/compass), nutrition & hydration (extra food and water), and an emergency shelter (bivy, blanket).
With regards to Principle #2- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: you'll want to look for a spot that is Resilient and Resistant and at least 200 feet away from any water source, like a lake, stream, or river. These include: hard soil, rock, snow, gravel, dry grass, and a built platform.
Other tips with traveling on durable surfaces:
Hike Single File - try not to make the path wider than it is
Camp On Established Camp Areas– search for a place that looks like a tent has already been there, such as noting a flat area that has been cleared of rocks and branches
With regards to Principle #3- Dispose of waste properly: for human waste, dig a cathole at least 80 steps away from your campsite, water source or trail and try and find a sunny spot as the light will help break down the waste faster once you've done your business and covered it up. Seal up your used toilet paper and pack it out. There are also particular rules about using soap and disposing of trash and dirty water, so be sure to look those up.
With regards to Principle #5- Minimize Campfire Impacts: It's easier and safer to use a camp stove instead of a campfire as not all places allow you to have a campfire
With regards to Principle #7- Be considerate of other visitors
Downhill hikers yield to uphill hikers.
Hikers yield to equestrians.
Mountain bikers yield to equestrians and hikers.
If you're mountain biking, be courteous by announcing your presence.
Use a soft voice when addressing equestrians as horses can spook easily
Some of our favorite resources:
COMMONPLACE QUOTES
. . . give a child a single valuable idea, and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of information . . . - Charlotte Mason, Volume 1: Home Education, p. 174
APPLICATION
