This need is for areas of the earth within which we stand without our mechanisms that make us immediate masters over our environment...

Howard Zahniser, on Wilderness

Monday, April 4, 2011

Campfires, Creeks and Plenty of Pictures

I was out on the Lost Coast Trail March 29-31 last week and the weather was great. Here is what I have to report back to you concerning campfires, creek crossings and snow: We are not currently in campfire restrictions in the King Range. However, if you do decide to have a campfire there are some very important things you should know. Leave No Trace, the center for outdoor ethics, states that, “The most important consideration to be made when deciding to use a fire is the potential damage to the backcountry.” PLEASE use existing fire rings to reduce impacts to the land and setting. It can be unpleasant for other campers to have 2 or 3 campfire rings scattered about their camping area. And, of course, having less campfire rings would reduce the area of environmental impact. If you must build a campfire ring make it small and do not dig into the ground. I found this unsightly scene at Sea Lion Gulch:


This is 100% unnecessary. How long will it take for the land to recover from this? You can also see that there is some trash left behind which brings me to my second point.


PLEASE only burn things that burn completely in one sitting (paper and wood) and pack out all other trash. Many packages, such as instant backcountry food like Mountain House, are lined with foil. These do not burn well and leave behind many little (or large) pieces of foil.


Aluminum cans don’t burn well either and will remain in the campfire for a very, very long time. If you packed in a full can I would imagine that an empty one would be much easier to pack out considering it would be a fraction of the weight and can be crushed down.


Many of us that enjoy the outdoors may not be well versed in low impact camping techniques and Leave No Trace (LNT). So, I ask you to consider what impacts your actions have on the land and on the experience of others. If you thinnk your action might cause harm then don't do it. Remember, you are not the only one out there. There were people before you and there will be people after you. If you have a few extra moments visit http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles.php for an overview of the 7 LNT principles. This is a great website and is very informative.

To wrap up my spiel on campfires, always put out your fires using the soak and stir method. Soak with lots of water and stir with a stick, or other utensil of your choice, to ensure that it is completely out. You should be able to safely touch the remains of your fire with the backside of your hand once it is out (please don’t burn yourself doing this though). If you can’t do this you should continue soaking and stirring. Sand is not an efficient or reliable way to put out campfires for 2 reasons. First, it doesn’t completely put out the fire and it remains hot under the sand. When or if the wind comes up it can blow the sand off and start the fire back again. Second, it fills up the campfire ring creating a need for people to create new rings.

Next, the moment you've all been waiting for, the news on creek crossings: All creeks were passable and were about knee high at the deepest. At the deeper creeks, such as Big Flat Creek, it can help to cross towards the mouth where the creek tends to widen and became shallower. Of course, you will need to watch and see what the waves are doing if you cross closer to the ocean.



This is Big Flat Creek a considerable distance up from the mouth which was swift and deep.
A bit down stream closer to the mouth was safer to cross but still deep in many spots.
Randall Creek was about knee deep.
Cooskie Creek was also knee deep
Lastly, note that you may run into snow during the next few weeks on the upland trails. Here is King Peak from Big Flat on March 30.


If you have any questions don't hesitate to drop me a line

Your Wilderness Ranger,

Paul



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