Wilderness Ethics / Responsible Hiking

An Environmental Philosophy

… appreciation for the joys and rewards of wilderness experiences. Enlightened outdoor users have a feeling of stewardship for the land, travel & camp with minimum impact on the natural environment & clean up areas of those who are less environmentally sensitive.

- The Canadian Recreational Canoeists Association

Respect wildlife & the privacy of local people. Observe but don’t interfere.

Respect private property, including fences & corrals.

When brushing your teeth, spit well away from water sources.

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Trash

Huayhuash is disappointing. Trash is strewn around the main campsites.

Practice low-impact, no trace camping. Leave each campsite cleaner than you found it.

Collect trash left by those who have come before you.

If you pack it in, you must pack it out — or burn it.

Our arriero showed us how to use a candle to burn a heap of garbage stuffed in a hole. Dry grass helped fuel the blaze.

Bring thick plastic trash bags. We've even used waterproof stuff sacks to carry out trash. Once emptied of food, they become trash containers. They protect garbage from insects & vermin & are easy to attach to the outside of your pack.

Plan meals which minimise the amount of trash you will need to carry out. For example, package your food in burnable containers.

Grey water should be disposed of at least 30 metres (yards) away from any drinking water sources. This includes biodegradable soap.

Pack out garbage with plastic or metal content. (e.g. twist-ties, foil, etc.)

Pack-out or burn cigarette butts. (Why don’t you go ‘cold turkey’ this hike)

Pack-out or burn fruit peels, especially orange peels.

If you can afford it, hire extra pack animals to carry out non-burnable trash. Understand you will need to truck it all the way to Huaraz which has excellent landfills & recycling.