Thru-Hiking Camp Fires - How often, and did you burn trash?

[CHILL_TX]

Growing up in Texas, all we ever did was car camp. We used the same fire pit multiple nights, and built large, roaring fires. We also burned all of our trash with the exception of bottles and cans. We were adamant about LNT. No shreds of anything left anywhere; including the fire pit. We took pride in leaving our campsite much better than when we arrived, even cleaning out the fire pit and leaving a stack of firewood near by.

My question for you fine people is two part.

1. How often did you build a campfire on your AT thru hike?
2. Be honest on this one!... Did you burn your trash?

I know the official LNT says no burning trash. I just can't quite understand why you wouldn't at least burn your paper, and things that would burn quickly? It seems to me that if you leave absolutely no trash when you leave, then it wouldn't matter one way or another to the next hiker, and personally, I'd rather not fill up the landfills anymore than I have to. Also, I often use paper to start the fire that would've otherwise been garbage. Are other hikers going to look upon me as some monster if they see me doing this?

[blw2]

Hey, reading other threads, it's clear that many don't even bother to dig cat holes.... Burn all the paper and dunnage you want IMHO, it's those folks that are disgusting. I'd rather come across a few ashes in a fire pit then their mess any day.
...again, just an opinion

[Christoph]

I tried to thru 2 years ago and I can say there were probably less than 5 fires built by the time I arrived at the shelter/camping spot. Lots of opportunities to start a fire, but after all day of hiking, just wanted to get relax a bit. Never burned anything, trash was already packed up in Walmart bag that I just throw out when I find a can somewhere along the way. Most of my packaging was plastic anyway, If it wasn't, it went into Ziploc freezer bags. To me, I can't see why burning would hurt anything except "most" people who burn their trash, tend to leave the unburned parts in the pit. Personally, I just hike it out and find a can somewhere.

[Bronk]

If you burn plastic you are not LNT. There is always a melted lump of plastic in the bottom of the fire pit...most people don't see it because its covered with ash...and they don't bother to look for it because they want to believe it all burned up so they don't have to haul it out.

[TX Aggie]

My personal opinion: if you didn't find it on the ground when you got there, then pack it out with you. Especially on the AT because of how heavily used as it is.


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[Slo-go'en]

Unless it's 100% paper, please don't burn it. Don't burn plastic (nasty fumes) or metalized packaging or Mountain house packages. With a little effort of repacking into zip locks at the store, you should have very little trash to begin with. A weeks worth of trash for me fits into a quart zip lock. The only thing I burn is my TP if I have to poop in the woods, but you have to be careful when doing that not to burn down the forest.

Fires are nice once in a while (so long as they are allowed in a designated campsite and you have time to kill) but are usually more work then their worth.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Are other hikers going to look upon me as some monster if they see me doing this?Burning paper to start a fire? No, most won't. If you're in an area that allows camp fires, just follow the rules. Keep fires small, there's no need for a back country fire anywhere near as large as is typically made in a car campground. Typically you'll be burning wood no larger in diameter than can be broken to length by hand/foot force. You have to be able to control/extinguish a back country fire if the wind picks up to the point embers start blowing as well. Add that for cooking in a small pot, a typical cooking fire doesn't need to be any larger in diameter than a coffee saucer.

[Lone Wolf]

i had lots of campfires. never burned trash in them. wood only in fire pits

[saltysack]

Unless it's 100% paper, please don't burn it. Don't burn plastic (nasty fumes) or metalized packaging or Mountain house packages. With a little effort of repacking into zip locks at the store, you should have very little trash to begin with. A weeks worth of trash for me fits into a quart zip lock. The only thing I burn is my TP if I have to poop in the woods, but you have to be careful when doing that not to burn down the forest.

Fires are nice once in a while (so long as they are allowed in a designated campsite and you have time to kill) but are usually more work then their worth.

I just figured why my MH meals tasted like CRAP! I was cooking on your fire![emoji38]


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[HooKooDooKu]

I know the official LNT says no burning trash. I just can't quite understand why you wouldn't at least burn your paper, and things that would burn quickly? It seems to me that if you leave absolutely no trash when you leave, then it wouldn't matter one way or another to the next hiker, and personally, I'd rather not fill up the landfills anymore than I have to. Also, I often use paper to start the fire that would've otherwise been garbage.

Actually, LNT website (https://lnt.org/blog/burning-trash) only warns of paper products leading to flying embers (i.e. they discourage burning anything but firewood).
But for what they officially consider LNT:

Don’t try to burn foil-lined packets, leftover food, or other garbage that would have to be removed later.

[dudeijuststarted]

Not very often. Never in winter lol, but a few in VA. I'm sure there were more elsewhere but mostly I just want to lay the hell down. That reminds me, time to lay down....

[Old Hiker]

Had 3 campfires in 7 months, 4 days of hiking.

One in the Smokies, March, at a shelter because Socket wanted to build one to see if the shelter warmed up much. It did.

One other in May(?) to burn out some fresh sardine cans, tuna cans and tuna foil packs that had been dumped into an existing fire ring. I did it so I could camp in the site. I packed out the cans and leftover foil the next morning.

One at Baxter because the Ranger said I could and I was going to summit the next day.

I saw a LOT of hikers who NEEDED a fire every night, close to water or not, windy conditions or not. I did not understand the rational, which is why I stealth camped away from shelters for 99% of the time.

[rafe]

Just a LASHer here, but over many seasons. I see fewer and fewer fires, especially among hard core distance hikers. Not to say they never happen, but less frequently as the years go on. Just my personal observation and to some extent, my inclination. Much as I enjoy a fire, it takes its toll on the surrounding area. If you're really making miles, a fire seems like a luxury.

[fiddlehead]

My 2 cents on the subject:

I think a lot of the "correctness" of having a fire is dependent on where you are from.
I grew up in the east (PA) and I don't think we ever went camping or hiking without a fire, back in the 60's, 70''s and 80's.
I hiked the AT with a Zipp stove one year and often turned my dinner fire into a campfire for all.
However, once I started hiking out west, I became friends with a lot of folks who were from AZ and CA and dry places, who really looked down on fires.
I remember one night being cold and we were camping near a dirt road and they said, the only way they would want a fire is if i built in in the middle of the road (which I did)

I got away from building them, even when it caused no fire hazard, because I realized people frowned upon it.
Hey, I grew up in the boy scouts and we had contests to see who could build the quickest fires with wet wood and 2 matches. (I won often)
But these people out west couldn't build a fire to save their ass.

I'm switching back to a wood burning stove this year and we'll see how that goes.

[Lone Wolf]

:eek:..................

[StubbleJumper]

I start probably one camp fire for every 20 or 30 days on trail. Usually it's too hot, too dry, or I'm just plain too tired to do it. But, if you have a fire going, and if your garbage is burnable, then by all means incinerate it. Ignore the silliness of people who worry about fumes from the fire. You are in the wide open with plenty of ventilation, there will be no health consequences to burning paper or plastic as long as you avoid breathing in too much smoke (just sit on the up-wind side of the fire, and you'll be fine). Plastic will burn completely in a decent fire, however, I draw the line at foil. No matter how hot you get your camp fire, aluminum does not burn. Mountain House or mac and cheese pouches will never burn entirely, so just pack them out rather than leaving aluminum in the fire pit.

If you do decide to start a fire, take a walk around the shelter site and see what other garbage can be burned. If somebody has left a magazine, socks with holes, or an old t-shirt, consider starting them on fire to dispose of them. There's all kinds of junk at a typical shelter site that should be incinerated.

[saltysack]

I start probably one camp fire for every 20 or 30 days on trail. Usually it's too hot, too dry, or I'm just plain too tired to do it. But, if you have a fire going, and if your garbage is burnable, then by all means incinerate it. Ignore the silliness of people who worry about fumes from the fire. You are in the wide open with plenty of ventilation, there will be no health consequences to burning paper or plastic as long as you avoid breathing in too much smoke (just sit on the up-wind side of the fire, and you'll be fine). Plastic will burn completely in a decent fire, however, I draw the line at foil. No matter how hot you get your camp fire, aluminum does not burn. Mountain House or mac and cheese pouches will never burn entirely, so just pack them out rather than leaving aluminum in the fire pit.

If you do decide to start a fire, take a walk around the shelter site and see what other garbage can be burned. If somebody has left a magazine, socks with holes, or an old t-shirt, consider starting them on fire to dispose of them. There's all kinds of junk at a typical shelter site that should be incinerated.

+1....


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[peakbagger]

There are some misconceptions stated previously. There are many types of plastics, some do put out toxic fumes and others are fine. Most disposable packaging like ziplocks are low density polyethylene, as long as its a hot fire they will burn completely with no toxic fumes. Obviously if its wet or full of wet stuff and is dropped on a set of coals, its going to smoke and could leave a unburnt residue just like if you throw a wet log on a set of coals is also going to stink. On the other hand more durable plastic like PVC is very bad to burn, it puts out very toxic gases. Generally PVC is used in durable items (like the infamous rubber ducky). Generally packaging has recycling symbols on it and if you see PET its okay to burn.

Many folks don't realize that what looks like paper packaging for things like Hot Chocolate and Lipton meals are frequently a multiple layer package with an aluminum foil layer. Even though the paper burns it leaves aluminum foil in the fire that will not burn and will accumulate in a fire pit. There is no problem with this as long as you haul out the foil. The major advantage of this is the fire gets rid of the food smell which can get pretty bad during warm weather hikes. I routinely will burn out cans for that reason. I just do the step that many folks skip and I haul them out.

[Traveler]

Fires are a personal choice, except when they are not allowed. CT for example does not allow open camp fires along with other places along the AT. Fire bans are not a debate, they exist for a reason and should be respected.

Where fires are allowed, use a fire ring or pit if there is one or where other fires have been to reduce land impact. There are a lot of ways to get a nice little fire going without resorting to paper and/or stove fuel. These are easily learned skills and in my view are indicative of someone who understands what they are doing. Using paper/litter to start fires or burn in them is poor form and carries a lot of risk. These materials are easily windswept and can blow out of a fire quickly even in a light breeze with those embers responsible for starting larger fires that can burn for days. It amazes me what people try to burn off in a small fire that include plastics, metal, thick paper, and clothing that gives the impression these folks have no real clue what they are doing.

As has been said here, anything you bring into the woods should be packed out with you. The hard use the AT gets deserves that level of respect and example setting for those who do not know better. For those who know better but do anyway, there is no fix for the entitled or stupid.

[blw2]

I kinda grew up the same way.... camping isn't camping without a fire. Sometimes big or sometimes small.... but it just doesn't see finished without one. The only exception maybe is when it's really hot... but then I don't tent camp much when it's that hot.




I'm switching back to a wood burning stove this year and we'll see how that goes.


I really like the idea of these.
I'm not really aspiring to be a through hiker and like the idea of a bit more leisurely pace, and a small fire, even if in the stove, seems like a good idea to have a little fire and keep it contained..... and a good way to get rid of my instant oatmeal paper packet too!

[Spirit Walker]

On my AT thruhikes, people built fires in the early days, when it was cold, but by Virginia they were pretty rare. As others have said, at the end of a long day, the hikers were too tired to go scavenging and generally the areas around the shelters had been picked clean by May. Occasionally someone would insist on a fire, even though it was too hot to be welcome, but I can only think of a couple of times that that happened - mostly in New England.

On the PCT and CDT campfires were even rarer. After hiking though miles of burnt forest, the idea of building a fire that isn't necessary for warmth really doesn't appeal. We built one fire on the PCT on a snowy day in a car campground in Washington, but I think that was the only one.

We got out of the habit after that, and rarely have a fire any more, even when car camping. Too much work, and at this point, the smoke makes it hard for me to breathe.

I did burn some of my trash in fires in the early days. Most of us did. When I hiked the JMT I would burn the pages of the book I was reading in a small campfire. The worst was a guy who decided to burn his sneakers in the fire - burning rubber really stinks.

[blw2]

I should add...only not aspiring to through hike because of circumstance. Maybe some day....

[KDogg]

Agree that we saw fewer and fewer fires as we went along. Basically hit camp, put up the tent, maybe clean up a bit, eat...go to bed. The few fires we made were when the bugs were really bad. The smoke and heat really help with that. Sometimes folks (partiers) arrived after we had gone to bed and made fires upwind of our tents. Not nice.

[rocketsocks]

I haven't lit a fire in about 15 years

[MuddyWaters]

I never light a fire while hiking.
I dont always mind hanging around others for a few minutes, but mostly I think the smoke and smell is annoying and as senseless
I just want to go to sleep.

[adamkrz]

My wife and I had a fire every night when legal and possible on our 2 month journey ( we were not thru hiking ), We cooked on it and burned burnable trash, Our only concern was that other hikers would join us and throw anything they pleased into our fire so we often carried out other people's debris from firepits.

Really was a pleasure to relax at the end of the day around a campfire and toss back a few drinks, We don't own a smartphone or anything to modern.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I haven't lit a fire in about 15 years

That's because we lit it for you :p

[rocketsocks]

That's because we lit it for you :pyeah but I didn't look at it. :D