View Full Version : sensitive areas
squeezebox
10-31-2013, 09:40
What's the name of the sensitive areas we are not supposed to trample on? And a good website for learning about it.
ALLEGHENY
10-31-2013, 09:55
What's the name of the sensitive areas we are not supposed to trample on? And a good website for learning about it.
Usually politics and religion.But on WB that could be water treatment or how long cheese lasts on the trail.
inspectorgene
10-31-2013, 10:02
Oh, I thought this thread was gonna be about something else. Never mind.
alexandra
10-31-2013, 10:07
Oh, I thought this thread was gonna be about something else. Never mind.
Sitting in a lecture, read this and had to hold in a giggle.
I was thinking the same thing. Maybe this was a thread about chaffing?
squeezebox
10-31-2013, 10:09
That was a serious question about the flora, fauna etc we are supposed off of.
I'm not sure that there is a general term for it. I make an effort to never camp on live vegetation especially in high elevation areas with short growing seasons. Part of this is a selfish motive since I usually get more condensation inside my shelter if I camp on live vegetation and/or too close to water.
SteelCut
10-31-2013, 10:51
Baby powder helps sensitive areas.
Sarcasm the elf
10-31-2013, 11:09
There are many different fragile areas throughout the trail. Because fragile areas have many causes such as erosion, overuse, endangered/rare species habitat, areas above treeline, etc, I dont know if there is one term to describe them all. On the A.T., maintainers sometimes will mark them, especially if it is an area that they want to have recover/reforest.
Above treeline, the alpine environment is often described by the awesome term "Krummholz landscape" although technically the term specifically describes the way that trees grow in this harsh environment.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krummholz
Stay on the trail as much as possible and you won't have a problem.
maptester
10-31-2013, 11:18
Perhaps these reference what you are looking for:
"Staying on the trails also helps us preserve the flora throughout the park, which is especially fragile in the alpine zone above treeline." http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/hiking/tips.htm
"Forest Protection Areas (FPAs) -- These are designated by the US Forest Service to protect heavily used areas in the Whites from overuse. FPAs are found above tree line, around shelters, huts, and all other places where overcamping could be a problem (roads, ponds, fragile ecosystems, etc.)." http://www.outdoors.org/pdf/upload/2013-Thru-hiker-brochure-FINAL.pdf
Google is your friend.
Robin2013AT
10-31-2013, 11:20
I think the answer is Fragile Alpine Vegetation although I had a whole bunch of other answers in mind before I really read the question.
24689
hikerboy57
10-31-2013, 11:22
welcome to the alpine zone
24690
Slo-go'en
10-31-2013, 11:33
The most sensitive areas are above tree line in New England - Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The plants up there are hold overs from the end of the last Ice Age and are very fragile. The problem is the soil is very shallow and it only takes a few foot steps to compress it and kill off the plants which are growing on it.
They say "leave only foot prints" but try not to leave any of those above tree line by stepping only on rocks.
upstream
10-31-2013, 12:45
Alpine, Krummholz, Riparian arias, Desert Pavement
http://lnt.org/learn/principle-2
Hill Ape
10-31-2013, 12:53
Cryptobiotic? Off trail? Don't tread on me?
Baby powder helps sensitive areas.
Always "bread the nuggets"
Tennessee Viking
10-31-2013, 14:33
What's the name of the sensitive areas we are not supposed to trample on? And a good website for learning about it.
That can vary year by year. Usually maintainers will post signs along the trail to either stay on path or don't camp with an area either for flora/biological reasons, archeological, or erosion.
There are areas on the Roan balds and Cloudland that camping is prohibited and the old shelter site at Deep Gap-Mt Rogers is another.
The trail around Buck Mtn TN is next to lots of private property.
Pedaling Fool
10-31-2013, 15:09
The only area I can think of that is a place I absolutely don't want to trample around on are "Toilet Areas". :D
Blissful
10-31-2013, 15:44
Above treeline in the Whites.
peakbagger
10-31-2013, 17:03
In maine and the whites much but not all of the sensitive areas have scree walls to herd hikers away from the sensitive areas, unfortunately in high use areas, these are ignored and folks end up spread all over. VT only has a few alpine areas and they usually have summit stewards to remind folks to stay on the trail.
Last Call
10-31-2013, 17:51
Gold Bond Medicated powder.....Don't leave home without it!
MuddyWaters
10-31-2013, 20:37
Also avoid the outside edge of the trail on hills. Its called the "critical edge" because its just that. Without it the trail deteriorates and slides downhill.
Dont step on it,
Dont abuse it,
Dont even look at it wrong.