Environmentally friendly hiking

[fw2008]

Hello;
We've all heard and read the "Leave No Trace" guidelines, and understand the importance of this. We think of our hiking experience as an environmentally friendly activity, and indeed, part of our trail experience is a personal relationship with the environment.

Now think of how you arrive at your favorite trailhead. You probably drive your car, truck, SUV, or whatever fossil fuel consuming vehicle.
Isn't this counter to the whole purpose of hiking?

I have to admit that I am just as guilty as the rest when it comes to driving long distances solo to hike.
But today, after having been saturated with news of the catastrophic disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, I have to re-think some of my actions and decisions.
I would like to reduce my carbon footprint.

To me, it makes sense to have a group of hikers in one vehicle. A lot of hikers already do. I've seen groups of four or more hikers getting out of vehicles at the trailhead. But then, you have guys like myself who mostly hike solo.

What am I supposed to do?
I want to support the environment, and to help reduce our dependence on oil and gas, but I do not feel so comfortable seeking other hikers who are going to the same trailhead.
I doubt I could even find one person from my town that is interested in going to a particular trailhead on any given day.

This Sunday, weather permitting, I am going to try something different.
I want to hike the AT from route 17 on the west side of Harriman Park (Elk's Pen) up Arden Mountain (Agony Grind) and south.
I plan a hike of about 5-1/2 hours max.
But instead of driving my car to the trail, I am going to take the Metro North / NJT Railroad to Harriman and walk the 2 miles to the trail.

In order to get to Harriman from my home in Teaneck, NJ, I have to take two trains on the trip out, and a train and a bus on the trip home.

I am doing this because I feel that if I am going to hike the trail without leaving a trace, I want to also reduce or eliminate my carbon footprint getting to and from the trail as well.
I think that taking public transportation is a satisfying way to reach the trail.

I am planning another hike that will start at the Metro North AT station near Pawling, NY.
I also planning one that will begin at the Harriman, NY station, and end at the AT station at Pawling (a 6-7 day hike).

So, while I am not asking anyone to stop hiking to avoid leaving a carbon footprint, I am asking that we all try to reduce that footprint by using public transit where possible, and grouping with other hikers when we do drive.

Thank you for listening. Enjoy your hike

FW

[JAK]

Lately I have been biking to my trail and back, partly to save on gas and to leave my wife with the car. Another option for me where I live is to take the kayak and do a paddle/hike/camp/hike/paddle sort of trip. These sort of trips require leaving the bike or kayak someplace, but they can be fun to plan and execute.

[DAJA]

Lately I have been biking to my trail and back, partly to save on gas and to leave my wife with the car. Another option for me where I live is to take the kayak and do a paddle/hike/camp/hike/paddle sort of trip. These sort of trips require leaving the bike or kayak someplace, but they can be fun to plan and execute.

We're moving in this direction as well... Paddle to your hiking destination, do a hike and paddle home.. Adds a level of complexity, but fortunately JAK, we've been blessed by beautiful forests, rivers and the Bay of Fundy in our back yard... I feel for big city folk...

[modiyooch]

very few places along the AT have public transportation.
Once you finished that section of NY, what's your game plan?
My game plan, is to combine my solo trips and knock out as much as possible. Last year, I stayed a month.

[Graywolf]

This really stinks for us hikers who dont live close to the trail, or a trail for that matter. Here in Dallas, I do hike bike alot to save and execersie. I also ride the bike to a nearby state park that has hiking and backpacking trails. So it helps. When I come out to the AT I either bus it or take the Train, Then its a shuttle..No option of just calling hikers up and say "hey want to hike this week??" No go..

Graywolf

[Pedaling Fool]

very few places along the AT have public transportation.
Once you finished that section of NY, what's your game plan?
My game plan, is to combine my solo trips and knock out as much as possible. Last year, I stayed a month.

This is pretty much right, if you want to section hike the AT, then that means you'll probably have to be a little less environmentally friendly than you are in your normal life, you can take some measures to mitigate your impact, but overall you'll increase your impact. A thru-hike is definitely much more environmentally friendly, unless you're one of those slackpackers.

If you truly want to be environmentally friendly than you must change your everyday lifestyle.

[Blissful]

Get a veggie oil car like my brother in law.
Just think though of all the carbons you are wearing when you do your hike - like the factories that made your gear, shoes, etc if you want to get that picky about driving your car to a trailhead. Plus the bus and trains still emit the carbon that you plan to use.

[garlic08]

Good for you! I'm with you on your thinking, in fact I have been for decades. I plan my hikes to reduce driving as much as possible. Like Jak, I often bicycle, sometimes many miles across town, to trailheads. I've even done it in Colorado for some overnighters. (That's another advantage of a light pack and trail runners.)

In a few minutes, I'm leaving on a 26-mile bicycle trip to Phoenix's South Mountain Park to meet a weekly hiking group. Two other members have started cycling there, too. It makes absolutely no sense to me to drive to that trailhead for a short walk. I look forward every week to the bicycle ride as much as the walk. A trip across town in a car would just leave me angry.

I've been section-hiking the Arizona Trail, in some very remote country. I've been able to plan my sections with only two private car shuttles, both within an hour from Phoenix. The rest of the time I've yogied rides with people going somewhere anyway, or taken public transport.

I met a couple day-hiking the AT in '08 with two cars, shuttling themselves every day. This was when gas prices hit $4, too. I couldn't believe the amount of resources these two people were using for their hike.

It is possible to reduce and still have a good time. Thanks for bringing this up--excellent point.

[sbhikes]

A long time ago I read a story in the Los Angeles Times about a guy who decided to do all his hiking from his front door, leaving the car out of the picture. It turned out he found it to be a really fun challenge and he would invent all kinds of crazy hikes to do with the idea being to see how far he could stretch himself with the logistics. He'd use public transportation most of the time. It was fun for him.

I'm with you in that it does bother me a bit that hiking requires so much driving. I spent the weekend driving to trails for the Sierra Club and probably used up a quarter tank of gas or more. Somebody once tried to organize a hike for our Sierra Club where everybody had to get to the trailhead by public transportation. I don't think it worked out very well. He never did it again.

Oddly, to hike the PCT it would actually be easy to get to the trail via public transportation, which goes to many different access points.

[fw2008]

very few places along the AT have public transportation.
Once you finished that section of NY, what's your game plan?
My game plan, is to combine my solo trips and knock out as much as possible. Last year, I stayed a month.

My plan is to take longer and longer section hikes, building my stamina for a TH next Feb.

I plan to use public transportation for all of my section hikes. It is not feasible for me to leave my car at a th (th=trailhead; TH= Thru-Hike) for so long, and I cannot rely on a family member/friend to get me to and from the trail.

I think I should be pretty good with the NY, NJ, and CT sections, since the area is more populated and thus public transit stations are closer to the trail.
I might still need a cab to get me from the bus or train to the th, but it's still a lot less carbon than driving all the way myself.

I am beginning plans for a TH next Feb.

FW

[warraghiyagey]

tH = through hike. . . .

[fw2008]

tH = through hike. . . .

No, according to my code:
t=trail
h=hike
T=Through
H=hike

so, tH=trail Hike

Whatever; we're using XML, so we can create whatever code we want

[fw2008]

Get a veggie oil car like my brother in law.
Just think though of all the carbons you are wearing when you do your hike - like the factories that made your gear, shoes, etc if you want to get that picky about driving your car to a trailhead. Plus the bus and trains still emit the carbon that you plan to use.

How about a fart powered car!
Just eat lots of beans, and you'll get to the trail.
Of course, once on the trail, you might scare away all other hikers, and end up hiking solo all the time

Really though;
I think I have to come to a peaceful co-existence between what I would like to accomplish, and what I can accomplish while still maintaining my sanity

FW

[jesse]

These threads usually get shut down because they get political. I drive and don't worry about it. I'll give up my car, when algore gives up his private jet.

[general]

i traded my 17mpg ride for a 13mpg ride. but, now i have 400 horse power of maximum performance piercing the night. i get to the trail a whole lot quicker, thus reducing total drive time, and the wind current produced behind the jeep helps to disperse the emissions.

[fw2008]

These threads usually get shut down because they get political. I drive and don't worry about it. I'll give up my car, when algore gives up his private jet.

You could at least write his name properly
After all, the guy did win the Nobel prize!

FW

[Bearpaw]

I grew up without a whole lot. I learned to live with less because I had to. I recycle and make a few bucks a year from it. I still do with less, whether it be electricity or housing space or shopping sprees in general, because I'm cheap. I almost see it as making me a pretty good conservationist.

I spent the first decade of my adult life serving my country (and several other countries in the midst of joint operations) as a Marine. I've spent most of my second decade of adult life teaching, whether it be as a mountaineering instructor or a special ed teacher for inner city youth with severe behavior needs.

I am neither spoiled nor wasteful, though I DO admit I am incredibly wealthy with both opportunity and enough economic means to spend several weeks a year doing something I love, hiking.

I quit worrying about my "carbon footprint" when I realized several years ago it was essentially a guilt trip designed to market "green" items and sell greenhouse offsets, the modern equivalent of the medieval Catholic church's indulgences to win dead loved ones out of Hell or Purgatory. Except nowadays, the religion is the altar of environmental ideology and the sacrifice is our money to make us feel better when we use too much electricity or we buy a new fleece but make sure it is mostly recycled soda bottles.

FW and Dogwood, I DO applaud you for doing what you can in your own way to use less. I do so in my own way also. But I'll not buy into a guilt trip based on a "green" marketing campaign.

When I have the time to hike for a week or a month, I'll do so. If that means I drive 4-6 hours solo to get to a trailhead, I'll do so with no guilt. Whether you feel so or not, I've earned that priviledge.

[prain4u]

I don't deliberately make efforts to purposely increase my carbon footprint. However, I don't worry about my carbon footprint either.

I applaud those who try to decrease their carbon footprint--but I also believe that "going green" (in the way that is promoted by celebrities and the media) is often just a "feel good" philosophy that has very little real benefit to the environment--and is primarily designed to part us with vast amounts of our cash as we go out of our way to buy items which are considered more "green".

Al Gore--who is purposely called "Algore" in some circles (like "Igor" in the horror movies")--is notorious for using a vast amount of carbon-based resources (as are many of the celebrities who vocally promote a "green lifestyle"). I am not trying to make a political comment--just pointing out the hypocrisy of some of the key public figures in the "green" movement.

Going green (generally) will not harm the environment--and it sometimes might even help the environment. Thus, I support those who wish to try it--but I am not going to lose any sleep if I fail to reduce my own carbon footprint.

An example of some things that I find not worthy of losing sleep over: Many people worry about the damage done by new fire rings or by the tips of trekking poles. However, one forest fire caused by a natural lightening strike will destroy more acres of land than hikers ever will--and the loss of ground cover due to the forest fire will trigger far more erosion than trekking poles. The earth routinely and "quickly" recovers from both the forest fire and the hikers. Just remember, the Grand Canyon is simply a spectacular example of erosion at work!

[David@whiteblaze]

the best way to reduce your carbon footprint... How about elimination? the steps are very simple:
1. Pick up all of those carbon papers you've been saving since the 80's and throw them out... they aren't gonna make a comeback...
2. wash your shoes. Yes, I know, you've been so busy walking on you carbon papers that your shoes are black... just wash them...
3. Mop the floor barefoot (or in socks). get all of those carbon deposits off the floors...
4. wash foot (or toss sock)
5. Replace shoe...

There, your carbon footprint has been nullified...Hold on...
arrive at trail head in SUV... bla bla bla...
Oh, just pay no heed to what I said (unless you do have that kind of a carbon foot print) and try just not increasing it...

[fiddlehead]

My motorbike gets 100 mpg.
It's the best i can do until electric cars (and wind/solar power to charge them) come down in price.
Ok, bicycle could be done but i'm not that extreme (yet)
If you must use your car or truck, check out my suggestions on ways to make it more efficient here.