#outdooretiquette

Leave no trace. #outdooretiquette #ColumbiaPH #throwback #mtdaraitan https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnsr54rvpKV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

camp and backcountry etiquette seems to be on people's minds recently. Backpacker Magazine did a story on the subject after conducting an audience survey. It seems like the common theme (besides treat nature with respect) was behave in a way that minimizes your disturbance of others. this is a #leavenotrace principle and a good one at that. after camping at Lake Cachuma for five days while searching for a home on the California coast, this rang very true to me. our portion of the camp was very quiet as it was a smaller loop away from the central recreation area. for four days, campers came and went. but, things stayed pretty quiet. on the last evening (granted it was a Friday night) a LARGE family of at least six people occupying three tent structures setup camp in the site right next to us. when i say "right next to" i mean the bumpers of our parked cars were no more than four feet apart. it was the beginning of the weekend. I understand urban interfacing parks see heavy traffic on the weekends. but, there were several spots away from us or other people that were plenty accommodating to the size of their group. why would you choose a spot next to strangers if you had no intention of bringing them into your activities? if they planned to party with us or invite us to hang out, it would've been different. but, they chose to be as close as physically possible while avoiding eye contact or pleasantries as much as possible. we all venture into the woods for different reasons. this is well known and trite, so i won't go further. my advice is this: be respectful of natural environments. be respectful of wildlife. be respectful of other recreationists and their reasons (though mysterious) of choosing to spend time outdoors. give each other space and be friendly. i've met many fun, interesting, weird people while outdoors. but, i gauged their openness to my presence and went from there. social cues and respect are just as important outdoors and in the wild as they are in the city streets and suburban grocery stores. the golden rule (boring and overused) is only boring because we grow tired of its truth flying in the face of our social missteps. have fun out there. but, keep it down, keep it clean, and keep it classy.