04/19/2021
The leaves are quickly marching north, and the wilderness is still beautiful.
This is the second of a seven part series discussing Leave No Trace and how it relates to the Linville Gorge Wilderness. Leave No Trace consists of seven principles.
Leave No Trace is extremely important to apply as we use and enjoy our public lands. It helps guide us through our adventures in a way that leaves the resource the same or better than when we enjoyed it. As we get more and more users on public lands, it will be increasingly important that we personally make the commitment to utilizing Leave No Trace.
I would also encourage people that have an understanding of Leave No Trace to lead by example and to kindly educate others you may encounter that may not know about it.
Principle 2: Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces
https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/travel-camp-on-durable-surfaces/
Linville Gorge Wilderness Trails -
Whether you are new to visiting the Linville Gorge, or are a seasoned hiker here, a good map is essential to traveling and navigating in the gorge. The steep rugged terrain and many unofficial social trails can be intimidating to hikers. It is important to plan your route before you enter the wilderness and to have a paper map with you during your adventure. Please DO NOT rely only on your phone or GPS for navigation in the gorge.
Although there are many electronic resources that make navigating in the wilderness easier, the problem that arises when they are your only navigational aid is that if your phone or GPS battery dies or you lose your device, you may be left in a bad situation.
A dangerous trend I have been seeing is that some people are following another user’s track that they have downloaded on their phone. The risk is greater when they do not research the route beforehand and essentially follow a blind track. Many of these tracks are taking people unknowingly onto unofficial, unmaintained social trails.
Social trails are trails that are defined by multiple people traveling the same path and breaking down vegetation and soil. This concentration of foot traffic off of designated trails damages forest vegetation and rare plants and, due to a lack of planning, often leads to erosion, making them unsustainable.
Use of social trails is not encouraged and can be dangerous, especially if you are not prepared for a wilderness experience. Many of the search and rescue efforts take place along unofficial trails.
Camping -
Please do not establish new campsites.
When camping in the gorge, try to utilize an existing campsite. We have a very high volume of campers in the wilderness area. By using an established campsite, we limit impacts such as vegetation trampling and soil compaction.
If you decide to camp in a new spot you must utilize the Leave No Trace principles. Remember that cutting live vegetation is prohibited. Also, please naturalize your campsite when you leave so other users can not tell anyone was there.
I would also encourage people that have an understanding of Leave No Trace to lead by example and to kindly educate others you may encounter that may not know about it.
