Safety Continued

 

Hypothermia

The most common way for people to die in the backcountry is from exposure. To help avoid this issue, you must dress in appropriate layers.  Typically, backpackers start with a synthetic material “base layer” of long underwear.  Never use cotton as it will soak up sweat and eventually conduct heat away from the body and contribute in causing hypothermia.  In actuality, the best material to use may not be synthetic at all, but is a soft wool such as Moreno Wool.  This material has the unique ability to not only wick moisture away, but also regulates body temperature and helps reduce body odor.  The downside is that it’s expensive.  Layer two is an insulative layer.  Usually a type of fleece.  Again, you’ll want to use a synthetic material or wool.  Personally, I use a fleece hoody.  Layer three is your "shell".  A puffy jacket for cold or winterlike conditions or rain jacket or poncho that is water/wind proof layer.  I use a waterproof (as much as possible) rain jacket for this in the summer.  Some folks use ponchos.  You can experiment with different layering techniques and articles of clothing to see what work best for you.  For my lower extremities I firstly use the base layer, then secondly the pants and finally an outer shell of rain pants.  I prefer to use a convertible hiking pant for the mid layer that can change into shorts in warmer weather.  There are companies that make UV resistant material to protect your skin from the sun for both uppers and lowers.  The bottom line that I want to emphasize is that in the Pecos Wilderness any conditions can happen at almost any time including snow and rain in the summer and being prepared with proper clothing is a necessity.  Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, slurred speech or mumbling, slow and shallow breathing, weak pulse, clumsiness or lack of coordination, drowsiness and low energy, confusion or memory loss, and finally loss of consciousness. 

 

 

 Dehydration - This is probably the second leading cause of death for people out in the backcountry.  You can die from dehydration in only three days as compared to the fact that it takes three weeks to die from hunger.  For the most part, finding water in the Pecos Wilderness is easy.  However, there is a nearly 20-mile section of the Skyline Trail that does not cross any adequate water source.  Make sure that you pack adequate amounts of water for this section and/or descend from the ridgetops to find a stream or lake where you can filter or purify your water.  To stay hydrated continuously sip your water throughout the day.  There is an old saying that goes “if you are feeling thirsty, then you are already becoming dehydrated.”  Common signs of dehydration are dry mouth, sweating, headache, decreased and/or dark colored urine output, eyes stop making tears, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting, heart palpitations, lightheadedness (especially when getting up from a sitting position), and weakness.  Please make sure that you carry and drink enough water.

 

Giardia and other water born illnesses - Always properly treat every drop of the water you collect in the backcountry before you ingest it.  There are many methods that you can use to purify water to make it potable.  The most popular with hikers and backpackers is to use a filter.  Check with your local outfitter to see what product may work best for you, and always follow the instructions.  There are many gear reviews on YouTube where you can gather information on what people are using and why.  Another method is to treat the water chemically.  Iodine is a cheap and effective way to treat your water.  The downside is that is doesn’t taste very good.  However, the taste issue can be cured with flavorings.  Another chemical method that I have heard that people use is to put drops of bleach into the water.  Personally, I wonder how safe bleach is considering that too much will poison you.  I would advise to read up on this method carefully before attempting to use bleach.  Finally, in the chemical treatment category there is a product called Aquamura that uses chlorine dioxide droplets to purify your water.  Personally, it sounds the same as bleach to me. Next, there are pens that use ultraviolet radiation to sterilize water.  Again, you’ll need to follow the instructions to a “T” to make sure that you are sterilizing the water properly.  I have never used this method and therefore cannot attest to its efficacy.  The final method that I’d like to mention is boiling.  Bringing water up to a full rolling boil for ten minutes will kill any bacteria or pathogens that will make you ill.  However, the downside of using this method is increased consumption of fuel or firewood.  The method that I personally use the most is filtering.  The one thing that I would caution you about using filters is that they are prone to freezing in cold weather, and once they are frozen, they are not usable anymore.  Therefore, I always carry iodine tablets as a backup.

 

First Aid – Always bring a light and small first aid kit with you.  It should always contain your prescription medications, some Leukotape or medical tape (not an entire roll as this adds weight to your pack), antiseptic wipes, small bandages (Band-Aids), gauze, and tweezers.  I also bring some over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen, Benadryl, and anti-diarrheal medication.  Finally, I include insect repellant and sunscreen as part of my fist aid supplies.  I would also recommend taking a first aid coarse or especially outdoor oriented first aid training.

 

High Altitude – The Pecos Wilderness has many areas where the elevation can exceed 12,000 ft above sea level.  Therefore, if you are not acclimated to the elevation, then you may exhibit symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, dizziness, fatigue, headache, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, rapid pulse, and shortness of breath during exercise.  The best thing to do if this occurs is to just head downhill to a lower elevation immediately until symptoms subside.  If symptoms persist or get worse, then conditions that are life threatening such as High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) or High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) could potentially occur.  The best way to avoid this if your coming from sea level for example is to sleep at lower elevation for a few days and hike to higher points during the day.  This method is called “Go High – Sleep Low”.  This is how mountaineers often acclimate to higher elevations.

 

Camping in Bear Country – The Pecos Wilderness is black bear country, although I do not believe that there is as high a population density as other wilderness areas.  However, I have seen bear sign and tracks on the trail in years past.  You must practice safety procedures when eating and storing your food.  These storage procedures also prevent other animals from getting to your food supply.  Also, your camp should be set up in such a way that scents from cooking are kept away from your sleeping area.  Never eat in your tent or hammock. Left over scents from the food you eat can linger in softer materials such as your sleeping bag.  I use what I call the “Triangle Method” for setting up camp.  For instance, store your food 100' from your cooking area and pitch your tent 100' from your cooking area and food storage in a triangle if you're looking down on your camp from and aerial view.  Also, please see the following list of preferred methods for storing food in the wilderness.

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Food Storage Methods in Bear Country

Bear Canister – Put your food in odor proof bags and place in canister.  Place the canister under a rock or log approximately 100-200 ft away from your tent site.  This method is the best if you know that you are going to be camping at alpine elevations or areas where there are no trees.  Some national parks and other areas are requiring food canisters to store food, and they even require certain brands or certifications.  Please check with the park or national forest that you are visiting to see what is required.  The drawbacks to using a bear canister are that bear canisters are bulky and heavy.  They often don’t fit into packs very well, and they have to be strapped to the outside of your pack.  If an animal does find your food cache, then they often kick it around and move it to a new location.  This makes it hard to find the next day, but it does not happen very often.

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 Appalachian Trail “AT” Method of hanging food.  First use a “Rock Bag” as a weighted projectile to toss one end of a 50’ rope or paracord over an extended tree branch that is at least 16’ high and at least 10’ from the bole of the tree.  Allow the rock bag to pull the rope all the way down within your reach.  Remove the rock bag and replace with the food bag.  Grab the opposite end of the rope and pull the food bag up until approximately 4’ below the tree limb.  Tie off the end of the rope to a branch, small tree, or another tree bole to secure the food bag at recommended height and distance from ground (12’), tree (10’) and limb (4’).   Distances may vary depending on conditions.  

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The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Method of hanging food.  This method requires a carabiner tied to one end of the rope.  Attach a rock bag to the carabiner.  Again, use the rock bag to throw a 50’ length of rope over an extended tree branch that is at least 16’ high and 10’ from the bole of the tree.  Allow the rock bag to pull the rope all the way down back to within your reach.  Detach the rock bag from the carabiner and attach the food bag in its place.  Make sure that the other end of the rope is also clipped into the carabiner.  Pull the food bag all the way up to the limb.  Tie a toggle stick to the tag end of the rope as high up as you can reach using a clove hitch knot.  Allow the bag to lower until the carabiner is held in place by the toggle.  Allow the ropes to hang free, no tying off is necessary. Again, the food bag needs to be 12’ high off the ground, 4’below the limb, and 10’ from the bole of the tree.  To access food again, just pull the rope down so that you can untie the toggle. 

Please note that there is currently some debate in the backpacking community as to the effectiveness of food hangs as bears have been known to access backpackers food stash even when hung.

Another method I will be testing soon is an Ursack.  This is a product that is made from Kevlar that when tied to a tree is tough enough to withstand penetration by bear teeth.

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Bear encounters.  What do you do if you encounter a bear?  Most of the time you will just enjoy watching a very beautiful animal in its natural environment just as if you were watching a deer.  I consider it one of nature’s greatest honors to see or watch a large predatory animal in the wild from a safe distance.  However, when that distance is not as safe as you’d like, there are several options.  With black bears in the Pecos it is typically best to make a lot of noise, and just scare the animal away.  This works well if the bear is approaching your campsite for instance.  Wave your arms, try to look big, scream and act like a crazy person.  Do not run!  That is the worst thing that you can do.  You’ll never be able to outrun a bear as they can run 30mph, and they are much more agile than you are. Also, you can trigger their predatory instinct.  Don’t act like prey, and you won’t be prey. Also, do not climb a tree as they can climb a tree almost as fast as they can run.  The next option is to take a deep breath and remain calm.  Keep your wits about you and stand your ground.  This is the method I use most of the time when I see a bear on the trail in front of me.  Most of the time, they will perceive you as a threat and run away.  Do not look them in the eye.  They may perceive this as a challenge, although you would have to be very close for them to see this because bears have poor eyesight. Finally, if you see a bear on the trail in front of you that is not running away and does not seem scared of you, then you may have to back away slowly until the bear is out of sight a safe distance away.  Wait fifteen to twenty minutes, and then continue your hike past where you saw the bear.  I’ve had to do this only one time out of multiple bear encounters, and this was because the bear felt safe due to being partially up on a large tree.  You need to remember that bears are intelligent animals, and each one has their own set of experiences to draw from that affect their judgement and personalities.  Therefore, you need to have the presence of mind to make the correct judgement for each wildlife encounter to match the situation.

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To keep your camp safe from bears I use what I call the “Signpost” method.  In the wild bears use signpost trees to mark their territories by urination or rubbing their backs on the tree.  Other bears mark the signpost tree to let other bears know that they are around.  These trees are also called “rub” trees.  You need to do this too, but not by rubbing your back on the tree.  Urinate on the tree.  Yes, that’s right…urinate on as many trees around your camp as you can.  Drink lots of water which also will keep you hydrated and create a protective ring around your camp.  I know that this sounds ridiculous, and I know that it’s much harder for women to do this than for men. I’ve been doing this for many years, and I have not had a bear in camp since I started doing this.  I will even go a step further and say to urinate as high up the trees as possible.  This makes you appear larger than you are, and therefore more of a potential threat to the bear. If you think this is silly, then I don’t blame you a bit.  However, I have seen nature documentaries that capture even panda bears in china doing this.  Yes, they try to outdo each other by peeing the highest up the tree!  I know that pandas are not black bears, but I feel that is safe to assume that they exhibit some similar behaviors.  Other predatory animals such as wolves and coyotes also use similar methods.  Even your dog marks the perimeter of your yard for territorial reasons.  This is common behavior in the natural world, and I would use this tidbit of knowledge to your advantage for safety purposes.

 

Lightning.  Thunderstorms are almost a daily occurrence in the Pecos Wilderness from June into September.  You’ll need to be ready to quickly find shelter from these storms especially in the afternoons.  Plan to stay off exposed mountaintops and ridgelines in the afternoons during the monsoon season, and always camp below timberline.  If you find yourself caught in a thunderstorm, then move off any high ground and down into the trees or a boulder field where you can find any semblance shelter.  Use a sit pad, coat, or anything that doesn’t conduct electricity to squat down on.  Squat with only your feet touching the sit pad.  Use a tarp, rainfly, jacket or poncho to cover and protect yourself from the hail and rain.  Again, the best method is to plan for it and be prepared, so you can wait out the storm in your tent dry, warm and cozy in your sleeping bag.

 

Fire Danger.  Typically, the worst time for fire danger in the Pecos Wilderness is in May, June, and July before the monsoon rains arrive.  Springs are windy, hot and dry in New Mexico, and these conditions can cause extreme fire danger in the Pecos.  Always check the Santa Fe or Carson National forest web sites for current fire danger to see if any restrictions exist.  Make sure that you know if it is legal to have campfires or if you are required to use a stove.  In recent years, the entire national forest has even been shut down completely due to extremely high fire danger.  If it is legal to have a fire, and you enjoy having a fire, then please keep it small and under control.  Keep extra water handy to put it out. 

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Wilderness Regulations

For purposes of writing this book, I have broken down these regulations into the simplest form possible.  For further information contact your ranger district office.

 

Using Trails: 

1. Crosscutting switchbacks is prohibited.  Switchbacks are designed to minimize soil erosion, so please use them.

2. No motorized vehicles, equipment, carts or bicycles are allowed in the wilderness.  This include flying drones.

3. Sheep and Goats are not allowed in the Pecos Wilderness.  This is due to a high population of bighorn sheep.  The Forest Service does not want domestic livestock spreading disease to the wildlife.  This however does not include cows and horses, unfortunately.

4. Hitching or tethering a horse or other pack animal to a tree for more than two hours is prohibited.

 

Camping in the Wilderness:

1. Groups traveling in the Pecos cannot exceed 15 persons or 15 head of stock.

2. No camping or campfires are allowed within 50 feet of a designated trail.

3. No camping or campfires are within 50 feet of a river or stream.

4. No camping or campfires within 200 feet of a lake.

5. Camps and campfires are prohibited around Pecos Falls and Beatty’s Flat.  (See maps below.)

6. Leaving garbage in the wilderness is prohibited.  All trash must be packed out.

7. Cutting down live or dead standing trees for any purpose is prohibited.

8. Arrowheads and pottery chards are archeological artifacts.  Leave them where you found them.  The collection of these items is illegal and could be punishable by fine or jail-time.

 

 

 

Wilderness Ethics and Etiquette

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Leave no Trace

You may have heard the old adage “Take only photos and leave only footprints.”  This is what it means to leave no trace.  First of all, always follow the regulations from the previous section.  This will help ensure that you have left no signs of your visiting any particular location in the wilderness.  Next, stay on the designated trail system as much as possible, and you if need to bushwhack, then try to stay on durable surfaces such as rock or hard ground.  Try to avoid stepping on delicate meadow and alpine vegetation.  Also, try to avoid loose, steep and highly erodible soils.  Choose legal, existing campsites with preexisting fire rings as much as possible.  Do not build new fire rings.  Set up your tent on flat durable surfaces.  If you have to clean a tent site of forest litter or debris such as pinecones and needles, then return the debris after you take down the tent.  Try to make it look as if you were never there.  Next, bury human waste in “cat holes”.  To do this bring a small trowel such as the “Deuce of Spades” brand or a small garden trowel.  Make sure the cat hole six inches deep or more.  Also make sure that you go 200’ or more from all streams, lakes, trails, and existing campsites.  Some folks pack out all their waste.  I feel that this is extreme, but I give kudos to those who make the effort.  Far too often I find signs of human waste deposits that are improperly buried too close to campsites.  Ick!  Again, Especially toilet paper, needs to be burried deep enough to biodegrade a quickly as possible, and to not be dug up by small animals.  Next, campfires are considered by the forest service and the center for outdoor ethics to be one of the largest impacts on the wilderness resource.  In other words, using too much wood from the forest floor in heavy usage areas keeps the soil from regenerating or rebuilding properly.  Therefore, the vegetation does not grow back, and it contributes to poor health of the ecosystem.  However, my personal opinion differs to that of the forest service.  I think that they often take fire usage ethic to extremes.  I, like most people who use the wilderness, enjoy a good campfire and I have an opinion about firewood usage that has never been expressed before.  As a former professional forester, I feel that using firewood helps reduce the fuel loading on the ground in high use areas. This in turn helps protect the forest from crown fires and the total destruction of beloved places when a forest fire occurs.  This is just a little food for thought, and to let people know that there is more than one way to look at a situation.  Typically, it has been my observation that people continue to use firewood in popular areas weather the forest service approves or not.  Most people camp less than 200 feet from lakes.  I am not advocating this practice, but if the forest service does not want this to occur, then it needs to designate and number campsites by signage for specific campsites in popular areas.  They also need to require permits and patrol popular areas on a regular basis.  This will keep people from spreading out and reduce the amount impacts in a general area.  I have seen this done in the Weminuche Wilderness area of Colorado at Emerald Lake (until beetles killed the trees around the camping area) and I think it was a great idea!  Finally, before you leave a campsite, you will need to do what I call a “final recon” or a final check.  Walk around and not only look for trash, tent stakes or other items that you have left behind, but also trash that others have left.  Pack out whatever you find even if it is not yours.  This is especially true for the fire pit.  Far too often people burn their trash and leave it in the fire.  I sometimes burn my trash too. The difference is that I fish it out of the ashes when the fire is out and pack it out along with other people’s garbage left around the camp.  I burn it to reduce the smell and lighten the weight.  Be careful when burning plastics as they can release toxic compounds into the smoke.  Wood smoke is bad enough on its own, you do not want to breath smoke that contains compounds released from artificial items like plastic.  The last item on the agenda before leaving any camp is to make sure that the fire is dead out.

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You can find more information visit the center for outdoor ethics on the web at www.lnt.org

 

Hiking and Backpacking Etiquette

1.  Right of Way.  Horses and people with pack stock have the right of way.  Please step well off the trail and let them pass.  Also, be quiet and respectful as they pass.  Do not take dogs on the trail that bark at other animals.  This can upset the horses and potentially injure them or their riders.  Next, people walking uphill also have the right of way.  This is because it’s harder to regain momentum when hiking uphill.

2. Keep your music volume to a minimum.  Some hikers these days play loud music on their devices while hiking.  This is not only annoying to other hikers, but to wildlife too.  This goes for your voice volume too.  The basic rule is to be respectful.  Also, you will find a greater connection to nature if you forgo listening to headphones or loud music.  You will hear more birds chirping and will be more aware of your surroundings.  In my humble opinion being aware of your surroundings is essential in bear and mountain lion country, and it may save your life.

3. If it is possible, do not set up your camp right next to another’s camp.  Spread out and give yourself and others a better, more wild feeling in the wilderness.

4. Smile and say “Hello!” when you pass other hikers.  Spreading good cheer goes a long way on the trail, and it could brighten someone’s day.

5. Help nearby hikers whenever possible.  Once I had a hiker in front of me lose their water bottle in the willows next to the trail.  I picked it up and brought it to them when I finally caught up.  Another time, I had a tarp hung and a fire going just after a rainstorm and helped a gentleman that was camped nearby dry his rain gear and other clothes out under the tarp.

The main idea is to just be respectful of other people, be respectful of the land, to the history, and to be respectful of the wildlife when you’re hiking or backpacking.

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