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All
Federal, State and City and County Parks' camp sites are very well kepted
up and the Camp Hosts and Rangers are there to help any one who needs help
in camping. There is running drinking water at all developed camp sites
with fire rings and you can buy fire wood for $4.00 to $5.00 dollars a
bag at each parks' Visitors Centers. Even if you bring your own fire wood
it is strongly recommend that you buy wood there as well. A bag of fire
wood has logs and kindling to start the logs on fire, and the burning time
for each bag will last for approximately three hours. Remember not to gather
logs, branchs, leaves, twigs or any type of foliage for the camp fires.
They slowly decay and form natural mulch for the forest. Firewood gathering
disturbs this recycling process which hinders and prevents this natural
recycling process of the environment. Mulch protects the soil of the forest
floor and feeds the soil with much needed nutrients furnishing nourishment
to the redwood trees and to all other living plants which are vital to
our natural fragile environment. No areas are provided for recreational
games because of the long-term impact on our fragile redwood forest and
because of safety considerations. Ball games, horseshoes, badminton, and
similar activities are prohibited in most State and Federal Parks. Hammocks
may damage a tree. If your hammock will damage a tree, including the bark,
it is illegal. When you tie your hammock, watch carefully: Is the tree
big enough? Is the diameter of the tree at least 12" (38" in circumference)?
If the tree bends because of your hammock find a larger tree or do not
use the hammock. This process of not gathering logs, branchs, leaves, twigs
or any type of foliage for the camp fires is part of the concept of low
impact camping, one of the three basic rules of good camping.
 Three Simple Camping
Rules:
that we all maintain the following three simple basic rules of good camping:
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Visitors Centers: We
all have seen litter scattered. Do you know how long it will take litterto decompose to a non-recognizable form?:
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Pre-trip Plans:
Obtain camping area and trail maps at the Ranger
Stations and study them.
Wear clothing that will blend with your surrounding
and clothing that are consistent with the weather.
Bring a change of clothing and place them
in plastic bags to protect from the weather.
Stow food in containers you will carry home
at the end of a trip.
Take along trash bags and use them.
Select areas that are right for your activities.
Match the ruggedness of camping experiences to the skills and physical abilities of the other campers going with you. Treat wildlife with respect and take precautions to avoid dangerous encounters with wildlife. Leave snakes, bears, ground squirrels and other wildlife alone.
Your safety, the safety of others and
to assist in the protection of our fragile environment is primarily your
responsibility, however, all Park Rangers are there to protect and assist
you.
Hiking:
Stay on the trail.
Avoid cutting across switchbacks.
Select hard ground or snow for cross-country
hiking.
Getting Lost:
It is surprisingly easy to get lost on hiking trails, even when
using an up-to-date book with good maps. There are four major reasons for
this: there are lots of deer trails, a few trails are overgrown, some junctionslack signs, and people take short-cuts. Always check with the Ranger Stations
for the condition of all trails if you are unfamiliar with them.
Choose sites free of fragile plants.
Camp out of sight of trails, streams and lakes.
Do not ditch tents.
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Build fires only where appropriate, otherwise,
use camping or back packing stoves.
Use exsisting fire rings rather than making
new ones.
Make sure your fire is cold-out.
Replace sod or ground cover to erase burn
scars when you are out back packing in the wilderness. (this procedure
is not necessary in developed or undeveloped camp sites)
  Link to obtain camp fire cooking recipes. |
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  Information on Campstoves and Fuel. |
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Sanitation:
Use all soap and detergent at least 75 steps
away from streams, lakes and springs.
Pour wash and dish water into a sump hole.
The following procedures are not necessary in developed or undeveloped
camp sites. Theseprocedures are to be followed only when camping/back packing
in the wilderness:
Dig latrines at least 75 steps from camps,
trails and any source of water.
Bury sump holes and latrines when you are
through with them and restore gound cover.
Pack out all garbage and trash you have not
burned.
Courtesy:
Hikers step off trails to let horses pass.
Do not pick wildflowers. Enjoy them where
they are the leave them for others to see.
Keep noise down when you are around other
campers and hikers.
Poison Oak:
Poison oak for some is a minor irritation, for most, a major irritation
and for a few, a medical emergency. The best advise is to learn to identify
the plant by its leaves and avoid touching it. An old saying is "Leaves
Of Three ~ Leave It Be".
Learn to identify this California native plant as it changes through out the year. Leaves in groups of three may be green, red, shinny or dull, or gone in wnter. In fall, poison oak leaves turn crimson red and drop off. In winter, the bare branches are difficult to identify, yet still retain their toxi oils. It helps to stay on designated trails and to watch out for branches that lean out onto the trail or drape down over the path. Poison oak is a very common native California plant.
Ticks and Lyme Disease:
Ticks are also common in California and are especially noticeable during
the rainy season from November to May. Recent field studies have shown
that 1-2% of the western black-legged ticks in Marin County carry Lyme
Disease.
The best way to avoid ticks is to stay on trails. It also helps to wear light clothing so that ticks can be seen. Be sure to brush yourself frequently, especially after passing through tall grass or shrubs. After a hike, check yourself completely. Ticks anesthetize the skin before biting so you'll seldom feel the original bite.
Early removal of a tick reduces the risk of infection. Use tweezers rather than fingers. Grab the tick mouth parts as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out. Wash hands and clean the bite with an antiseptic.
The first recognizable symptom of Lyme disease is usually a ring-like red rash that occurs 3-30 days after the bite of an infected tick. The rash may grow to several inches in diameter, while clearing in the center, thus producing a ring. One or more rashes may occur and not always at the bit site. However, a rash only appears in 60-80% of infected persons. Other symptoms may include flu-like fever, chills, fatigue, headaches and a stiff neck. Since early diagnosis of Lyme disease is crucial, be sure to see a doctor if you think you have it.
The Park Rangers will help you learn how to properly identify poison oak leaves and ticks and how to treat infected areas. Report any tick bites to the park staff and ask them for first aid.
  The Nassau County Department of Health, State of New York:The Nassau County Department of Health web site will give you detailed information on;
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Yellow Jackets:
Nettles:
Look for stinging nettles in moist areas where the ground is loose.
Streambanks are ideal places for nettles to grow. Large, spear-shaped opposite
leaves grow on a stem which may be up to six feet tall. Tiny poison-filled
hairs can inflict a painful reaction when brushed against.
Fluids:
Fluids are essential when hiking or staying outdoors. Often, people go hiking or go to the beach and wind up the day with a mild headache. Usually, this is attributed to too much exposure, too much sun or too much wind. Many times, the problem is too little fluids. Hiking requires a minimum of 1/2 quart of fluids per hour, or more, depending on the temperature and elevation change. Alcohol does not count. It is a diuretic, which means that it removes fluid by osmosis in the stomach. It is always a good idea to carry water on a hike and to drink it regularly whether you feel thirsty or not. Do not drink water from streams or lakes. Its may contain giardia, a protozoa that can cause severe stomach problems until treated with antibiotics.
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Link to the United State Forest Service
On Line Guides For Enjoying And Appreciating The Wilderness |
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Link to the Environmental Web Directory 
Information
On Forests and Forestry
August 21, 1997
The Sierra Club Book Store has the following books on hand so that you can better understand and build outdoor skills for the entire family:
The Internet Base Camp Web Master wish to give a special "Thank You" and "Acknowledgement" to Ms. Kirsten Barrere, the Sierra Club San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, Book Store Manager, for the valuable lists of books provided to this web site. With out Ms. Barrere's research time the above list would not have been possible.
The Sierra Club Book Store is continually working on having their complete data base on their web site soon and they will also be posting Conservation Alerts.
For more detailed information on Low Impact Camping link to the Sierra Club Book Store.
For more information on The
Sierra Club go to the Sierra Club section.
 Go to the "Back Packing and Tent Information" area for very important information on back packing, planning a safe back packing trip, and information on camping tents. |
You can download this web page. This document contains graphics. Use your MicroSoft
 Down load the "Low Impact Camping" document. |
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