Trail etiquette
The principles of Tread Lightly
Bouncing along a natural path, embraced by the scent of fresh mountain air under clear, open sky is exhilarating, to say the least. Unburdened from urban traffic, one feels free from civilization.
Unshackled perhaps from the rules of the city, but trail runs do come with their own codes of conduct.
Respect Mother Nature. Tread Lightly.
Stay on the designated paths and avoid trampling over natural fauna. Even barren appearing flat patches can be home to unseen miniature life. Do not take shortcuts across open fields.
Pack out what you pack in. Don’t litter. Leave things as clean as you found them; bag up your garbage and dispose of it at designated facilities.
As for human waste, do the best you can. Solid waste should not be close to paths or roads. Burying it may not be practical but at least be discreet. I doubt that it interferes with Mother Nature any more than the frequent piles of horse or donkey manure. Wipes and toiletries, on the other hand, are not natural and should be bagged up and taken with you.
Do not feed the wildlife intentionally, or by leaving uneaten food where you camped. Processed and cooked foods contain chemicals that are not routinely found in animal diets and can seriously affect their systems.
Drive at slow or modest speeds, so as not to chew up the dirt and leave tire scarring. We all loath the speeding ATV’s and SxS’s who treat our backcountry roads like racetracks and mar everything along their furious path.
Respect Mother Nature’s bastard children. In other words, “people”.
Be very mindful when driving through inhabited hamlets. The locals hate it when you pollute their rustic homesteads with noise and clouds of dust. Go slow and keep a lookout for children or range-free animals.
The same applies if you pass some dispersed campers along the side of the road. Slow down so as not to drench them in dirt, or to startle them awake.
When you pass hikers or bicyclists, slow down and be yielding. Give them a friendly wave or greet them verbally. Look them over and judge their condition. Do they appear exhausted or on the brink of collapse? Do they look like seasoned athletes, or unfit weekend warrior wanna-be’s? Is their clothing appropriate for the climate? Are they carrying ample water supply, or just the remains of a small single serve plastic bottle, if even that.
Ask them if they are okay? Offer them extra water if they look thirsty. A ride if they need it?
Rules of the road
Small groups of oncoming traffic should pull over and allow larger caravans to safely pass. Sometimes though, it is easier for the large group to yield to the others. Let common sense and the configuration of the roads decide.
When one group does pass another, the Trail Leader should indicate to the stopped vehicles how many will be passing. The Tail Gunner should state that they are the last vehicle.
Do NOT use the Jeep wave as you pass waiting vehicles, since your upheld fingers could be misunderstood as an indicator of how many Jeeps there are behind you.
Always keep the vehicle behind you in sight. If you cannot see them, slow down and let them catch up. If the vehicle in front of you gets too far ahead, then use your radio and ask them to slow down.
When turning at a fork or at intersecting paths, wait until the vehicle behind you can see where to follow.
Try to keep up with the pack. Of course, you will pick your way and crawl over obstacles, but give it a little gas when you are on flat, even terrain. Nobody likes a driver who inches along when they should be sprinting at 20mph on easy surfaces.
Be mindful of gates
Some areas are fenced to accommodate free-range ranching or to contain natural wildlife from entering or exiting a preserve. Even though passage for motorized vehicles may be permitted, roads could be gated for animal control. The rule is to always leave these gates open or closed, as you found them. So, if you encountered an open gate — then just leave it alone. If the gate was closed, then remember to re-close that gate after the last vehicle in your group passes through it.
Rules of the hill
Let the vehicle ahead of you clear the ascent or descent before you follow, just in case that vehicle loses traction and has to roll back down the hill. You do not want to be tailgating or even just sitting at the base directly in their path.
During a hill climb, momentum is your friend. We avoid coming to a dead stop. Because of this, we always try to allow oncoming traffic coming up a hill to have the right of way. It is easier for the descending traffic to pull over and wait, since they will not be opposing gravity on their way down.
At the top of a summit, announce over the radio that the vehicle behind you is clear to go. Wait at the top so that they can see which direction to turn as they crest over the peak.
Roadside Assistance
If you see a lone vehicle stopped by the side of the road, slow down and visually investigate. Are the occupants visible? Is there any obvious damage, such as flat tire? A note in the windshield? Is the vehicle at a marked hiking trailhead, or just sitting in the middle of nowhere?
Most importantly, does the vehicle BELONG on this kind of road? Is it an offroad rig, or a “civilian” family sedan?
If your Spidey sense tingles, then maybe stop and look around. Obviously, if the occupants are present, they will either signal their distress or cheerfully wave you off.
The same kindred spirit applies to us even back on the highway. If we pass a Jeep pulled over in the shoulder, fellow Jeepers will pull over and see if they can be of assistance. Even if we are not equipped to mechanically help, it is always reassuring to stranded motorists that they are not alone.
A word of caution. Read the article about “No good deed goes unpunished” before rendering recovery. Only try to get them unstuck by mechanical means if they are willing to sign a waiver or make a video recorded statement.
