No more than 10 in designated wilderness areas. This is a good number for all hikes. If you are in an area considered fragile and remote, then the group should be smaller. If you are hiking with a large group, split into smaller ones and stay about 30 minutes apart on the trail. [back to quiz]

Rock, gravel, sand, compacted dirt, snow, ice, pine needles and dry grass are all durable surfaces. Avoid loose, wet or thin soils. Be particularly careful when hiking above tree line where plants are very fragile. One boot scrape may destroy a layer of soil that has taken centuries to create. [back to quiz]

Wear gaiters and check the depth of the mud before walking through it. Do not detour around the mud. This erodes the sides of the trail and makes the situation worse. If there are loose rocks or downed branches handy, then consider using these as stepping stones. If possible, avoid trails during rainy periods. [back to quiz]

Wear the lightest boot possible. Boots should not have a deep tread or lugs. Always walk on durable surfaces. [back to quiz]

If you know beforehand you will cross private land, you should seek permission. Leave any gates (either open or closed) as you found them. Otherwise do nothing that will leave any evidence of your presence. [back to quiz]

None! It is never appropriate to leave behind any food, seeds, peels, cores, etc. While these items are natural and will eventually decompose, no one appreciates finding someone else's garbage out in the woods -- and it is not visually attractive. Also, food scraps attract annoying insects, can be harmful for wildlife and will habituate animals to humans. [back to quiz]

Seek out a flat area or depression with no evidence of flooding or animal activity at least 200 feet from any water. Sunny spots hasten decomposition. Avoid spraying leaves and plants as your urine can burn the leaves and makes them attractive as food to animals. [back to quiz]

Your main objective is to keep waste away from water, animals and people. Buried feces and toilet paper break down slowly. You should dig and use a cathole with this in mind. Also, pay attention to the points mentioned in answer #7. In fragile areas, frozen or very hard ground, or areas with heavy human use, you should pack out the waste and the toilet paper (use double-bagged, heavy-duty zipper lock bags). Certain environments, such as in the desert, above tree line or river travel, may require additional techniques. Be sure to find out before you go. [back to quiz]

A cathole is used for solid human waste. It is a small hole about 6-8" deep. It is dug with a trowel. A trowel is a small hand shovel and should be part of everyone's backpacking equipment. Try to remove a solid plug of earth and set it aside while you do your business. Afterward use a stick to thoroughly mix the toilet paper and waste in the hole. Replace the plug of earth. The stick you used for mixing should be stuck into the hole with the clean end sticking out of the ground as a signal to everyone else that this area has been used. [back to quiz]

Non-irritating leaves are best (maple and hobblebush are good -- beech and oak can be scratchy -- avoid leaves of three!). Snow can also be used. [back to quiz]

The general rule of thumb is 200 feet for both. Water should never be closer than 200 feet. The distance from a trail should be far enough that you cannot be seen and a low-volume conversation cannot be heard. If you are camping in grizzly bear country, you will need to move farther away and take additional precautions. [back to quiz]

You do not camp in the meadow. The ecology is too fragile. Find a spot on a durable surface in the tree line next to the meadow. Enjoy the view and leave it unspoiled for others to enjoy. [back to quiz]

In established campsites it is okay to have one and only one fire ring. This concentrates impact in one location. For the future enjoyment of others all secondary fire rings should be dismantled and made to look as natural as possible. Any rocks or unburned wood should be scattered in the woods out of sight (the farther away the better). [back to quiz]

See question #2 for answer. [back to quiz]

Set up in areas of high impact and use. Do not extend the site beyond its already established boundaries. [back to quiz]

It is never okay to cut the trail. Switchbacks are established to make your hiking effort easier, but more importantly to help fight soil erosion. Cutting across switchbacks encourages future hikers to follow your lead resulting in deep trail erosion and rutting. Always use existing trails. Never make new ones! [back to quiz]

Disperse your tents widely throughout the area and pitch them on the most durable surfaces. Do not concentrate everyone together. Try to lessen your impact by spreading out your activities. Do not create new paths. Set up your pantry and cooking areas on the most durable surfaces available. [back to quiz]

Leave it where you found it. Allow others the same sense of discovery. Leave rocks, plants, animals, archeological artifacts and other objects just as you found them. It may be illegal to remove artifacts. The location and description of any artifacts you find should be reported to responsible authorities. [back to quiz]

All evidence of your fire should be removed and scattered out of sight in the woods. A properly built fire will have burned completely to ash. No wood larger than an adult's wrist should ever be used. If you built your fire on a bed of sand or gravel, then replace or scatter it. If you dug out a plug of earth replace it. Never use rocks as a ring except in established sites as they blacken and become unsightly. Instead of building fires use your backpacking stove as much as possible for cooking and warmth. [back to quiz]

If there is a trail around it, then take the trail! Otherwise everyone in the group should fan out as far as possible to walk across it. This minimizes the impact. If you walk single-file, there soon will be a trail, as others follow your lead. [back to quiz]

All clothing, tent and gear equipment colors should be in muted earth tones. The color of your equipment has no effect on the environment, but does affect the enjoyment of the outdoors by others. Visual pollution can be just as annoying as other types. [back to quiz]

If you are having a fire it may be okay to burn some of it (burn only paper items, never plastic or other petroleum-based products). Remaining trash, including food items and any paper which was not totally consumed in your fire, must be packed out. Remember -- Pack It In, Pack It Out! [back to quiz]

Nothing. Stay calm and still. Observe wildlife from afar. Never approach or disturb them. Never make any sudden movements. During breeding, nesting and birthing seasons give them a wide berth. You are too close to wildlife if an animal alters its normal behavior. [back to quiz]

Always bring camp clothes. These are something light, comfortable, clean (hopefully) and dry. Lightweight camp shoes should replace your hiking boots as soon as you find a campsite. Lightweight shoes are more friendly to the earth and your feet than your boots. [back to quiz]

Keep going! Find another site. Remember -- camping less than 200 feet from a water source is not Leave No Trace. You will be taking care of hygiene issues near your site (going to the bathroom and brushing teeth), cooking and establishing a human presence. Environmentally it is not sound to camp near water. Also, it is disruptive to wildlife. Your presence may block their normal path to water and feeding or otherwise alter their behavior. Quick movements and loud noises are stressful to animals. [back to quiz]

Police the area for any signs that someone has been there -- look for small pieces of trash, be sure signs of your campfire have been removed, check the trees for ropes and other hanging items. Your goal should be to leave your campsite in better condition than you found it. Spend as much time dismantling and restoring it as you did establishing it. [back to quiz]

Ignore them. Keep wildlife wild. If you feed wildlife you are sentencing them to death. When animals become habituated to human food they lose their instincts to hunt and gather. These behaviors are then passed onto their offspring. Eventually they cannot survive without human food. Also, wild animals which have been fed lose their fear of humans. They become very aggressive, may bite and will not hesitate to chew through your tent or backpack. Human fed animals carrying rabies become an even more serious threat. Larger animals, like bears, may need to be destroyed. Don't feed wildlife, no matter how cute they look. In many jurisdictions it is against the law! [back to quiz]

Whenever you are in the outdoors it is a good idea to pick up any trash you find. When you are away from trash cans having a small bag in your pocket makes this task more pleasant. [back to quiz]