Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Also refrain from washing dishes or clothing in natural water sources. Wash us-
ing minimal water and dispose of wastewater at least 100 feet from any water source.
If a pit toilet is unavailable, dig a hole at least 6 inches deep, make your deposit,
and cover it with the soil you removed. Do not bury toilet paper or trash, as an animal
may dig it up.
Garbage
If you pack it in, you must pack it out. Before leaving camp, clean up and pack out
any trash left by inconsiderate campers. Leave the site looking as lightly used as pos-
sible.
Pack Stock & Horses
Hikers must yield right-of-way to all pack and saddle animals. Forage is often scarce,
so be sure to pack plenty of food for your animals. Such animals can severely damage
trails and camps if not properly handled. Avoid tying animals to trees, as they may dig
up roots and strip bark.
Wildlife
Do not feed wild animals. They will associate humans with food and may become
aggressive pests. Juvenile animals may never learn normal foraging behavior, instead
becoming dependent on handouts that are not part of their natural diets. Wild animals
may also congregate in unnaturally high numbers, which might increase chances of
disease transmission.
Conservation
W
ITH LITTLE MONEY ALLOCATED
for maintenance, the US Forest Service is unable to
devote much attention to trails within the Ventana and Silver Peak Wildernesses. For-
tunately, groups of dedicated volunteers have taken responsibility for rebuilding trail
networks and caring for this backcountry that belongs to us all. Many of these vo-
lunteers work for the following listed conservation groups, grass-roots organizations
dedicated to protecting, preserving, enhancing, and restoring public lands within the
Santa Lucia Range.
Let us leave a splendid legacy for our children … let us turn to them
and say, “This you inherit: Guard it well, for it is far more precious
than money … and once destroyed, nature's beauty cannot be re-
purchased at any price.”
Ansel Adams, American photographer, 1902-1984
