Hikers Explore

A sure sign we’ve charged into the 21st century: Leave No Trace has issued digital guidelines for how we can all practice LNT in regards to social media.

Y’all, this is such a messy topic for me.

In the 13 years that I’ve run this site along with the accompanying social media platforms, there is a single question I’ve received far more than anything else:

WHERE IS THIS TRAIL?

And honestly, in the past, I’ve been quite open in sharing my trail beta. I’m a staunch believer that the outdoors is for everyone and that educating people can curb the stupidity that we’ve seen ruin some of our beautiful places. I frequently geo-tagged hikes on Instagram in the hopes that others will enjoy the same areas and, as a result, fight passionately to protect Mother Nature in the future.

And, I’ve even doubled down on this sharing of information in posts like this one, encouraging others to avoid elitism in the outdoors. In doing so, I’ve offended some as evidenced in the comments of that post while receiving cheers from others, thanking me for helping them discover the Great Outdoors.

I’ve even written posts like this one that detail locations for people to camp. To be sure, I’ve received plenty of hate mail for this post, but I’m trying to be as honest as I can. To date, it’s easily my most popular post and I still receive dozens of emails every week, asking for the “best camping” in various areas of Colorado.

People want to learn how to get outdoors and most want a blueprint for the easiest way to do this. But that’s the thing: there is no direct route. And now, Leave No Trace is confirming what many have been noticing for awhile: social media is causing significant impact on our wild spaces.

PC: Moxie82 Inc.

Moving forward, when I generally tag a post on Instagram with a broad-reaching location like an entire national park, for example, it’s not because I’m trying to be elitist or make anyone feel lesser than because they can’t find that beautiful vista. Instead, it’s because I’m trying to do my part in helping our planet avoid over-trammeling. Contrary to what many believe, social media is a digital form of communication that is here to stay and as it continues to evolve, so must our methods of handling the technology and its direct effect on the natural world.

But this also leads me to a bigger question: how do I handle trail stories on my site? How do I act as a thoughtful steward of this planet while still running this website? Do I write up trail adventure stories without including any trail information? Do I encourage readers to practice LNT with every story I share? Can I ensure that anyone that comes across my digital blueprint will leave as minimal of an impact as I’m hoping she does?

These are complex questions that I’m grappling with, and I don’t have the answers to any of them. Do you? That said, I’m really hoping to encourage productive discussion. Social media isn’t going anywhere. Social media and the internet are arguably the best place to study up on trail beta and research prospective adventures. But how do we remain respected sources of content while avoiding contributing to the overuse of fragile ecosystems?

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