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Citation for publication number
394:
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Stewart, William; Cole, David; Manning, Robert; Valliere, William; Taylor, Jonathan; Lee, Martha. 2000. Preparing for a Day Hike at Grand Canyon: What Information Is Useful?. In: Cole, David N.; McCool, Stephen F.; Borrie, William T.; O’Loughlin,
Jennifer, comps. 2000. Wilderness science in a time of change conference—
Volume 4: Wilderness visitors, experiences, and visitor management; 2000
May 23–27; Missoula, MT. Proceedings RMRS-P-15-VOL-4. Ogden, UT: U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research
Station. 221-225.
Leopold
Publication Number 394
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Abstract:
Most parks are interested in conveying hiking safety
and minimum impact techniques to visitors. At Grand Canyon
National Park, providing such information to more than 2000 day
use hikers per day has been a longstanding concern whose effort has
increased in intensity over the past decade. This study evaluates
aspects of the “Heat kills, hike smart” campaign that targeted day
use hikers during summer, 1997. The park’s information campaign
was able to reach most day use hikers, and affected the behavior of
the majority of them. Among various media sources and locations
used by the park to convey safety information to day use hikers, the
two most effective sources were the Park Guide distributed upon
entering the park (in newspaper-style) with its banner headline
claiming “Heat kills, hike smart” and posters at each trailhead with
the same “heat kills” information. Day use hikers of remote
backcountry trails reported the highest probability for problematic
behavior (e.g., no water, became sick or injured). Minimum impact
information concerning the proper disposal of toilet paper and food
scraps was widely unknown.
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