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Some of this overview pertains more to backcountry camping, but a lot of the information is applicable to both backcountry and frontcountry hitches. Backcountry means you are camping far from the road or developed areas. Frontcountry means you are in a designated campsite, typically with access to a restroom. However, even if you are camping in a frontcountry location, you may not have access to a restroom during the work day. We recommend you plan accordingly!
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An instructional limerick: When Eleanor goes in the woods, She always does just as she should. A responsible squatter, She bags it near water; Elsewhere she buries it good. Credit to our Crew Program Coordinator's cousin, Callie Guy |
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A compilation of stories and advice from several BIPOC adventurers, including some advice for helmet-wearing!
Style suggestions and hair care packing lists for different length trips in the outdoors.
Tips and tricks for hiking and backpacking with natural hair.
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A list of camping style suggestions from an annual weekend event in the UK. Geared towards short term camping.
A description of one woman's experience - many folks empathize or offer suggestions in the comments.
A woman talks about her changing perception of her hair throughout her life and adventures.
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Thoughts about natural hair outdoors in the summer.
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Considerations for exercising outdoors. Focused on runners, but you'll be getting hot and sweaty outdoors too!
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Aimed toward cyclists, but some good advice for helmet-wearing and styles that fit under a helmet.
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Your pants, your shirt, and your gloves are your first line of defense from contact with poison ivy. Do not touch your gloves to your face or eat with your gloves on. When you get back to camp at the end of the day, we recommend you use your gloves to untie and remove your boots, then carefully remove your gloves and change out of your work clothes. Keep in mind that the oils can remain in your clothes, so keep them separate from your other gear and out of your tent. Once you’ve changed, wash from your elbows down with soap and water right away. If you get a poison ivy rash, let a crew leader know. If your crew will be working in a heavy poison ivy area, you'll be issued Tecnu, a special soap that can help prevent and reduce severity of rashes from poison ivy.
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Ticks are small parasitic arachnids that feed on blood and can carry diseases. They have a flat, oval-shaped body and eight legs. Ticks can carry diseases like Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Alpha-Gal Syndrome (a red meat allergy). In general, ticks must be attached for 36-48 hours to transmit Lyme, so daily checks are a huge part of preventing tick-borne illness. Once a tick is attached, it is important to remove it promptly and properly (tweezers or tick key, see below) and to tell your crew leader any time you have an embedded tick. We keep a tick log as a record for potential worker's compensation cases involving tick-borne illness.
If you are bitten by a tick, try to identify the type, as different ticks carry different diseases and this information may be helpful. We don't want to scare you, but we do want to encourage caution and preventative measures, as ticks can be one of the more dangerous things that we encounter in our work. |
Ticks can be removed with tweezers or a tick key. All ACC first aid kits have tweezers for this purpose. It is important to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and to make sure you remove the head. Your crew leader can help you; we've all been there so please don't feel embarrassed asking for help removing a tick!
If you become ill, particularly if you develop flu-like symptoms, tell your doctor that you have been working outdoors in tick habitat, even if you have not noticed any tick bites - your doctor will likely want to test for Lyme Disease or other tick-borne illnesses, which are generally easy to treat if identified early.
Blog posts about tick-proofing clothes & gear: |
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Challenges you may encounter in the field: |
Potential ways to mitigate these challenges: |
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Challenges you may encounter in the field: |
Potential ways to mitigate these challenges: |
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Challenges you may encounter in the field: |
Potential ways to mitigate these challenges: |
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Challenges you may encounter in the field: |
Potential ways to mitigate these challenges: |
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