By Taylor Bradford
Exploring the vast expanse of the Adirondack wilderness has its perks. In a day’s time, you can stand atop rolling mountains, paddle through winding rivers, and get a glimpse of wildlife that is native New York.
There is one thing, however, that we tend to forget about when preparing to travel to and from scenic views: the smell of human perspiration.
On our La Vida expeditions, participants and leaders will not have access to showers or bathtubs. Hearing that you can’t shower for 12 days can be intimidating. The thought of smelling bad is often a sign of being unclean and unkempt.
Bodily odors are a result of physical exertion, heat and/or stress. While it is assumed that our sweat is what stinks, it is in fact the bacteria that is breaking down protein into acids. It’s this process that creates the unpleasant smell.
Hygiene, on the other hand, is the act of keeping oneself clean in order to prevent illnesses and/or spread diseases.
It is important to make sure everyone stays hygienically clean on La Vida trips for the health, morale, and public relations of the entire group. Smelling bad, however, is not a serious health concern for the length of time you will be out in the woods.
We have pulled insights from former trip leaders, participants and experts in the field of wilderness adventures to give you some tips and tricks for staying healthy on a La Vida expedition even when you are smelly.
Backpacker Magazine’s Jason Stevenson writes that “on the trail, ‘clean’ is a relative term. Instead of wearing fresh underwear every day, you’ll learn to rotate it. A moss-covered ledge makes a great nap spot, and the ‘three-second rule’ turns into the ‘brush it off and eat it’ adage. Hiking is all about compromise, and you’re going to have to compromise on what ‘clean’ means.”
With this in mind, Stevenson created a list of essential items that every backcountry traveler must consider bringing when going on a multi-day trip: unscented, alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer; biodegradable soap; toothbrush; toothpaste; dental floss; cotton bandana or washcloth; unscented moist towelettes or baby wipes; and a quick-dry microfiber pack towel.
No Nesting
For women or men with long hair, the risk of tangled/knotted hair is real and uncomfortable. To avoid a full head of dreadlocks (unless you are aiming for that style, then right on!), we encourage participants to bring a small hair brush or comb.
Further measures to prevent fashioning a “rat’s nest” include braiding, daily combing, and dunking your head into a stream every now and then.
Cleaning those Pearly Whites
If there ever was a time to listen to your dentist, it is on this expedition. We advise that every person brush their teeth twice a day and bring floss to get that leftover grain of rice out asap.
Neglecting to brush your teeth will not only deter your peers from quality conversations, but also put you at risk of serious health concerns such as gum disease and cavities.
While your leaders are trained to deal with medical emergencies during your La Vida trip, an infected gum or molar can result in an immediate removal from trip.
*If you have recently had oral surgery (i.e. removal of wisdom teeth), please inform the program director prior to arriving for your expedition.
Washing
For your safety and health, it is vital that you wash your hands with soap and water before preparing each meal and after you relieve yourself. While La Vida does provide one container of hand sanitizer and a bottle of biodegradable soap per group, we suggest purchasing your own hand sanitizer in the event that your group loses or quickly uses up its supplies.
When keeping clean in the wilderness, it is important to consider the residue that we could leave in ponds and rivers. Here is a list of biodegradable and environmentally friendly products that we would suggest for your backcountry expedition:
- Unscented, alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer
- Organic Pure Castile Liquid Soap (Baby Unscented) Dr. Bronner’s
- Wilderness Wash–Sea to Summit
- Ez Wyp Biodegradable Non-Alcohol Wipes
Bacteria and viruses can travel fast and illnesses such as hand, foot and mouth, flu and giardia are unfortunate realities when healthy precautionary steps are not taken by individuals.
Why can’t I bring deodorant?
Many students arrive at base camp with the same burning question, “Why can’t I bring deodorant?” Trust me, you are not the first. A perceived necessity in frontcountry, wearing deodorant has become a daily practice that is hard to imagine living without. However, while on your La Vida trip, it is common for multi-day hikers to leave their antiperspirants at home.
- The smell and ingredients (essential oils, aluminum, propylene glycol and other petrochemicals, parabens and triclosan) of deodorant attracts bugs and other curious wildlife.
- Deodorant does two things to counteract unwanted bodily odors. It kills the bacteria that lives within armpit hair (the source of the smell) and prevents sweating by clogging the pores.
According to BBC’s James May, deodorant reduces unwanted smell when “the active ingredients react with the electrolytes in your sweat to create a thick gel that effectively blocks the top of your sweat glands and contracts your sweat pores.”
Because you will be constantly sweating on trip with no access to showers, the application of deodorant can clog your pores so much that it would be unhealthy for your skin. Rashes and irritation can occur if too many layers are applied without continual cleaning of that area.
So, for the sake of avoiding bug bitten armpits and over-clogged pores, leave the Old Spice at home.
Any scented toothpaste, lip balm, or wipes will be put up in our bear bags each night to mitigate the number of critters in your camp.
Although this part of your expedition might be a tad intimidating at first, we encourage you to find creative ways to stay clean during La Vida and dive deeply into what this trip has to offer!
If you have any further questions regarding personal hygiene during La Vida, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. We love all questions, especially the smelly ones.