Monitoring Backcountry Indicators in Denali NP&PRES

Denali National Park Backcountry Overnight User Survey
We are interested in your hike into the backcountry. Please use this survey to describe your experiences in the
backcountry, which is defined as anything 150 feet (50 meters) or further from the park road and parking areas.
In this booklet there is a separate page for each:
Unit you traveled in on a given day, or
The entire day if you only traveled in one unit.
Example: if on day one you traveled through units 8 and 9 and on day two you traveled through unit 9, you would
complete separate pages for: unit 8 of day one, unit 9 of day one, and unit 9 of day two.
Use the map below, along with your backcountry permit, to identify the backcountry unit in which you hiked. The
backcountry units are the numbers inside of the circles.
After your trip, please return the survey to a University of Alaska Fairbanks survey administrator, or place the survey in a
survey drop box. They are located at the Wilderness Access Center bus drop-off area and the Backcountry Information
Center, by the bear resistant food container drop box.
Thank you for your time. For additional information please contact Dr. Peter Fix, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 907474-6926, [email protected].

1

START HERE. Provide background information regarding the first day or unit of your hike. Include the night spent
camping in the “day,” i.e., the day ends in the a.m.
Backcountry unit you were in ______. The unit numbers are in the circles, numbered from 1 to 85. [3.ITIN1]
Start date: __________. Start time: _____ AM / PM. Circle one. [3.TBACK3]
Finish date: __________. Finish time: _____ AM / PM. Circle one. [3.TBACK3]
1. While in the backcountry (150 feet from the park road or parking areas), indicate the number of times

and percent of the time in which you heard, encountered, or viewed each of the following.

A. Motorized noise [Topic Area 6, Individual Perceptions of their Park Experiences]
What percent of your time in the backcountry did you hear motorized noise?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100% 

_____ Encounters

B. Modern equipment [Topic Area 6, Individual Perceptions of their Park Experiences]
Includes communication facilities, research equipment, chain saws, and motorized vehicles. Does not
include portable devices (GPS units, cell phones), stoves, tents, subsistence equipment, historic
buildings/structures, or aircraft.

_____ Encounters

What percent of the time in the backcountry was modern equipment visible?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100% 

  C. Landscape modifications [Topic Area 6, Individual Perceptions of their Park Experiences]

Includes trails, route markers, bridges, and food storage containers. A single trail or route marker
associated with one trail counts as one encounter.

_____ Encounters

  What percent of the time in the backcountry were landscape modifications visible?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100%

D. Park visitors or groups of visitors [5.CROWD15 VARIATION]

Unaided (no binoculars or scopes) recognition of other park users, including recreation and
subsistence users. This does not include aircraft.

_____ Encounters

What percent of your time in the backcountry were other park visitors visible?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100%

  E. Groups of visitors larger than six [5.CROWD15 VARIATION]

_____ Encounters

  F. National Park Service rangers or researchers [Topic Area 6, Individual Perceptions of their Park Experiences]
_____ Encounters
Include interactions with rangers or researchers. Do not include interactions with NPS aircraft or

research equipment (include these in the Motorized Noise or Modern Equipment sections, respectively).

G. Did you have sightings of litter or toilet paper and/or human waste? [Topic Area 6, Individual Per_____
ceptionsYes
of their
_____
ParkNo
Perceptions of their Pak Experiences]

_____ Yes _____ No
H. Were you able to camp out of sight and sound of other park visitors? [[5.CROWD16 VAR.
Please continue with page 3. If you are not spending any more days in the backcountry continue to page 6.
2

2. Provide background information regarding the second day or unit of your hike. Include the night spent camping in
the “day,” i.e., the day ends in the a.m. (Same Question IDs and Topic IDs as in Question 2)
Backcountry unit you were in ______. The unit numbers are in the circles, numbered from 1 to 85.
Start date: __________. Start time: _____ AM / PM. Circle one.
Finish date: __________. Finish time: _____ AM / PM. Circle one.

3. While in the backcountry (150 feet from the park road or parking areas), indicate the number of times

and percent of the time in which you heard, encountered, or viewed each of the following.

A. Motorized noise
What percent of your time in the backcountry did you hear motorized noise?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100% 

_____ Encounters

B. Modern equipment
Includes communication facilities, research equipment, chain saws, and motorized vehicles. Does not
include portable devices (GPS units, cell phones), stoves, tents, subsistence equipment, historic
buildings/structures, or aircraft.

_____ Encounters

What percent of the time in the backcountry was modern equipment visible?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100% 

  C. Landscape modifications

Includes trails, route markers, bridges, and food storage containers. A single trail or route marker
associated with one trail counts as one encounter.

_____ Encounters

  What percent of the time in the backcountry were landscape modifications visible?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100%

D. Park visitors or groups of visitors

Unaided (no binoculars or scopes) recognition of other park users, including recreation and
subsistence users. This does not include aircraft.

_____ Encounters

What percent of your time in the backcountry were other park visitors visible?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100%

  E. Groups of visitors larger than six

_____ Encounters

  F. National Park Service rangers or researchers

Include interactions with rangers or researchers. Do not include interactions with NPS aircraft or
research equipment (include these in the Motorized Noise or Modern Equipment sections, respectively).

_____ Encounters

G. Did you have sightings of litter or toilet paper and/or human waste?

_____ Yes _____ No

  H. Were you able to camp out of sight and sound of other park visitors? 

_____ Yes _____ No

Please continue with page 4. If you are not spending any more days in the backcountry continue to page 6.
3

4. Provide background information regarding the third day or unity of your hike. Include the night spent camping in
the “day,” i.e., the day ends in the a.m. (Same Question IDs and Topic IDs as in Question 2)

Backcountry unit you were in ______. The unit numbers are in the circles, numbered from 1 to 85.
Start date: __________. Start time: _____ AM / PM. Circle one.
Finish date: __________. Finish time: _____ AM / PM. Circle one.

5. While in the backcountry (150 feet from the park road or parking areas), indicate the number of times

and percent of the time in which you heard, encountered, or viewed each of the following.

A. Motorized noise

_____ Encounters

What percent of your time in the backcountry did you hear motorized noise?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100% 

  B. Modern equipment

Includes communication facilities, research equipment, chain saws, and motorized vehicles. Does not
include portable devices (GPS units, cell phones), stoves, tents, subsistence equipment, historic
buildings/structures, or aircraft.

_____ Encounters

What percent of the time in the backcountry was modern equipment visible?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100% 

  C. Landscape modifications

Includes trails, route markers, bridges, and food storage containers. A single trail or route marker
associated with one trail counts as one encounter.

_____ Encounters

  What percent of the time in the backcountry were landscape modifications visible?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100%

D. Park visitors or groups of visitors

Unaided (no binoculars or scopes) recognition of other park users, including recreation and
subsistence users. This does not include aircraft.

_____ Encounters

What percent of your time in the backcountry were other park visitors visible?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100%

  E. Groups of visitors larger than six

_____ Encounters

  F. National Park Service rangers or researchers

Include interactions with rangers or researchers. Do not include interactions with NPS aircraft or
research equipment (include these in the Motorized Noise or Modern Equipment sections, respectively).

_____ Encounters

G. Did you have sightings of litter or toilet paper and/or human waste?

_____ Yes _____ No

  H. Were you able to camp out of sight and sound of other park visitors? 

_____ Yes _____ No
4

Please continue with page 5. If you are not spending any more days in the backcountry continue to page 6.
6. Provide background information regarding the fourth day or unit of your hike. Include the night spent camping in
the “day,” i.e., the day ends in the a.m. (Same Question IDs and Topic IDs as in Question 2)

Backcountry unit you were in ______. The unit numbers are in the circles, numbered from 1 to 85.
Start date: __________. Start time: _____ AM / PM. Circle one.
Finish date: __________. Finish time: _____ AM / PM. Circle one.

7. While in the backcountry (150 feet from the park road or parking areas), indicate the number of times

and percent of the time in which you heard, encountered, or viewed each of the following.

A. Motorized noise

What percent of your time in the backcountry did you hear motorized noise?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100% 

_____ Encounters

 B. Modern equipment

Includes communication facilities, research equipment, chain saws, and motorized vehicles. Does not
include portable devices (GPS units, cell phones), stoves, tents, subsistence equipment, historic
buildings/structures, or aircraft.

_____ Encounters

What percent of the time in the backcountry was modern equipment visible?

Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100% 
 C. Landscape modifications

Includes trails, route markers, bridges, and food storage containers. A single trail or route marker
associated with one trail counts as one encounter.

_____ Encounters

What percent of the time in the backcountry were landscape modifications visible?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100%

D. Park visitors or groups of visitors

Unaided (no binoculars or scopes) recognition of other park users, including recreation and
subsistence users. This does not include aircraft.

 What percent of your time in the backcountry were other park visitors visible?
Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74% ____ 75-100%

E. Groups of visitors larger than six

F. National Park Service rangers or researchers

_____ Encounters
_____ Encounters

Include interactions with rangers or researchers. Do not include interactions with NPS aircraft or
research equipment (include these in the Motorized Noise or Modern Equipment sections, respectively).

G. Did you have sightings of litter or toilet paper and/or human waste?

H. Were you able to camp out of sight and sound of other park visitors? 

_____ Encounters

_____ Yes _____ No
Yes

No
5

Please continue with page 6.

8. Rate the importance of a low level of each of the following (a “low level” is defined after each item):
[Topic Area 6, Individual Perceptions of their Park Experiences]

9.
Importance
of a low level of:
10.  
Motorized
noise (1 encounter per day)
11.  

Not At All

Somewhat

Moderately

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Groups of six or more visitors (no encounters)

1

2

3

4

Toilet paper and human waste (no encounters)

1

2

3

4

The ability to camp out of sight or sound of others

1

2

3

4

Modern equipment (1 encounter per trip)
12.  
Landscape modifications (no encounters)
13.  
Other park visitors (no encounters)

Extremely

(no campers within sight or sound of your camp during trip)

9. Please rate your encounters with National Park Service rangers in the backcountry. [EVALSERV23
VARIATION]

Circle one:

Extremely negative

Negative

Average

Positive

Extremely positive

Did not
encounter

Please explain your rating in #10:

Are there other factors, not included in this survey, that are important to your backcountry experience in Denali
National Park and Preserve? [Topic Area 6, Individual Perceptions of their Park Experiences]

Thank you for your time! Please return the survey to a UAF survey administrator or place the survey in the survey drop
box. They are located at the Wilderness Access Center bus drop off area and the Backcountry Information Center, by the
bear resistant food container drop box.
PRIVACY ACT and PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT statement: 16 U.S.C. 1a-7 authorizes collection of this information. This information will be used by park managers
to better serve the public. Response to this request is voluntary. No action may be taken against you for refusing to supply the information requested. Permanent data will be
anonymous. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Burden estimate statement: Public reporting for this form is estimated to average 10 minutes per response. Direct comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect
of this form to: Peter Fix, 323 O’Neill, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, [email protected]
6
OMB Approval number: (Not yet assigned)
Expiration Date: (Not yet assigned)

Overnight Survey Log
START TIME: ______________

DATE: ___/___/___

DATA COLLECTOR: _________________________________

Contact
Time

I.D. #

BC
Unit
(s)

Refuse

Sampled
Previously

Group
Size

Respondent
Gender

#
Children
under 18

Zip code

Planned
length of
trip (days)

Comments/reason for refusal