Monitoring Backcountry Indicators in Denali NP&PRES

Denali National Park Backcountry Day User Survey
We are interested in your hike or walk into the backcountry, which is defined as anything 150 feet (50 meters) or further
from the park road and parking areas. Please use this survey to describe your experiences in the backcountry.
Use the map below to identify the backcountry unit in which you hiked. The backcountry units are the numbers inside of
the circles. The park entrance (east) is on the right hand side of the map and Wonder Lake and Kantishna (west) are on
the left hand side of the map. After identifying the backcountry unit in which you hiked, answer the questions pertaining
to that unit.
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].

Wonder Lake and 

Park Entrance

1. START HERE. Provide background information regarding your hike or walk.
Backcountry unit you were in ______. The unit numbers are in the circles, numbered from 1 to 70. [3.ITIN1]
Today’s date: __________. Start time: _____ AM / PM. Circle one. [3.TBACK3 VARIATION]
How long did you hike in the backcountry? Please list partial hours as ¼, ½, or ¾. _____ hours. [3.TRIPC11]
Did you hike on an establish trail? _____ Yes _____ No. This does not include animal trails or social trails made by other hikers.
[3.TBACK12 VARIATION]

How long did you stay on an established trail? Please list partial hours as ¼, ½, or ¾. _____ hours. This does not include animal trails

2. While in the backcountry (150 feet from the park road or parking areas), indicate or
thesocial
number
trails.of times
[3.TRIPC11]  and the percent of the time you heard, encountered, or viewed each of the following.
Please continue to the back side of this page.

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

_____ Encounters

buildings/structures, or aircraft.

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

  percent of the time in the backcountry were landscape modifications visible?
What
  Please check one: ____ 0-24% ____ 25-49% ____ 50-74%
D. Park visitors or groups of visitors [5.CROWD15 VARIATION]

____ 75-100%

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 [6.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?
_____ Yes _____ No
[Topic
  Area 6, Individual Perceptions of their Park Experiences]

Rate the importance of a low level of each of the following to your experience in the backcountry (a “low level”
is defined after each item): [Topic Area 6, Individual Perceptions of their Park Experiences]
Importance of a low level of:

Not At All

Somewhat

Moderately

Extremely

Motorized noise (1 encounter per day)

1

2

3

4

Modern equipment (1 encounter per trip)

1

2

3

4

Landscape modifications (no encounters)

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Other park visitors (no encounters)

Groups of six or more visitors (no encounters)

1

2

3

4

Toilet paper and human waste (no encounters)

1

2

3

4

Thank you for your time! Please return the survey to a UAF Survey Administrator or to the drop boxes located at the
Wilderness Access Center or the Backcountry Information Center.

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 5 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]
OMB Approval number: (Not yet assigned)
Expiration Date: (Not yet assigned)

Thank you for your time! Please return the survey to a UAF Survey Administrator or to the drop boxes located at the
Wilderness Access Center or the Backcountry Information Center.

Day Users Survey Log
START TIME: ______________

DATE: ___/___/___

DATA COLLECTOR: _________________________________
Contact
Time

ID #

Refuse

Sampled
Previously

Backcountry
User

Group
Size

# Children
under 18

#
Encounters

Motorized
Noise

Comments/reason for refusal