 |
    
     |
| ABOUT HIGHLANDER EXPEDITIONARY TOURS |
No Gear? No Worries! We Can Provide. |
|
Your outdoor tour planning experts have pre-planned day hikes to 6 day adventures. We can also tailor a hike to fit your group and their abilities. No gear, no experience, no worries; we will provide gear, food, and drinks as we guide you to the most beautiful views in the world. Have a destination in mind that is not on our packages? Let us know and we will tailor a package to meet your specific desires.
Prices reflect cost per person to include food and drinks. Price does not include gear rental. Transportation is a flat fee of $25 if you would like to be picked up from your hotel, campground or airport.
This is your opportunity to try the overnight hiking without the large investment in gear and to have experts teach you how to navigate, set-up camp, treat water and cook a delicious meal in the great outdoors. What are you waiting for? View the hikes!
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
Check Out HET Merchandise
|
 |
| MEET YOUR GUIDES: Click for full profiles |
| |
  
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| OUR MISSION STATEMENT |
|
| |
A John Muir quote posted on the top of Clingman’s Dome reads, “Thousands of tired, nerve shaken, over-civilized people, are beginning to find that going to the mountains is going home.” This wisdom still holds true, but the paradox is that today most easily accessible front country attractions are overcrowded with people, which can undermine the beauty and solitude of the mountains John Muir realized in his time. For this reason, one must leave the beaten path and
explore the remote backcountry wilderness, where the true grandeur of the mountains still endures. Traditionally only those who posses extensive backcountry skills and expensive equipment can achieve this.
However, at Highlander Expeditionary Tours, LLC, we believe that the backcountry should not only be reserved to those select few. It is our mission at HET to provide experienced guides and exclusive resources for our clients, so that they too can experience the majesty and seclusion of the backcountry in a safe, enjoyable and environmentally responsible manner.
|
|
| WE PROMOTE LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPALS |
|
|
Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
- Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
- Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
- Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.
- Repackage food to minimize waste.
- Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.
- Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
- Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
In popular areas:
- Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
- Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
- Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.
- In pristine areas:
- Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
- Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
Dispose of Waste Properly
- Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter.
- Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
- Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
- To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.
Leave What You Find
- Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch, cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
- Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
- Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
- Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
- Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
- Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
- Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.
Respect Wildlife
- Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
- Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
- Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
- Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
- Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
- Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
- Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
- Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
- Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
- Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises
|
|
|