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Well, once again we are going to talk about that embarrassing subject that everyone does and no one wants to talk about. But the fact is, we really should, because in the backcountry it is becoming quite a problem. With the ever increasing numbers of visitors to even the most remote locations on the planet, there has been some serious damage due to the lack of a conversation! And so today, I plan on continuing on with my poop discussion. This week, let's talk about the proper ways to dispose of human waste in the backcountry. And please, stop giggling...
Everybody does it. But pooping in the wrong place could make a mess of someone else's hike. An expert shares how to make the best of a sh*tty situation on the trail.
Gather ’round children, and let me tell you about my best-ever high-altitude dump. I was climbing the Grand Teton with Exum Mountain Guides and we paused for dinner on the Lower Saddle. Mac n’ cheese has consequences, as do nervous bowels. So I grabbed my TP and headed for the ridge-top latrine, where I dropped trou, admired the view of Idaho to the west, and released my burden. Sweet relief! Soon my crap was out of sight and out of mind, if not out of nose.
Want to take a dump like I did? Forget it. The Park Service removed that toilet in 2001, citing the high cost of hauling out waste by helicopter. Ever since, hikers have been responsible for their own Tetonic piles of crap. Which they should be: Even when waste leaves your body, it’s still yours. (That goes double for your dog, who really can’t be expected to take care of his own turds, now can he?)
What’s a responsible hiker to do-do?
I called Jeffrey Marion to discuss this shitty situation. Marion teaches recreation ecology at Virginia Tech, and he wrote the book, literally, on Leave No Trace. It turned out, to my surprise and bowel relief, that there is some good news where #1 and #2 are concerned.
“In the grand scheme of things, human waste isn’t a huge problem in the backcountry,” says Marion. “It can be a problem in localized areas that get a lot of use, like on Mt. Whitney. Also in extremely cold places, or dry places, or anywhere you can’t dig a cathole. Otherwise it isn’t usually a big deal, because it’ll decompose within a year.”
Not that he’s letting you off the fecal hook, entirely. Here’s everything Marion would like you to know about dropping your load responsibly in the woods.
Catholes Rule
Marion is a firm believer in digging our way out of the human waste problem. Just grab your trowel, hurry 200 feet away from your campsite or a trail, dig a 6- to 8-inch hole, do your business, and then backfill. That much you knew, right? According to Marion, about 80 percent of backcountry visitors comply with those guidelines. But the tricky bit comes with the toilet paper, which seems to erupt from catholes like tulips from warm soil in springtime.
“We find a lot of toilet paper around popular campsites,” Marion notes, “either because people don’t care, or because toilet paper is the last thing into the hole, and it’s only covered by leaf litter.” His trick: After you wipe, use a stick to push the TP to the bottom of the pile, then refill the hole. In the right climate, it’ll all decompose in about a year.
Crap and Leak Creatively
When you emerge from your tent with elimination on your agenda, take a fresh look at the landscape. “People tend to spot the same big bush or a rock near the campsite and think, ‘I’ll go there,’” says Marion. “It leads to a concentration of waste that can smell bad and be dangerous.”
All those #1s and #2s add up to big numbers, and attract flies. “That’s how diseases are transmitted,” says Marion. “They land on your waste and your dinner.” The 200-foot-rule will probably force you out of the flies’ flight path. Better yet, plan on taking a nice crap break en route to your next destination, away from campsites and drinking water.
Urinalysis
Urine is in fact sterile, so spraying it around won’t harm the environment. “It’s an aesthetic concern,” says Mr. LNT, “not a health hazard.” He advises aiming at (or squatting over) a rock, rather than peeing all over the underbrush, which large ungulates will mow down for the salts and nutrients you piss away.
Pack out menstrual products, period.
Backpackers who menstruate can’t always plan their adventures around their cycles, so they have two choices: learn to use (and clean) a menstrual cup, or pack out used pads or tampons. Most menstrual hygiene products contain perfumes and plastic liners, which attract critters and resist decomposition. So you’ll need to pack them out in a sealable baggie or water bottle (cover it with duct tape, if you don’t want to see red). Dropping crushed aspirin or a tea bag into the menses will cut the smell. Of course, users of The Pill can skip their placebo doses to put off their flow until they return to civilization.
Up high, and down low, it’s gotta go.
In the desert, waste won’t decompose. In frigid temperatures and on rocky peaks, there’s no diggable soil, so no catholes. You’ll have to pack waste and TP out.
Which brings us back to the summits of the Grand Teton and Mt. Whitney. Marion misses their high-altitude johns.
“In a high-use area, that’s really the way to go,” he says. “After they removed the latrines on Mt. Whitney, rangers gave out toilet kits to hikers, but animals would get into the bags and they would leak and smell. People said ‘I’m not packing that out,’ so we found them near the campsites.”
With the zeal of a poop prophet, he extols the seven above-ground “moldering privies” Vermont’s Green Mountain Club installed along the Long and Appalachian Trails in Vermont, and dozens of other locales along the rest of AT. Those loos are sweet-smelling because the waste decomposes aerobically, becoming fertilizer that maintenance crews can scatter in the woods. Just the way bears do it.
For high-use, high-altitude areas, latrines and helicopter evacuations of honey buckets are the way to go, says Marion. “It’s expensive, but that can be built into the cost of wilderness permits.”
And as my Grand memories tell me, paying for a scenic latrine is anything but money down the drain.
Written by Peter Moore for Backpacker Magazine. Published February 2, 2024N.A.C. NEWS
(Sunday, March 3, 2024)
Good Morning,
On Friday, we once again visited Climber's Rock in Burlington, ON for another fun evening of Indoor Rock Climbing. This time is was basically a family event as only Lauren, myself and the kids attended. None-the-less, it was an amazing evening of climbing and great exercise.
Have you ever wanted to try indoor rock climbing? Join NAC on Friday evenings for a free visit to one of Ontario's best climbing gyms! We will provide you with a free day pass and a free climbing lesson. You won't find a better deal anywhere! (*Does not include rental gear fee of $12, free day pass and climbing lesson valued at over $50)
Next Friday we will be heading to Toronto for the Banff Film Festival. This epic film fest showcases many short films featuring some of the most daring athletes in the adventure sport world. We will be viewing 10 short films that feature many adventure sports such as Alpine Skiing, White Water Rapids, Rock Climbing, Caving, and more. Tickets sell for $25 and can be purchased at the door or in advance. General Seating, first come, first serve. Join Niagara Adventure Club to enjoy the film fest and have a meal with us after.
Unfortunately, our 2024 Iceland Expedition has been cancelled. Despite much advertising and over 2200 web site visits, it seems the volcanic activity is a major concern for many. It's very sad, the volcanic activity is one of the most beautiful sites in Iceland. I myself have experienced a volcano in Iceland 1 week after it erupted, and it was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen!
With that being said, I have obtained a permit for up to 12 persons for our 2024 Gros Morne Expedition! I have a bit more trail planning to do, but I will have it posted very soon. As always, Season Pass Holders will have priority access for 10 days before the event is opened to the public. This will be one of NAC's most amazing adventures thus far. The backcountry of Gros Morne is completely off grid. There isn't even trail markers! We will be relying on GPS, and good old map and compass skills to make our way through some of the most beautiful backcountry in the world while traversing the mountain range of Gros Morne for 6 days. A bucket list for many, it's time you crossed it off.
That's all the news for this week. As always, stay safe, and happy adventuring!
Lenny Burch