http://www.startribune.com/stories/531/4656607.html

Forest Service proposes human-waste management for hikers
Los Angeles Times

March 14, 2004

The increasing number of hikers on Central California's Whitney Trail has created another mountain of a quite awkward sort: human waste. To keep it from rising, the U.S. Forest Service has issued a proposal for a radical solution: Pack it out. The plan would yank out existing solar toilets from the trail and require every trekker to use a kit provided at the trailhead.

"Share the load," says Garry Oye, district ranger for the southern half of the Inyo National Forest, whose territory includes the Mount Whitney Trail. Pack-it-out policies are in force at Mount Rainier, Mount Shasta and Grand Teton National Park.

The Forest Service wants you to port your own potty because it's expensive and hazardous to airlift out 4,500 pounds of human waste each year from very high altitudes.

The proposal would appear to be the logical end of the "leave no trace" ethic, but for some it goes too far. "I have done that trail four times, and I have seen most people unprepared in all areas -- physically, mentally, equipment-wise," hiker Melanie Hanusova said. "They usually don't have enough water, food or proper clothes, and they think that they will carry plastic bags and shovels?

The Forest Service is making some concessions to public sensibilities by adding drying chemicals to the kit's waste bags, to start the desiccation, and an odor neutralizer.

Some hikers would be open to giving it a try. "I'd be willing to cope with a mandatory pack-it-out policy," said James White, who wants to summit Whitney. "But I'd sure like to hear about other options."

The pack-out approach is the Forest Service's preferred solution, but four others have been presented to the public for comment as part of its environmental assessment:

Replace the old solar toilets.

Use the same system.

Build one new toilet at Outpost Camp and remove the toilets at Trail Camp, making pack-out mandatory from the high camp.

Create a designated campsite system and reduce the number of campers from 60 a day to 25.

The Forest Service is asking for a "spirited discussion" of the options.


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This same issue has hit the Rubicon 4x4 Trail. Too many people. Too much granite. Not any good places to build pit toilets. Many users have voluntarily been trying out different systems to haul their stuff out.

Jon

easy fix... eat plenty of cheese

eat enough cheese and you only poo like once a month anyhow

Note to self ; Invent backpack porta potty.
Could be called; "poo pack", or maybe "pac-a-poopoo", They could be used for all kinds of backpacker needs. Dead mans (poopack with a rope ), pillows (nice and warm ), pillow fights , trail markers etc.

I am runninng out of uses, can anybody else think of some ?.

Bear Prepellent