what do you do with your poo?

[the starchild]

we have all seen the TP in the trees before come spring and its not a great sight. if away from any privies and on snow do y'all leave everything? just bag out the TP, or carry it all out? i usually just carry out the TP in a seperate trash ziplock. would this be considered bad form?

 

[DougPaul]

In the NE:
Carry out the used TP--it blows around and, even if buried, may be dug up and used for nesting by the animals.

I carry extra plastic bags with my TP to carry out the used. I also carry hand sanitizer to clean my hands afterwards.

Read "How to Shit in the Woods", by Kathleen Meyer for a good dissertation on what to do where. (Best practices vary according to the local environment and usage levels.)

Doug

 

[Woody]

I try to either burn the TP or carry it out in ziplock bags. We don't want to leave it until spring. TP Blooms are terrible to see!

 

[jade]

make a big post hole or two far enough off the trail (and water!) and aim......I too carry tp out in a zip lock bag....

 

[bruno]

the truth? ya want the truth? really? i go at least 20 or 30 yards away from where anyone may conceivably come across it, drop trou, do the needful, kick some dirt or leaves over it, grab a handful of leaves (or a stick if need be--not as bad as it sounds), tidy up and be on my way. LNT? heck yeah!it's organic and no toilet paper was used.

that's how i roll.

 

[Rick]

I keep a bic lighter along with alcohol gel in my toilet baggie. I always burn the TP when I am done.

 

[--M.]

Baby Wipes

And ziploc bags. Get down to bare dirt, scratch a little hole if possible, pack out the wipes. Nothing like staying clean on a multi-day hike.

By the way, I asked a caretaker (at Imp Shelter) about the wipes, and he said they do compost, albeit in about six months. He didn't mind people throwing them in the privy and said they didn't have to fish them out. I was pretty surprised.

 

[Lawn Sale]

I leave it there and just use the toilet paper that falls apart when water hits it. It literally turns to mush and is gone faster than you can imagine, so there is nothing left in the springtime. We used to use it at camp in the porta-john inside, which we got off the boat. I know it's sold in boat stores, but may also be found in natural food stores as well.

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

what do you do with your poo?

I use a toilet before I take to the trail so I don't have to worry about it.

Plop-Plop-Flush-Flush-Ohhh what a relief it is!
Gee...sort of reminds me of an old a Alker-Seltzer commercial.

 

[dr_wu002]

Don't leave it in someone's store!!

In Steve Smith's Mountain Wanderer Store, a kid came in while Barbarossa and I were there and left his poo on Steve's toilet seat. He jetted on outta there. Eric discovered the offending morsel when he went to use the can later on before we left the store. We did not do a taste-test to verify what it was -- we were reasonably sure. However, I hope this does not become common practice. Leave No Trace in the Wilderness does not mean, "Leave it in Steve's Store."

I will pack out my toilet paper. What's the big deal? double bag it! Or I'll use leaves. Or... it's winter!!! Use Snow!!!! Unless it's real damn cold out I use the snow around me fer wipin' the heinie. I found that it's really not all that bad or cold.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Umsaskis]

I've done both (bury it or pack it out) depending on the circumstances.

But I wonder, what do we all do with the plastic bag when we get home? Me, I usually throw it away because I'm not keen on washing it out and reusing it. I suspect most people would do the same. So then I question if it is worse to throw away a bunch of non-biodegradable, non-renewable plastic bags than to dig a bunch of holes and bury loo roll in them. I think I'm going to try the cigarette lighter thing; that's a good idea and solves both problems. Never thought of that before.

 

[sapblatt]

I use a toilet before I take to the trail so I don't have to worry about it.

Plop-Plop-Flush-Flush-Ohhh what a relief it is!
Gee...sort of reminds me of an old a Alker-Seltzer commercial.

ah - if life were only that predictable!

 

[percious]

In the summer I dig a cathole and use leaves. Make sure you don't use the 3 leave shiny variety. Don't ask how I know this.

In the winter I try to use a privy if I can. If I must I will go far off trail, but in both cases I will pack out my paper.

Why do the messy ones always come when you are on the trail!!!??? Anyone else ever notice this?

-percious

 

[McRat]

Thanks for the topic. I suddenly feel so much better about my chance of getting a colostomy.

I'll be the ultimate leave-no-trace camper!

 

[DougPaul]

Thanks for the topic. I suddenly feel so much better about my chance of getting a colostomy.

I'll be the ultimate leave-no-trace camper!

Gotta empty it somewhere...

Doug

 

[Lawn Sale]

I thought he already did...

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

How come "the supreme authority" has not yet chimed in on this thread??

You wouldn't be referring to the "Lord of the Privy" , would you? (drives an Outback with mass. plates)

 

[Pete_Hickey]

In winter time, things are easy. Don't use toilet paper, make snowballs and use them. Dispose of them by throwing them at your hiking companions. (now some may unerstand my response in the solo thread)

If you're really feeling frisky, wrap the whole 'thnig' you droped, with snow, making a large snowball, and throw that at your friends.

When I climbed Whitney, they gave out 'wag bags" along with the permit. Do your stuff in the bag, then dispose of it after the hike. Unfortunately, I had forgotten about it, which caused an interesting scene at the airport security check.

On a less serious note, we should note that the tremendous increase in winter camping is/will be having an effect on the quality of spring water. It'll take a few more years before we really start seeing the effects.

 

[DougPaul]

In winter time, things are easy. Don't use toilet paper, make snowballs and use them.

Snow works pretty well and isn't as uncomfortable as some might think. And its natural so it must be good for you...

On a less serious note, we should note that the tremendous increase in winter camping is/will be having an effect on the quality of spring water. It'll take a few more years before we really start seeing the effects.

The same guidelines about staying away from surface waters apply in winter as well as summer. In fact, the situation in winter is worse because you cannot bury your feces in the soil and water from melting snow will bathe them and is likely to run off into a nearby stream.

Be careful if you burn TP, forest fires have been started that way.

Doug

 

[sapblatt]

In winter time, things are easy. Don't use toilet paper, make snowballs and use them.

Not uncomfortable at all...I had to do this out of desperation once - realized after a 20 minute snowshoe trail break to the privy at the Log Cabin I had forgot my paper...i survived it!