Does a bear s**t in the woods? Someday you might have to too....

Human Waste Disposal in the Backcountry: How to urinate and defecate in the woods...

 

     Ok, so I realize this is not a subject that is preferred to be discussed (at least by me) but as an infrequent traveler of places not sporting civilized restrooms I had questions and so without further ado I will let you in on what I've learned.

We will start with peeing or urination as it #1 and it is relatively simple in terms of human waste disposal. 

Urination

    1. Pee away from water sources, campsites and trails (approx. 200ft). 

    2. Urinating on rocks, pine needles, and gravel is less likely to attract wildlife which may be attracted to the salts in the urine; and prevent defoliation of plants and soil by wildlife attempting to dig it up. 

    3. Diluting urine with water from a water bottle can help minimize negative effects.

    4. Wash hands with sanitizer.....no one wants to share trail mix with the person with unclean hands. Remember, proper hand hygiene is better for everyone!!

Tips for Women: Ok, ladies urinating in the backcountry is slightly more challenging for us as we cannot just "aim and shoot".....until the development of FUD or Female Urination Device. There are several manufactures of FUD's but two of the most common brands are: Go Girl  and Freshette which are both reusable. FUD's also come in a disposable cardboard type like the Whizzy and the P-Mate.

Otherwise, ladies if you choose not to use a FUD, make sure to try and avoid your pants and boots....and always check to see what you are squatting over!!

Defecation

"Proper disposal of human waste is important to avoid pollution of water sources, avoid the negative implications of someone else finding it, minimize the possibility of spreading disease, and maximize the rate of decomposition. " © Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics

So, here are where things get tend to get tricky as most people have an opinion.... but the two most agreed upon methods are to bury the waste or to pack it out and we will discuss both options.

1. Burying Waste

 1. Burying Waste via a Cathole

    1. Once again human waste should be about 200ft away from water, the trail or the campsite.

    2. Select an inconspicuous site where other people will be unlikely to walk or camp, as no one likes           coming across another persons feces.

    3. With a trowel dig a hole that is 6-8 inches deep and 4-6 inches in diameter.

© Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics

   

    4. Do your buisness....but I advocate for using Leave No Trace and don't placed used toilet paper into the cathole, pack it out with you. Should you decide to bury your toliet paper make sure you are only using non-perfumed toilet paper.

Two additional TP (toliet paper) rules: 1. never bury toilet paper in a desert environment (it's not wet enough to facilitate decomposition), and 2. never burn it (wildfires).

    5. Once you've taken care of business, the hole must be filled in, covered over and disguised with ground material. Make sure to avoid touching the waste with your trowel.
    
    6.  Wash hands with sanitizer.....no one wants to share trail mix with the person with unclean hands. Remember, proper hand hygiene is better for everyone!!

If with a group or you are going to be in the Backcountry for several days make sure to space out catholes or build a latrine.

 2. Building a Latrine

     1. A latrine is essentially a long cathole, so the previous 200ft rule applies.

     2. Dig a six-foot long trench that is still 6-8 inches deep.

     3. Start at one end and make deposits.

     3. Cover up the part of the trench used each time a deposit is made.

2. Packing it out 

   Some places require you to pack out your human waste, (i.e. the desert, as it is not wet enough for proper decomposition to occur) therefore we will discuss some options in helping to carry it out while minimizing stench.


1. Building a "poop tube"


Here I will show you step by step how to construct a "poop tube":


Step 1: Gather Materials: 3" or 4" Diameter PVC pipe 12-24" in length, a end cap, a plug, a slip thread coupling, glue, duct tap and climber's webbing.

Step 2: Glue cap on one end of the PVC pipe. Use the plug on the other end of the PVC pipe.

Step 3: Attach climber's webbing to PVC pipe using duct tape to create a handle for poop tube. Webbing should have a loop on the end tied by a half hitch knot.

Those are the essentials of backcountry bathroom etiquette. I hope this guide helps to answer some questions of what to do when "nature calls."

Links:
http://www.trailspace.com/articles/backcountry-waste-disposal.html
http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_3.php
http://outsak.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-dig-cathole-and-make-deposit_17.html
http://www.backpacking.net/ethics.html