READERS COMMENTS

The wag bags are being left all over the trail. This experiment is not working. How many are hiding off trail? People are crapping on the rocks. It stinks. Bring back the solar toilets.
Posted: Sep 27, 2011 GoHike

Many of you are right in saying we poop just like animals and should not have to succomb to the barage of regs for the backcountry. However, when humans pile up in an area like Mt Whitney or Rainier or Zion NP Narrows, we have to make the choice to remove our solid waste in all forms. How many pumas or bruins live in an area? You'd be lucky to see one in several square miles. These large predators have a sparse population. How many humans do you see in the backcountry of the Tetons on any given day. I would guess at least four or five and more likely a dozen. C'mon folks we just have to be more responsible about our refuse. The first R in the 3 R's of waste is reduce. It's first for a reason.
Posted: Oct 22, 2010 Eric Nelson

I started using a "Wilderness Waste" bag over a decade ago after a week-long trip in Washington's Alpine Lakes Wilderness at the end of a very dry summer. The ground was hard and dry, and digging a deep enough hole was difficult. Given the number of TP flowers, it appeared a lot of people didn't bother trying. Both ends of the bag open for easy cleaning and it doesn't stink unless it's open.

I find it amusing that people think humans' impact in the back country is no different than animals. If only a handful of us were going out into the back country, they'd be right. But when beautiful wilderness is within a few hours' drive of a million or more people, that wilderness is consistently over-run by us hairless chimpanzees. We are loving the wilderness to death.
Posted: Jul 08, 2010 HillSlug

Maybe the next BP gear guide will include reviews of Depends! ;)
Posted: Jul 02, 2010 Steve

We shall see the effectiveness of this new policy for alpine environments. For some, removing the privacy afforded by the structures is a violation to their personal modesty. Some friends and family members will refuse to go on the trip, rather than suffer the indignity.
Posted: Jul 02, 2010 S

I've been up Whitney and used the bags. I absolutely support the idea. There's no soil to bury stuff in, lot's of people leave their waste on the ground, and it's disgusting. It's not that big of a deal to handle. And, I'm glad I didn't have to share space at Trail Camp with a porta-potty.

Posted: Jul 02, 2010 JEH of Oregon

I've been up Whitney and used the bags. I absolutely support the idea. There's no soil to bury stuff in, lot's of people leave their waste on the ground, and it's disgusting. It's not that big of a deal to handle. And, I'm glad I didn't have to share space at Trail Camp with a porta-potty.

Posted: Jul 02, 2010 JEH of Oregon

I don't think this is environmentalists gone crazy. It's selfish, irresponsible people being the children that they are. It is possible in most (not all!) areas to properly bury poop but people don't do it. Because of them rules like this emerge.
Posted: Jul 02, 2010 Mike in Oregon

You wouldn't object if you'd ever come across a "poop" pile in the wilderness. There's plenty out there especially in the Sierra. Nature can't absorb the waste of thousands of intruders into her wilderness. If you want to go into the wilderness for whatever reason (sport, machismo, pleasure or spiritual uplift) you should be willing to leave nature as untouched as possible for the millions of others who want to experience it. You carry it around in your body, why can't you carry it in a bag?
Posted: Jul 02, 2010 Pam E.

The real solution is to install functioning toilets on Whitney. The Wilderness Act does allow for minimal structures where necessary, the rangers have tent cabins not far from where the toilets used to be. The wag bags work, but unfortunately some use them and leave them for others to carry out. Whitney is a unique trail in that many tourons hike that trail and no other.
Posted: Jul 02, 2010 whynotthink

Seems reasonable to do this in high impact areas where people are concentrated...
Posted: Aug 21, 2009 DKR

People will buy into anything...its sad. It's poop people, I think mother nature can handle it. Lets not give companies another product to put out there and make us feel like we need to buy it and charge us some obscene amount of money for it. I agree with clwilla up there, were all animals too!
Posted: Sep 01, 2008 JWH

I truly understand the idea of "Leave no trace" and respect it, but the idea of putting natures most bio-degradables in plastic? I think id defeats the purpose. Maybe on a mountain where it may freeze, I might understand, but in the back country hinking it makes very little sense.
Posted: Aug 28, 2008 Joe

High alpine environment does process poo, just very slowly. The thought of walking through, camping among, and taking pictures of these half decomposed poo-piles, wich will show up!, is not something I look forward to. Some areas are so popular, that nature can't keep up with the "load" If we want to walk in "unspoiled" areas, we need to think about there and when waste is disgarded.
Posted: Aug 24, 2008 Martin

Your all missing the point. Why do you go to these amazing places? To enjoy the beauty and challenge of nature. Not to see, smell, and step in human feces. Whether you bury it or not it takes a long time for mother nature to "handle" the matter. We humans do not eat a bears diet. We eat sh**, no pun intended. The shear number of people who visit these places is overwhelming. Pack out your sh**, don't spoil it for everyone including yourselves!
Posted: Aug 23, 2008 Anonymous

Yea.... crap of bag.com offers custom gortex bags! It is the latest thing!
Posted: Aug 22, 2008 idaho packer

If you think that Mother Nature can't handle a dump buried in a cathole then you truly misunderstand her stength. This planet has burned itself for millions of years, frozen itself over, and survives in the wildest of extremes. She can handle human waste just fine.
Posted: Aug 22, 2008 Tim P

As a life long outdoorsman, I have to say that I agree with the first poster about the absurdity of this idea. I love being outside more than most but the "enviromental advocates" are getting to be a little out of control.
Posted: Aug 13, 2008 Josh

Sounds like LNT has a fringe that is turning into a fundamentalist cult so that they can fell like they're more environmentally conscious than others. "Everyone can pack out a can and food bags, but only "true nature lovers will pack out their crap." If it's environmentally dangerous, pack it out. However, bears sh*t in the woods everyday; I can too. After all, I am an animal too whose body has evolved via sh*tting in the woods, not some alien being who has bright green glowing dung.

Also, am I really expected to pack out potentially multiple pounds of crap (and pee) from a week long trip. Good luck with that.
Posted: Jul 18, 2008 clwilla

Go to www.poopbags.com for a resource on bags. They're meant for dogs, but I've used for both!
Posted: Jul 14, 2008 Mike

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