Outhouse Chronicles - Toilet Paper is not Created Equal

My go-to hiking area is the Adirondack park in New York. This 6 million acre area is rich in flora and fauna variations but majority of hikers spend their time in the High Peaks Wilderness area which encompasses only 1,392 acres. This area of the Adirondacks has superb front country access making it a destination for experienced and beginners alike. With the dramatic increase in outdoor endeavors across the globe, wildernesses have seen heavy use and irreversible damages.

Since 1989, the Summit Stewardship Program sends volunteers to popular summits with fragile alpine vegetation to educate hikers and enforce no walking areas. This has dramatically rebounded the Alpine zone found on many of the summits. The AMC has demonstrated it's effectiveness with instituting change and educating hikers. Protection and education of the trails cannot end there and new topics should be introduced to protect this wilderness. Addressing "nature's call" should be at the forefront of education as every hiker will need to relieve themselves. On countless trips, I have witnessed first hand how many people do not practice LNT when it comes to using the bathroom, whether it's from laziness or being uneducated. Personal thoughts; I believe it's the lack of education to beginner backcountry users as bathroom breaks are rarely talked about in our day to day lives so why would people suddenly be comfortable about this topic while hiking. If you are an avid Adirondack frequenter you may be interested in the Backpacker Magazine article regarding the overflow in the 'dacks, read it here. I vouch for the "putrid corridors" in some areas and definitely avoid certain camping areas or trails due to the significant human waste impact.

Today's Outhouse Chronicles focuses on Toilet Paper. What products you should have on hand, cat hole refresher, and changes that are happening!

Products On Hand

• Trowels: these handy tools help to create your cat hole. With multiple lightweight but heavy duty items, even day hikers have no excuse to not carry them! Our favorite is The Deuce heavyweight for cutting through tough root systems, rocks, and dried dirt. Total weight? 1 oz with even lighter options if your travels take you to softer lands.

• Toilet Paper: as today's name implies, not all TP is created equal. Sure, it's a plant based product that is designed to break down over time but without proper disposal into the ground, bacteria cannot break it down. Regular paper strewn about or under rocks could potentially take YEARS to breakdown. A few camping specific products have been designed to break down faster, when properly buried, and our favorite is the Coleman's since they come in small rolls with a lightweight dispenser. I've seen bamboo TP on the market but have no experience with this nor educated on it's impact to the environment.

• Wet Wipes: many people use these at home and flush them so they think they can just stick them in the ground as well. Look for biodegradable and environmentally friendly options if you must use these products. Combat wipes claim to degrade in 3 months or less and these are my preferred product as they are large, sturdy, and have women specific products. 3 months is a long time and especially if you are using these in place of full showering I would encourage to pack out.

• Pee Rag: despite the horrifying name, these small, reusable wipes are great for women as it dramatically cuts down on the amount of TP required. Digging a hole every time you have to pee to discard your toilet paper gets tiresome when you are making a summit bid. These products use antimicrobial fabrics that hang on your pack to dry. UV light also helps kill any lingering bacteria. I use the Wander Women wipes and Kula Cloth also come highly rated. Short on cash? Use a bandanna and wash frequently.

How to Back Country Bathroom

You never thought you'd have to toilet train again in your life!

1. Collect your supplies: trowel, TP/wet wipes, hand sanitizer

2. Find a suitable place that is >200 ft from trail, camp, and water sources

2A. If you are lucky enough to be in an area with an outhouse, it is highly recommended to utilize these structures. Don't look down and make it quick.

3. Dig your cat hole and complete your business. All products must be buried well and add a log or stone for good measure to help reduce animals from digging it up.

Packing Out

With dramatic increases in back country pursuits, fragile ecosystems, and poor LNT practice many parks and communities are requiring packing some or ALL out! For example, high use areas such as river rafting the Grand Canyon don't have suitable areas for cat holes and even if there where, far too much foot traffic to work. So, pack it all out! Many high use areas are encouraging people to pack out their toilet paper but without strict enforcement, people are not inclined to carry dirty TP due to the ick factor.

The next step has been taken by high use or fragile areas such as mountain cans on Denali expeditions and wag bags on Mt Whitney. These portable "toilets" allow defecation into the bag which then mixes with ingredients to help cut down on smell. The bags are multi use. Be an environmentalist and start using Wag bags on your next trip. They cut down on bathroom time since you pull it out, go, and pack it right back up. Easy! Worried about bag ripping in your pack, get piece of mind with something like this.

I've used a wag bag on Mt Whitney and at first seemed intimidating but became second nature so fast. Takes the ick out of packing it out!

In conclusion, education is the weapon of choice to make change. Taking this from a taboo topic and creating healthy discussions will lead to healthier ecosystems for all of us. During trip briefings, take a moment to talk about bathroom issues on the trail and create a plan for the entire group to follow. Become a trail steward and educate hikers you see abusing the bathroom etiquette, you might get some weird looks but they will definitely (hopefully) think twice in the future. Lastly, volunteer to educate hikers with your local clubs! I've seen cat hole demonstrations at trail heads before people can begin their hike. Consider advocating for free Wag bags in high use areas.