To Poocasso Or Not? How to Dispose of Human Waste in the Wilderness

Perhaps I am speaking from past experience as a camp counselor in this article I wrote for TriadCamping.com.

Should you find yourself on a multi-day mountain biking adventure, or in an adventure race, this might come in handy!

"It’s natural. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You gotta do it. In fact, if you don’t do your business when you’re camping in the wilderness, you might get sick from holding it in (and wrongfully blame your stove buddy for your stomach pains!).

But it’s not always clear what you’re supposed to do with you poo. Should you make a “Poocasso”, smearing it on a rock exposed to the sun to kill the bacteria? Or is that just something a prankster camp counselor told you when you were 12 and gullible? Leaving it out doesn’t seem very civil. Packing it out doesn’t seem very fun.

If you’re on a multi-day backpacking trip in the backcountry, responsibly disposing of your waste should become second nature to pitching your tent. Remember the old camping adage: Leave only footprints, take only pictures? (Though some images would be best left to the imagination…) It’s time to practice minimum-impact, green camping!"

Click here to find out what you need to know to enjoy your trip to the fullest without harming the environment—aesthetically or bacterially...