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Pack out waste. All of it.

Original Post
Paul-B · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 115

While its been discussed ad nauseam, I was doing the Crestone Traverse this weekend and came across a day old pile of human shit complete with toilet paper. I find this to be the laziest affront to a wilderness area, and completely disrespectful of other climbers. I may have been extra upset since I was, at the time, packing a used Reststop 2 of my own.... It is not cool to leave your shit on a trail (preface that by, its not cool to shit on the trail), it is ESPECIALLY not cool to leave your shit on a rock route in a wilderness area with toilet paper. Please consider other climbers when you use the recreational areas we all value, and definitely consider what they might do to you while you are in a rather compromised position 1000 feet up on a rock route....

chuffnugget · · Bolder, CO · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 0

So Paul, do tell what you do to the alleged popping a squat in your view?

Paul-B · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 115
David Sahalie wrote:So Paul, do tell what you do to the alleged popping a squat in your view?
As the situation has never come up where I come upon someone soiling the trail with clearly no intention of cleaning up after one's self, I can only speculate. I would likely revert to overt public shaming in attempt to force said perp to clean up his mess and not make that mistake again. Perhaps photography of perpetrator could be in order. If you are wanting me to encourage violence or some other silliness you are way out of line. I think most of your posts are just to encourage arguing, I am not going for it.
Tyler Tylerson · · The Swamp · Joined Jul 2013 · Points: 20
chuffnugget · · Bolder, CO · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 0

So, you could set up a cam like they use to catch to track game then post the deed on MP for the ensuing circus where we can criticize the fine points of their wiping technique. Love it.

Paul-B · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 115
David Sahalie wrote:So, you could set up a cam like they use to catch to track game then post the deed on MP for the ensuing circus where we can criticize the fine points of their wiping technique. Love it.
Paul-B wrote: I think most of your posts are just to encourage arguing, I am not going for it.
Peter Jackson · · Rumney, NH · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 445
Paul-B wrote:It is not cool to leave your shit on a trail (preface that by, its not cool to shit on the trail)
It's definitely disheartening. Worse, while most people will gladly pick up other people's trash as a public service, I've yet to find someone who will bury someone else's poop pile. Did you clean it up? If so, kudos, you'd be the only one I know of.

In Rumney (admittedly, *far* from being a wilderness area) we've been struggling with this issue for a couple years. Free wag-bags and more toilets in the valley are helping, but it remains something of an issue.

Sometimes I think we ought to teach climbers how to poop in the woods before teaching the figure-8 knot. But I digress.
goingUp · · over here · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 30
Peter Jackson wrote: Sometimes I think we ought to teach climbers how to poop in the woods before teaching the figure-8 knot. But I digress.
+1

Its always a dam shame to find places littered with feces, whether it be climbers or backpackers or more commonly 4 wheelers.... a shit shovel and a lighter live in my packs.... burn your tp... bury your turd.... OFF THE TRAIL
Locker · · Yucca Valley, CA · Joined Oct 2002 · Points: 2,349

It's only acceptable if it's done on someone's rope.

Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
Peter Jackson wrote: Sometimes I think we ought to teach climbers how to poop in the woods before teaching the figure-8 knot. But I digress.
could be useful to put a big embarrassing sign up on the kiosks to teach people the 1-2-3 of taking a dump in the woods. . .
Mike McHugh · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 420
Peter Jackson wrote:If so, kudos, you'd be the only one I know of.
Yeah, gotta brag here. Or proclaim some new weird kind of OCD. I've packed out poop and accompanying underwear from:
  • Rewritten (p. 4)
  • The Whale's Tail summit
  • Over the Hill ledge (between p.1 and p.2)
  • The Petit Grepon
  • And loads from the talus slopes adjacent to the West Ridge and Redgarden walls.

I've seen plenty of bear/fox/cougar scat that contain newspaper bag bits or underwear parts - animals will eat canine and human poop. I think it's because of our relatively rich diets - there's lots of nutrients left in our waste.

If you're similarly inclined to do the good deed for those who can't clean up after themselves, I recommend carrying a few nitrile gloves and a durable bag that's big enough to tie off. And seriously, just pretend it's a Baby Ruth bar - that'll help stifle the gag reflex.

The Boulder Climbing Community got grants for Restop Dispensers, and has been stocking the five boxes on the Front Range. Seems like the problem is getting better. It's their hope and mine that backcountry poopers will just make it a habit to carry a bag.

I've only had to carry out one full bag so far, and have seen plenty in the trash cans. Kudos to all the folks that are getting the hang of it.
Peter Jackson · · Rumney, NH · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 445
Mike McHugh wrote: Yeah, gotta brag here. Or proclaim some new weird kind of OCD. I've packed out poop and accompanying underwear from: * Rewritten (p. 4)
Holy shit. Pun intended.

Hats off to you, sir. If you're ever in Rumney look me up: I'll buy you a beer.
Gregger Man · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Aug 2004 · Points: 1,759

At Summit Lake on Mt. Evans two weeks ago someone dropped a pile with paper on the trail 50 yards from the parking lot which has nice functional crappers.
Not much hope for humanity.

Mike McHugh · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 420
Peter Jackson wrote:Holy shit.
Paraphrasing: The prettiest flowers at the meditation retreat grow above the leach field.

And truth be told, climber debris is easy. What the picnic crowd does in and around the bathrooms every weekend is a whole different game.
Steve Levin · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 952
goingUp wrote: a shit shovel and a lighter live in my packs.... burn your tp... bury your turd....
Better to pack out your toilet paper in a small ziplock bag. Several wildfires have been started by people burning toilet paper. It's true.

Mike M. you missed the one just right of the start to Yellow Spur ;)
The Blueprint Part Dank · · FEMA Region VIII · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 460

Can Roper and Steck clean the steaming pile up that is Ellingwood Ledges up,from their 50 Classics book while we're at it?

Patrick Mulligan · · Reno, NV · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 995

Many years ago, one fine fall evening in Vegas, I left work and met up with a buddy to climb Scalawag and The Haj at Moderate Mecca. We noticed two guys climbing Valentines Day while walking to The Haj. While walking back to climb Scalawag we saw one of the guys roping up for the corner at the left end of the Scalawag ledge and his partner pulling up his pants almost directly below our planned climb. The Douche had left a huge steaming pile in the middle of the ledge. We exchanged words with the guy and he finally apologized but explained he had nothing on him to pack it out and didn't do anything about it. We climbed Scalawag and got back down while the second was climbing around the corner. My buddy, who was far bolder than I then grabbed a couple of rocks and picked up the pile and while explaining to the fools that they should "pack it out" regardless of what they brought with them dropped the offending load square into one of their backpacks.

While I would like to claim that we walked away all tough casual and righteous, we more or less ran back to our cars laughing our asses off.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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