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Pack It Out...All Out on Mt. Whitney
Here's something interesting:When hiking Mt. Whitney, you must carry out your own feces. Isn't that just the thing you wanted to know on this quiet, lovely Sunday?
You see, I know this unpleasant-sounding fact, because I am, literally, headed there now. If luck, weather and good health are with me, I will have summited the lower 48's tallest peak by Tuesday afternoon.
It's an exciting prospect, a bit daunting, but I just can't get it out of my mind that I am going to have to carry around my own, well, waste. This is a new mandatory policy at Whitney, one started earlier this year after they removed the last of the miles-high outhouses at the two big camps on the mountain.
According to various posts over at the Whitney site, these outhouses never worked well anyway and they stunk to, ahem, high-heaven. But rather than build fancy new, high-tech outhouses that say, zap your feces with Higgs Bosons and convert them into recycled cups or something, the Forest Service went decidedly low-tech. They said, from now on, people will have to pack it out. Pack it ALL out. And so now at Whitney (like at various other mountains in CA...ie.e Mt. Shasta) you will now have to get your hands on what is called a WAG bag, and inside, dear friends, is where you will collect and store and carry your previous evening's fully digested meal. Isn't nature lovely!?
By the way, if anyone has any advice on doing Whitney, or interesting WAG bag experiences, do share!
Filed under: Activism, Climbing, Hiking, North America, United States, Camping
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mary Hansen Sep 8th 2007 4:54PM
Well that should keep the environment pristine or don't plan to go which is even better. Observe the beauty from a distance.
Joe Sep 13th 2007 4:43AM
Not so bad using the bag but make sure you and your climbing buddies mark the spot you store "it" in the snow!!! I spent a good hour on Mt Baker digging for a bag a poo that we never found. I never thought I would spend my time digging for someone else's poo on a side of a mountain! GeoQuest Anyone?!?!
Toby Nov 21st 2007 2:04PM
This is very interesting. Erik, I wanted to inform you that I linked your blog to mine with your story about ski resorts that are skier only resorts. My blog can be found at http://tblowinsmoke.blogspot.com/ it is the discrimination blog. I hope that is ok, let me know if not.