WildSnow Weekend — Birds In The Privy

We use a groover system, like on the river, and carry out the waste or incinerate it. It’s quite simple, works best for smaller groups. For larger groups I’d probably put a small chemical toilet in there, or something like that. The system we use is actually less smelly and cleaner than a pit, it works better than I expected. In my experiences over the years I’ve seen a lot of these sorts of systems, all the way to the most basic (a barrel full of poo) to the expensive wilderness “wag bags” you can buy in the camping department. We just use trash bags. The tricky part is you have to learn not to pee in the poo bag (grin). We also use some deodorant cat litter as an absorbent, and to keep it totally legal we sprinkle a little septic system enzyme in there as well, so it’s the same idea as the powder in the store-bought wag bags. All that said, incineration is the best method of all. A nice big slash fire works great for that (grin)!

With the years of river groovers and wilderness wag bags the outdoor recreation population has been exposed to, I’ve found people have no big issue with using our setup.

At Friends Hut they use a two-hole pit privy system, and move the outhouse back and forth every few years. I was involved in that quite a few times so I know what you’re talking about. It’s the only thing that works there as they have no road access for pumping out a vault toilet, and too many people for a pack-out system to be reliable. In my opinion, the best system is just a vault that gets pumped out (that’s usually what 10th Mountain Huts uses), but our land use code doesn’t allow vaults in our area any more, nor pits, due to our being in a special water district. So we’re left with either carrying out, incinerating, or building a full-on plumbing and leach field system. I’m not sure why a poorly built and undersized septic system (pretty much the norm around here) is any better than a nicely made pit privy, but that’s what they seem to be saying. Don’t ask me my opinion of that kind of regulatory garbage (grin).

I should also mention that until we start a real building project at Field HQ, all structures have to be “temporary” so having the outhouse “privacy shelter” up on cribbing like that makes it totally obvious it’s portable and temporary, just as the tiny house on wheels and my small tool shed that sits on timber skids. If we need more storage or “camping” space I’ll just put another trailer up there for the time being, tastefully, of course (grin).

Lou

Oh man, I was looking forward to discussing waste disposal (grin).

Lisa? Weight distribution of the camera pack?

I think the basic pit privy is super effective. Have checked out literally hundreds all over the world. It’s too bad they’re not allowed in so many places, as they work and save huge amounts of energy and water. Typical of our archaic and weirded out land use regulations all over the U.S. Pit privy can be optimized a couple of ways. I have one friend who burns all paper instead of throwing it in, thus reducing volume and all the cellulose that would otherwise have to deteriorate along with the organic waste, which if kept moist breaks down pretty fast. Lou