Backcountry Etiquette
You are backpacking in a pristine wilderness, huge pines towering above you, the sound of birds brightening the day, when you find the perfect campsite. It's ideal, with all of the things you look for to make it just right: level ground, a fabulous view, and rocks that you can sit on and set your kitchen up. Everything seems perfect and you start pitching your tent. You look around for a rock with which to drive the tent stakes into the ground and spot one nearby. Then one of the most disgusting things you have ever seen is waiting underneath that rock; human waste and toilet paper are squished beneath. All of sudden your perfect campsite doesn't seem so idyllic anymore!
Unfortunately the above scenario happens on a regular basis—unbelievable as it may seem. So in this section we will discuss backcountry etiquette with emphasis on low impact methods of "communing with nature."
In wilderness areas, many popular camping sites will have some sort of toilet nearby. By all means, use them. It may seem inconvenient to walk to in the middle of the night, especially just for urinating. But if you think about it, what would the area smell like if everyone used the camping area as a urinal? Even though some backcountry toilets are pretty disgusting, they beat experiencing the scenario described above. The purpose of these toilets is to contain the waste in as small of an area as possible and to prevent spreading disease.
When you're not in an area that provides toilets be sure to follow the proper method of waste disposal. Always, always, always make sure you are at least 200 feet away from any water source. This includes watercourses that are dry for the moment—a common thing in the Southwest. The next rainstorm could turn it into a raging river. Sometimes it's hard for people to accurately guess how far 200 feet is, so I use the following image to help people figure out the proper distance. In town, a small house lot is about fifty feet wide. Walk at least the distance of four lots away from the water source. Never use an area that may be used as a campsite or kitchen area by others in the future. Use the same guidelines concerning distance for urinating or dumping out wash water.
Dig a hole about 6" deep, commonly called a "cat-hole." Do your business, cover the feces with soil removed from the hole, and return the looks of the area to normal as much as possible. The reason for using a shallow hole is because soil is biologically active within the top six inches. Naturally-occurring bacteria assists in breaking the feces down into humus, a rich soil. Go too deep and decomposition will not occur; not deep enough and animals could expose it, possibly spreading disease. Pack out, do not burn or bury your toilet paper.
I cannot emphasize the importance of the last statement enough. I've heard stories from folks who had either buried or burned their toilet paper and ended up with nasty endings. I personally know of someone who had burned their toilet paper and lost control of the flame, causing a lot of damage to the fragile desert environment. And I have a friend who experienced it first hand as well. A hiking partner burned some toilet paper and started a serious wildfire which they were fortunate enough to put out—after a very large area and its vegetation was destroyed! Don't think it can't happen to you. The National Park Service's video tape on hiking Grand Canyon safely even has a woman talking of her experience of starting a wildfire, which ended up burning trees that were hundreds of years old, along with all of the other vegetation in the area. Please, please, please don't burn your toilet paper.
Another avid hiker of Grand Canyon told me the story of what changed his mind about burying toilet paper. He buried the used toilet paper in the cat-hole he had dug, but as he was walking away, a raven flew overhead with a lovely streamer of toilet paper hanging from its beak! Animals are notorious for doing things like this! Don't contribute to their delinquency!
A major misconception people have is that they can wash in water sources as long as they are using biodegradable soap. Unfortunately even biodegradable soap takes time to break down. So while washing up, take water at least 200 feet away from the water source (I use a collapsible bucket). After you're through with the water, sprinkle it into the vegetation.
When doing dishes, always make sure you are not leaving any food particles in them. Either clean your plate real well (listen to Mother!), strain the water through a screen before dumping the wash water, or wipe the particles out with tissue before washing. Pack out the trash. Do not dump the food on the ground; this encourages things like mice and ants to inhabit the area. I can't stress enough how important this is!
To find out more valuable information and learn the latest in backcountry ethics, be sure to visit the Leave No Trace (LNT) website. The mission of the Leave No Trace (LNT) program is to promote and inspire responsible outdoor recreation through education, research, and partnerships.
The LNT Principles of outdoor ethics are simply common sense:
- Plan ahead and prepare
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Campfire Impacts (fires aren't allowed in the Inner Canyon)
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Other Visitors