Toilets
Inevitably you will get the urge to purge far away from a toilet.
Responsible camping means burning your toilet paper. Don’t bury TP as animals may dig it up. Used toilet paper is the worst litter of all.
Only the best hikers can burn TP in the pouring rain. (It always refuses to burn when you are most in a hurry.) Our Swiss hiker allows you only 1 match. If you’re not that talented, carry the paper back in a plastic bag.
Many of the campsites have burning barrels for trash — burn your burnable trash including tampons, sanitary pads, etc.
Need more advice? Get a copy of How to Shit in the Woods, by Kathleen Meyer, a useful, frequently hilarious guide for hikers.
Defecating. How to:
- at least 60 m off the trail
- bring a light trowel (or stick) to dig your own toilet pit
- Find a nice mossy area that is easy to dig-up
- cat hole 10-20 cm deep (some people dig the hole after they do their business)
- in the forest, best is soft, dark soil
- if possible, cover the cat hole with a heavy stone
By the way, at the Grand Canyon, since 1979, all solid human waste from river trips must be packed out in watertight boxes!. Other US hikes are starting to require you bag and carry out your faeces.
Clotheslines
Every chance you get (every time the sun comes out) you will want to dry damp clothing. Be ready at an instant to hang a line and get your heavy, wet duds out of the pack. You can twist a doubled line to help keep your wet clothes from being blown off the line by gusty sea winds. Those who pack-in light plastic clothes pins are happy they carried the extra weight.
Many hikers hang their wet underwear on the outside of their pack. This usually results in wet, dirty underwear -- the first time you fall or take off your pack.
One advantage of the Patagonian wind is how quickly clothing will dry!
