A less than Charmin' topic ...

[Florian]

I do sometimes pick up TP along the trail. Depends if i have a trashbag out and how soiled the TP is. I carry a pair of old chopsticks specifically reserved for picking up nasty things.

-Florian

[cynthia23]

Genius idea Florian! Carrying chopsticks to pick up poopy trash is very 'dung fu"? Groan ....

[Hikin_Jim]

HJ

[HH8]

some people seem to have absolutely no concern with desecrating the wilderness.

Defecating the wilderness

Even if they THOUGHT they were burying it under unmeltable snow, why do it right along the trail.
Does cold weather magically ensure there will be no witnesses happening by as they make that deposit?
This is clearly motivation to get more of us traveling there more often...

[zippetydude]

Well, you can't actually defecate the wilderness.

defecate: to discharge feces from the body

desecrate: to treat (a sacred place or thing) with violent disrespect; to violate

Some people, however, may desecrate the wilderness by defecating in the wilderness while others may venerate the wilderness despite the occasional need to defecate while in the wilderness. The latter will void and leave no trace, the former are devoid of sense and are base.

z

[arocknoid]

Z sez,

Some people, however, may desecrate the wilderness by defecating in the wilderness while others may venerate the wilderness despite the occasional need to defecate while in the wilderness. The latter will void and leave no trace, the former are devoid of sense and are base.

Zing! Zowie good it is!

that's mighty truthsomeful, zip. And approaches assonance (really!)

Additional challenges to modifying this behavior are that:

1. The execrable miscreants engage in this conduct unobserved, making it difficult to apply direct social pressure and reproach

2. Those who use 'proper' etiquette and courtesy also do so in private without bringing attention, hence no effect of modeling behavior and good example. Unlike the example others can observe when we pick up non-BioHazMat trash.

"Hey, look at me, I'm pooping in the bushes and burying all traces!" Not.

3. Dumper-dumbos are less responsive to incentive for change, whether positive or negative reinforcement. (NB: $5000 trowel reg.)

In a similar vein, lately I've noticed far more instances of folks relieving themselves directly on the trail.
4:1 Human:Bighorn sheep on a recent hike. Good grief, at least walk ten feet off trail to a bush, knuckleheads...

Wish them all well next spring at the annual Kaopectate Festival in Tijuana.

kind regards,
Arocknoid

[cynthia23]

Zip, Arocknoid, I'm laughing despite myself. Thanks for making such a 'dumpy' topic amusing ...

[towbradley]

When we "doo" the right thing, not only does it all come in the end, but it also comes down off the mountain and disposed f properly..i e not eventually contaminating the water sources as the snow melts or heavy rains push soils around to uncover the grossest stuff possible. The p.c.t.a had a piece on thier blog section of the official web site. Its a problem, im guessing all up and down the trail, especially at cerfain camp sites. Yea, little timmy's not playing with a ground squirrel. Sorry for the "dark" sense of humor. I hope everyone had a great hike today. Am watching from afar and wishing i was with the trail "heads"....

[Screerider]

When we "doo" the right thing, not only does it all come in the end, but it also comes down off the mountain and disposed f properly..i e not eventually contaminating the water sources as the snow melts or heavy rains push soils around to uncover the grossest stuff possible. The p.c.t.a had a piece on thier blog section of the official web site. Its a problem, im guessing all up and down the trail, especially at cerfain camp sites. Yea, little timmy's not playing with a ground squirrel. Sorry for the "dark" sense of humor. I hope everyone had a great hike today. Am watching from afar and wishing i was with the trail "heads"....

A very good point. The white paper is only a visible sign of a much larger problem. When I hike with the dog, I carry a separate pouch that everything goes in. It really should be no different for people. On day hikes, there is no reason why one's business cannot be done at home or in the Walmart restrooms. Early starts before nature calls. Be prepared, carry a bag. One should at least be carrying a trowel. A bag is much lighter and much less destructive. Haul everything out. It's only really gross when it belongs to someone else.

[Hikin_Jim]

Perhaps we ought to simply ask, "what's a dumper like you doing in a nice place like this?"

HJ