Well, you can say you heard it on HAZ first, at least most of you. My inside track to the Park tells me that wag bags for backpackers will be required in Grand Canyon, starting in January 2011. [Amend to 2012].
But not poop tubes. Sorry about that, Joe. I know you were really, really looking forward to using a poop tube, but it is to be wag bags, from what I hear.
I don't know if the BCO will issue them or not. In the Sierras, only certain areas such as the main Mt. Whitney trail, require them, and you can get them at the ranger station in Lone Pine. I have used one, it was not too terrible. But it was only for one night out of a 6-night backpack that I was required to use one. I am not sure how I would have liked to carry them for all 6 nights. Well, I am sure--I would not have liked it!
And now that I have started this thread, you can call me a wag or you can call me a bag, but please do not call me a wag bag!
Last edited by azbackpackr on Sep 29 2010 6:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
The idea of carrying a crap wrap is pretty repugnant! :yuck: Guess I'm glad I'm doing the Royal Arch trip next week rather than next year... The fact they're required pretty much indicates those areas are over-traveled.
Liz: How would a Poop Tube be any better than a bag!? No matter what your answer (ie. level of knowledge...) I promise not to cast aspersions...
Poop tubes are for big wall climbers that have no other place to go. I believe you do your duty on a paper towel. Drop it in the tube. Sprinkle baking soda. Close tight.
I made one out of ABS as most typically do when I was going to be a big wall climber(shortly after my bid for president). Then I found out as much as I enjoy ascending stuff, descending ten feet scares the... well you get the picture ;)
According to my friend, this is what is going to happen: Backpackers are going to quickly discover that instead of having a lighter pack to carry up and out of the Canyon, they will have a heavier one, because sh*t is heavier than freeze-dried food. So they will throw their wag bags in any composting toilets that they can find, thereby ruining the composting toilets.
My friend also said it is an ill-conceived idea sold to the Park people by wag bag proponents from other parks, who are used to dealing with such out-and-back trips as Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood and Mt. Whitney. My friend contends the wag bag system will not work in Grand Canyon, especially for people who are doing primitive 10-day trips off-trail. Plus the added problem of ruining the composting toilets.
So, hopefully, the Park people will listen to reason and change their plans.
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Morbid curiosity compels me to ask... How is this going to be enforced!? Will the number of days on one's permit equal the number of bags one has to show at the end!? What if someone's constipated? Or has performance anxiety? Or misses the bag!? :yuck: Being fined for missing a quota seems like a crappy idea...
PLC92084 wrote:Morbid curiosity compels me to ask... How is this going to be enforced!? Will the number of days on one's permit equal the number of bags one has to show at the end!? What if someone's constipated? Or has performance anxiety? Or misses the bag!? :yuck: Being fined for missing a quota seems like a crappy idea...
Well, in all seriousness, it is unenforceable. Another reason to not have the rule.
What if you are one of those people who craps 4 times a day, or what if you get diarrhea, a not uncommon problem?
What if you are inexperienced and your pack is too heavy to start with, going downhill, and now it is 3X as heavy and now you have to hike uphill? Yup, you are going to start thinking about how to get rid of the danged things, that's what you are going to do... So, now you have decided your pack is too heavy and you are going to bury not only the crap but also the plastic bag. But, you may have trouble getting it really well-buried. So, then the ravens are going to be interested in it, because anything bright and shiny like a plastic bag always attracts their attention. So, then the ravens are going to be pecking the plastic apart and pieces of it will start blowing around. So, now you have little pieces of dirty plastic bag flying all over the place.
It is just such a pumpkin'd-up idea it is hard to believe anyone who has spent much time hiking the Canyon is in favor of it.
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Liz, you make some excellent points... what if SAR has to be called out to rescue those folks... will a HAZMAT team (no reference to this site intended...) need to accompany them!? Those awful little bags could wind up costing some poor hiker big bucks!!
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Route Scout
Or has performance anxiety? Or misses the bag!? :yuck: Being fined for missing a quota seems like a crappy idea...
