I took a knife to an old piece of kip mat today to add an extra 30g of comfort to my next trip.
In the process it occurred to me that the subject of human waste disposal in the winter woods is rarely mentioned.
At risk of seeming uncouth, I though it might be something worth discussing. There is nothing much worse than coming across a trail of toilet paper and faeces left by inconsiderate campers after all. It is very easy to think that something buried in the snow has been dealt with but when snow melts, the problem re-emerges.
My own preferred approach is to bag it and carry the accumulated bio-bags back to civilisation in a more sturdy bag or container to dispose of. As a dog owner it is something we are quite used to over here, it is just the quantity that differs really. In winter this task is made a little less unpleasant by the freezing temperatures and over here we rarely have bears or other predators to worry about of course.
In camp I usually build a seat of ease from snow, topped with a ring of karrimat foam with a hole cut underneath. My old one was getting a bit tatty which led to making a new seat today.
On the trail I sometimes use the haul straps of my toboggan slung round a tree trunk to lean back into, which probably sounds more precarious than it is but is more comfortable that squatting for my ageing frame.
So, would it be too indelicate to ask if any of you have handy tips or tricks on this subject. I know when I first started out it was something I would have like to have been better informed about and I'm sure it is something we have all had to deal with after all.
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