Numeros dos. And a few other questions before I head out next month!

[wesleygalles]

So what do you guys do for The Number 2? Should I bring a small shovel? Or just kinda, cover it up? haha
Also, trekking poles. Yay or nay?

I'll probably think of a question or two more, but these came right the ole noggin, so I thought I'd ask.

[rocketsocks]

So what do you guys do for The Number 2? Should I bring a small shovel? Or just kinda, cover it up? haha
Also, trekking poles. Yay or nay?

I'll probably think of a question or two more, but these came right the ole noggin, so I thought I'd ask.Yey on the hiking poles, and use it to dig a cat hole...bury, cover, place rock on top if available.

never dig a cat hole underneath a rock..eeeew;)

[BirdBrain]

Yes, yes......

[MuddyWaters]

You use a privy at a shelter, or you take the time to do it right.

Dig a MINIMUM 6" deep trench. Longer is easier than deeper/larger dia.
Fill it
Take a stout stick and stir it around, mixing with the dirt. This immediately reduces the odor and rapidly speeds the breakdown.
Cover it over with the dirt you dug out
Make it look natural, leaves, etc
Leave a small diameter stick about 12-18" long sticking up out of it to alert others that this is a cathole


Trekking poles just depends. My tents would all fall down without them, so I bring them.
For sure, they can reduce impact on knees and legs on downhill, allow you to go faster downhill, as well as reduce chances of falling.
Some dont use them, and are content without them.

[Dogwood]

GO OFF OFF OFF TRAIL OR AWAY AWAY AWAY FROM SHELTERS, TRAIL HEADS, ETC. Scoop out small hole in ground. unload. sticks, stones, leaves. cover hole and whatever else. Wash hands with sanitizer or in nearest potable water source. Only kidding about washing dirty hands in potable water source.

TP isn't for REAL HIKERS! LW tauht me dat.

Here's a hint from Uncle Dogwood: Watch where you sit or walk or what rocks, which seemingly are where they shouldn't be, you step on or turn over at the summit of Mt Whitney. Doggy Bags( HUMAN SHART BAGS!), although supplied, ARE NOT ALWAYS used or packed out on Mt Whitney BY HUMAN SHART BAGS!

Here's another hint from Uncle Dogwood(I've trained my nieces and nephews to call me that): At AT shelters DO NOT CAMP at the end of that short dead end trail that terminates behind a large tree, rock, or at thick shrubbery. That's a BAD place to camp. I KNOW!

[rocketsocks]

GO OFF OFF OFF TRAIL OR AWAY AWAY AWAY FROM SHELTERS, TRAIL HEADS, ETC. Scoop out small hole in ground. unload. sticks, stones, leaves. cover hole and whatever else. Wash hands with sanitizer or in nearest potable water source. Only kidding about washing dirty hands in potable water source.

TP isn't for REAL HIKERS! LW tauht me dat.

Here's a hint from Uncle Dogwood: Watch where you sit or walk or what rocks, which seemingly are where they shouldn't be, you step on or turn over at the summit of Mt Whitney. Doggy Bags( HUMAN SHART BAGS!), although supplied, ARE NOT ALWAYS used or packed out on Mt Whitney BY HUMAN SHART BAGS!

Here's another hint from Uncle Dogwood(I've trained my nieces and nephews to call me that): At AT shelters DO NOT CAMP at the end of that short dead end trail that terminates behind a large tree, rock, or at thick shrubbery. That's a BAD place to camp. I KNOW!+1 on the short brown blaze trail.

[Dogwood]

However, IF you continue to venture further past that seemingly dead end trail that leads NOWHERE you'll shortly arrive at the mooonshiner's still and cultivated garden of "green delights" located NEAR every AT Shelter. What's that smell. Why is it that human shart smells the worst? WHY? I ask Why?

[rocketsocks]

skunk cabbage....you probably don't want to sleep their either...in fact I'd run...fast.

[Grampie]

It looks like all of the thru-hikers leaving Springer have one of the orange poop shovels hanging from their pack. By the time thru-hikers get to Harpers Ferry you couldn,t find a hiker with one. They all soon discover that you can create a cat hole to s--t in by using your boot or a stick. I would do that and also burn the toilet paper before I covered everything up. Happy trails to all that venture out on the AT.

[WalksInDark]

No cat holes/potty stops/urine sprays within 200 of a water source. BTW, sooner or later someone is probably going to be drinking the water that you may have fouled inadvertently! :eek::eek::eek::eek:

[DLP]

(Warning: Do not read while eating if you are easily grossed out)

I got somebody else's poo and tp on my tent last year near the PCT. :(

S/he had dug a hole about 2" deep; poo'd; tossed in the TP; and threw a rock on top. I came along (probably that night) and grabbed the rock (with poo and tp stuck to the bottom) and threw it on a corner of my tent in the dark. Got up to a yucky surprise in the morning. I've been known to put rocks of the corners inside my tent in lieu of stakes. Thank goodness I had not done that!

This is me… but I dig a hole under a downed log, a big bush, or some place nobody is going to walk and/or pitch a tent or sleep/eat/sit/etc and move the poo into the hole.

Great Andrew Skurka YouTube Backcountry Poo-Poo Clinic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwmwxkD86Ec

Thanks for inspiring me to stop reading and to join and post!
Denise

[Half Note]

+1 on the short brown blaze trail.
+a million for the term "brown blaze trail"

[Feral Bill]

It looks like all of the thru-hikers leaving Springer have one of the orange poop shovels hanging from their pack. By the time thru-hikers get to Harpers Ferry you couldn,t find a hiker with one. . What do you expect? They break.

[rocketsocks]

+a million for the term "brown blaze trail"gotta give up to Dogwood, I just followed the crowd.

[swjohnsey]

Now I know why it takes him an hour to take a dump.

[fireneck]

All you need to know in one handy dandy link... http://lnt.org/learn/principle-3