High Sierra Topix

Scouter9 wrote:One of my Scouts held it for 7 days, past our famous Red Beans & Rice dinner on night 5, so there is that option.

"Winner of The Golden Cork"...

^^ winner of "best response on this thread"

Yeah, I had a scout that held it in for a week as well. Don't know how they do it. That would kill me.

There is one at lower Monarch Lake (with exposure similar to the one at Hamilton Lake). There was one at Franklin Lake, but the last few times I was there I didn't see it. That doesn't mean it's no longer there because it was set on one of the many ledges above the lake a little away from where I usually camp.

AlmostThere wrote:The one at Hamilton has its back to the trail leading up to it, so you're mooning intrusive hopefuls who didn't see you go up there. It's in a nice little spot tho, and last time I was there, a pika was sitting under the boards watching me for the duration....

An emergency poncho for privacy and toilet paper are yours to bring... the most remote have no walls.

Here's the Loo and the View.

There is one at lower Monarch Lake (with exposure similar to the one at Hamilton Lake)

I was at Monarch Lake on Labor Day weekend a few years ago and there must have been two dozen tents within full view of the open air privy. We camped away from the lake with great views of the sunset and Valley lights, and no views of other tents or the privy.

Also in SEKI, there are privies at the Roaring River ranger station and Kern Hot Springs.

This is a really cool thread.

I think there might be a privy near Lower Maggie Lake in the Golden Trout Wilderness. I think I saw one, but that was a long time ago, so I am not sure if it's still there.

Someone put the boards back up at Hamilton? Cool. Gives you a place to hang your jacket.

I wouldn't place any bets about anything in Golden Trout being there any more... gets even less trail maintenance or maintenance in general than many places.

Forgot about the one at Monarch... there were people camped around it and we went to upper Monarch anyway. It's a little too much of a bushwhack back down the hill to use a privy.

Back in 1992 I ran across a privy near the lower end of Hilgard Branch. No walls or fencing, just a wooden box with a hole. Seemed like kind of a random place for it, but it had a swell view up Bear Creek. No idea if it's still there.

I never did get people having problems defecating in the wilderness, sans toilet. We have been doing it for thousands of years, and squatting is a more natural position that's infinitely more conductive to relaxing the bowels, not to mention that the position also tends to spread things wider, making the use of toilet paper almost unnecessary, unlike sitting on an oval ring. Dig a little hole, practice your balance while squatting, put your used TP in a little waste bag just like most of the world that doesn't have state-of-the-art sewage treatment facilities does, get over the psychological aspects of it...it's a bodily function, not a sex act in front of a room full of Puritans in 1870. If I happen to see you, no big deal. Wouldn't even be embarrassed, and you shouldn't be either. If you happen to be doing it too close to the trail or a water source, I'll give you your moment or privacy, but I'm going to probably let you know that I consider that a far bigger deal than seeing your butt for a couple seconds while you do what we all do.

mrphil wrote:I never did get people having problems defecating in the wilderness, sans toilet. We have been doing it for thousands of years

Yes, but most of those people are dead.

I wasn't able to keep up with this thread...too much going on with grading final exams, prepping for backpacking, and prepping for a trip to Europe.

Our plan was to hike to Twin Lakes the first day and the privy was the big attraction, but we were slow getting out and my friend's pack was fairly heavy. We decided to camp at the JO Pass - Twin Lakes trail intersection, where there's a bear box but no privy. Turned out really well...we had the place to ourselves, there was a great, fast-moving source of water nearby, a good campfire ring with tons of deadfall within a few steps, and lots of improvised furniture (tables, chairs, benches, etc...).

The next day we packed up and went to Twin Lakes. The privy there is still in good condition, but there were (for us) a fair amount of mosquitoes and the water wasn't as good, so my friend and I decided to abandon the lakes and hike back to our original campsite. Great decision...the site we found in desperation on our first day turned out to be too sweet to give up!

I even made my own privy out of deadfall...#winning!