No beating around the bush (no pun intended!) for the title of this post.

This is all about hiking/traveling without any form of latrine for miles. For men, it's easy. They just unzip and whip.

For ladies it involves powerful quad/glute muscles, balance, and aim. And that's only for #1. I'm not entirely sure about #2.


So when you're roughing it and have to duck into the woods to do your business, is it an ordeal?

Do you ever just remove your entire bottoms, in spite of the hassle?

Do you leave your pants around your ankles and hope there is no splashing?

Do you squat with your back against a tree so your feet can be further extended in front of you?

Is there a technique to aiming the stream?

Do you bring along baby wipes or toilet paper? And is there a biodegradable brand of baby wipe, so you can just bury and not carry?


Okay, I think that's it for now. :tease

haha! It's been a long time since I had to do this hiking, but most european public restrooms do not have toilet seats so I am a pro at the squat. Good luck!

LOL :puzz

Well, since no one has much advice, I've been googling:

Steps

1. Prepare by bringing a plastic bag & some toilet paper or tissues on your hike.
2. Find a nice place in the woods behind a tree or rock that's not too close to the trail. You also need to make sure you are at least 100 feet from any water source.
3. Dig a small hole to do your business in. If you're going to pee, this isn't necessary.
4. Remove your pants, if you are a guy and a beginner, but this isn't necessary.
5. If you are a woman or are going poo, you will need to find some nice soft leaves and wipe clean! If you're going poo take the leaves you've used to wipe and bury it in the hole along with your poo.
6. If you use a tissue or paper to wipe, then be sure to bag it & carry it out of the woods with you.
7. Relieve yourself!


The Throne

* Works for women(and they don't have to take all of their clothes off!)and men. Press your back firmly against a tree, so that your butt and thighs are parallel to the ground, and your feet are firmly planted on the ground, as if you are sitting on an invisible throne. If you are using a tree that is on a hill, use the side facing uphill, or take care to avoid liquid running down to your shoes.


The Tripod

* Holding on the tree in front of you, putting your feet close to the base, and letting your rear end go far backwards.


The Squat

* It's what is sounds like; squatting or crouching with feet on the ground and bare bits suspended in midair. Be sure if you have children with you (even if your doing your business)That they stay close to the group. And if they need to pee a parent should go with them so they don't get lost.

Backpack: In Camp: Managing Human Waste

Proper disposal of human waste is important to avoid pollution of water sources, avoid the negative implications of someone else finding it, minimize the possibility of spreading disease, and maximize the rate of decomposition.In most locations, burying human feces in the correct manner. Solid human waste must be packed out from some places, such as narrow river canyons.Deciding where to relieve yourself requires a little foresight.

1. Number One: If you only need to pee, make sure you are 150 feet from a trail, water source, or from a slope or drainage that feeds into a water source. At camp, walk at least 150 feet from your sleeping and cooking areas. Urine is virtually sterile, but it's nice not to have the stench of urine wafting by as you're cooking dinner or trying to get to sleep.
2. Number Two: More planning is required when you have to do more than pee. It's important that you follow these procedures for proper waste disposal to prevent our waters from becoming contaminated, to ensure that people and animals don't encounter your waste, and to speed the rate at which fecal matter decomposes.
1. Choose your poop site: Your poop site should be 200 feet from trails, camp, and a water source - again, in a place that will not drain into water during the next storm. Select an inconspicuous site where other people will be unlikely to walk or camp. If camping in the area for more than one night, or if camping with a large group, poop sites should be widely dispersed.
2. Dig your cathole: Use either the heel of your boot or a plastic or metal trowel and dig a hole 6-8 inches deep and 4-6 inches in diameter.
3. Poop in the hole.
4. Then take a stick and mix up the poop with the surrounding soil so bacteria that decompose fecal matter can get straight to work.
5. Fill in the hole and scatter leaves or rocks on top to disguise it.

Toilet Paper: Never bury toilet paper; it must be packed out. Too often, I've seen toilet areas at popular campsites littered with toilet paper that has escaped from hikers' shallow holes. Carry a Ziplock bag for this purpose.

* It used to be acceptable to burn toilet paper, but the high incidence of fire in the last decade has made people wary of this method. If you have a controlled campfire, though, and if your companions don't object, you can burn your used paper there. Keep in mind that packing it out is the preferred and most environmentally sound method.
* When you get home, dispose of your used toilet paper in the toilet. Contaminated paper cannot end up in a landfill; it must go through your wastewater treatment plant or septic system. The bag can be washed and reused on your next trip.

Natural Toilet Paper: Of course, you can avoid this entire ordeal by using natural toilet paper: Leaves, sticks, smooth stones, snow. When done correctly, this method is as sanitary as regular toilet paper, but without the impact problems. Be aware of where you squat - you don't want to end up in a patch of poison ivy or stinging nettle. Know the poisonous plants in the area you're traveling.

Pack Out Your Poop: If you are travelling in certain conditions - snow, narrow river canyons, some alpine and desert environments, and anywhere the land management agency requires it - you must carry a few extra Ziplock bags and pack out your poop.

-Backpacking: Woman's Guide, by Adrienne Hall

Latrines: Latrines may be more acceptable than catholes in certain situations such as when camping with young children or if staying in one camp for longer than a few nights. Use similar criteria for selecting a latrine location as those used to locate a cathole. Since this higher concentration of feces will decompose very slowly, location is especially important. A good way to speed decomposition and diminish odors is to toss in a handful of soil after each use. Ask your land manager about latrine-building techniques.

Backpack: In Camp: Women's Sanitation Concerns

For menstruating women, a baggie system works well to pack out tampons, pads, and other items. Carrying them out of the woods is the only acceptable option. Like many things in the backcountry, it will take a little getting used to and soon become second nature.The Mitten Method.
The mitten method is a neat way to keep from having to touch your used sanitary items. Bring a well-stocked supply of plastic zipper-lock sandwich bags and 1 large, resealable bag. I like to bring an opaque bag along too (a brown paper bag works well), for storing my baggies so I don't have to look at them.

1. Using as little toilet paper as possible, drop your used tampon and soiled toilet paper on the ground.
2. Then take one of the zipper-lock plastic bags and invert it like a mitten over your hand, pick up the used items, and pull the bag right-side out over the soiled items.
3. Zip-lock the bag and place it inside the large resealable bag and outer opaque ag. You may place a perfumed towelette, crushed aspirin or used tea bag in your baggie to hide the smell of your stash.
4. Carry all your used sanitary items in their own designated bag so you don't get them mixed up with other things in your pack.

Never bury used sanitary items. They pollute the environment and invite animals to dig them up.

Also, don't dispose of used sanitary items in outhouses. The volunteers or rangers have to remove them by hand, not a pleasant task.

Excellent tips! :thumbsup