Learn what equipment you need!

Some outdoor activities and specific situations require special equipment and preparation for when you gotta go. Select the tabs below to learn more about how to properly dispose of your waste.

• WINTER ACTIVITIES
• CLIMBING
• PADDLING TRIPS
• GROUP RECREATION
• WOMEN SPECIFIC

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Winter is a great time to get outdoors, but can pose extra challenges for when you gotta go. Most bathrooms are closed in the winter and the waste disposal methods you usually use may not be possible. Follow these tips for your next winter adventure: 

• To pee, make sure you are 70 big steps away from water, even if it is snow covered. 
• To poop, be prepared to pack it  out using a WAG bag. 
• Always pack out toilet paper and hygiene products. 

Resources

Watch this video by ​Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to learn ​5 Leave No Trace Tips for Winter Trips. 

Climbing areas can receive significant use and therefore, significant impacts. Busy routes can quickly become overwhelmed with human waste. To protect these areas and other climbers, follow these steps: 

1. Be prepared by researching the area and bringing a WAG bag, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer. 
2. Go before you go by using a bathroom or outhouse before you being your trip. 
3. Walk 70 big steps away from the crag, trails, and water to pee, and be prepared to pack out poop, toilet paper, and hygiene products. If the climbing area is forested, poop can be buried in a 6 to 8 inch cat hole. 

Resources

See this article by Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics  to learn How to Leave No Trace on the Crag. 

It is recommended to walk 70 big steps from water when you gotta go in the outdoors. While on paddling trips, it is often difficult to get this far from the river or another water source. Therefore, most paddling trips in Utah require the use of a portable toilet to pack out solid waste including poop, toilet paper, and hygiene products. Sometimes liquid waste can be dumped directly into the water source (typically the flow has to be over 500 cfs). 

See the the following links for rules and regulations for a few popular paddling areas in Utah. 

Resources

Rules and Regulations:

• Labyrinth Canyon 
• Desolation Gray Canyons
• Westwater Canyon
• San Juan River

See this article from Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to learn more about how to Minimize your Impact on an Overnight Paddling Trip. 

If you are with a large group spending time in the outdoors and away from a bathroom, you'll need to dig a latrine to properly dispose of your waste. Follow these tips to avoid the spread of disease and avoid polluting water sources:

1. Select a latrine site that is 70 big steps from water, untraveled by people, and with deep organic soil.
   
2.  Dig the latrine using a small trowel so that it is at least 6 inches deep, 6 inches wide, and 12 inches long. 
3. Cover part of the latrine after each use with the original dirt and pack out toilet paper. 
   

Resources

See this article and video by Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to learn more about latrines for group recreation. ​

Follow these tips for women-specific situations to stay healthy and minimize your impact on the environment on your next trip outdoors: 

• Pack out all feminine hygiene products and used toilet paper. 
• Bring smaller hygiene products with less packaging to reduce the amount you need to pack out. 
• If using a Diva Cup, The Keeper, or another menstrual fluid receptacle:
  • In areas with deep organic soil, bury the fluid in a 6- to 8- inch cat hole. 
  • In desert and alpine areas, pack out fluid. 

Resources

To learn more about Women's Specific Considerations, see this article by Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.​