The great poo poo problem

Two recent stories made news, which reminded me of an on going problem with people in public recreation areas. Glacier Park officials made it known that restrictions on travel over Going-to-the-Sun Highway to Logan Pass via the east side because of a fire, made it almost impossible to fully use the visitor's center up there because sanitation policy requires several trips per day of a large truck which hauls the toilet waste outside the Park's east entrance.

The other news item involved an unfortunate hiker who accidentally set a large fire when trying to burn toilet paper on a remote national forest hike. He is not the first conscientious hiker to have that problem. Following is a column from the Hungry Horse News I wrote in August 1984. Because of the vital issue involved, it was reprinted in other papers, including the Seattle Post. This is it:

A few people may turn their noses at this week's subject, but somebody has to pressure the government into making intelligent decisions about going potty in the federal bushes. This isn't the kind of thing you can easily ignore.

Short years back I was on a pack string trip through the Bob Marshall Wilderness and we didn't hit a good camping meadow until nearly dark. After a quick supper, I took a flashlight and walked into the trees. Shining the beam around produced shock. Looked like an Alabama cotton patch. There was toilet paper on, under, around, and in, every bush tree and log within sight. My retreat compared to sneaking through an enemy mine field.

A recent Mr. Rainier forest fire was caused by an overly conscientious person attempting to burn his toilet tissue. We've got to wipe out this threat to out backcountry.

There are powerful folks in the federal bureaucracy who believe building outhouses in primitive areas "detracts from the visitor's wilderness experience." Well now really! I suppose they think six acres of white, blue, plus pink paper and what goes with it is some kind of rare and sensual delight. These ninnies are violating our constipational rights.

I recently read a letter to the editor from a fella who was givin' hell to those people who would rather "moon the lodgepoles" than use a discreetly located rustic john. It is good folks like that who will lead future movements.

In 1970, I floated the Rogue River and discovered this first edition to the Wild and Scenic Rivers system had been supplied with shiny blue plastic toilets sporting bright white tops, placed right on the banks at every scenic turn. That kind of restroom is not what we have in mind. My published story about the Rogue trip found its way to the right Senator's office and planning geniuses in the BLM got the rear end chewed out of their forest green twills.

Locals recall the Park Service built the "million dollar toilet" on Logan Pass, then with faces flushed announced a new plan for its use, a "visitor's center." Now waste gathered there from the scenic plastic johns placed in the southwest corner of the parking lot is hauled out of the Park to a treatment center. I disagree with those who say this is carrying things too far.

There is a Glacier Park regulation about only going potty in authorized areas? It isn't highly publicized by the rangers because compared to grizzly management, toilet training tourists is still just a wee wee problem, and trying to enforce it could turn out to be a really big job.

Unlike the Forest Service, which has let the paper problem get out of hand, the Park Service still has that one under reasonable control; however the issue of visual aesthetics in Glacier could temporarily be handled by issuing camouflage tissues to hikers and mountain climbers.

With serious consideration for squatters' rights, I think the appointed trustees of our public lands can bury past mistakes and come up with the obvious solution to the problem. I know that most of my fellow tax-paying wilderness walkers feel this is one government project where it would be OK to go in the hole.

G. George Ostrom is a national award-winning columnist for Hungry Horse News. He lives in Kalispell.