Opaque ziplock bags for TP??

I take one shop towel and make 9 tp pieces from it (fold in thirds). It isn't difficult to simply fold each used piece, and place it in a ziplock.

Geez, I had no idea this was such an impassioned topic. I asked a simple question, purely out of curiosity, and it became a mini flame war. I hadn't even heard of the practice of packing out TP until recently, which is why I was curious. Call me un-informed if you will, but twenty-five years ago when I first started backpacking I learned more about how to do it properly from one source than any other:

"The New Wilderness Handbook" by Paul Petzoldt, the founding father of NOLS.

In the 1984 edition, page 150, his advice is to burn your toilet paper and that's exactly what I did for years. Then in 1995 I came across a duff fire in the Three Sisters Wilderness that was obviously started by someone burning their toilet paper and I had to re-think the practice.

So I bury it. But I don't use much, I dig a deep hole, typically 10 inches, and well away from water or campsites.

The areas I backpack are the rain forests and alpine areas of the Pacific Northwest that typically get upwards of 60 inches of precipitation per year. With that amount of water I find it hard to believe a small amount of TP doesn't degrade within a few months to a year. That is not litter in my opinion. Anecdotal only, but in those 25 years I have only seen perhaps three or four latrines where someones' TP had become uncovered. That isn't too bad considering the large numbers of people who hike and camp in the NW every year.

I'm just explaining where I'm coming from. I totally get it that in drier climates TP wouldn't break down as quickly and packing it out would make sense.

G

Don't go to Yosemite or other high trail traffic parks unless you expect to break the rules to bury your TP….

Yosemite is worth the bother. YMMV. The High Sierras are all worth it. But it's pretty dry as compared to PNW and the TP many people get is the stuff out of the travel aisle – cotton fabric rather than biodegradable. I understand why they made the rules — there are still draped TP streamers on bushes next to trails all over Yosemite despite those rules.

Whitney requires you to carry wag bags – can't even cathole there.

Hi folks, been away from the keyboard..

That's great that people have opinions on this topic.

In the Desolation Wilderness burial of toilet paper has been the main method, but it is soo rocky that often people don't do a good enough job of burying it. That makes it liable to be dug up by critters.

Often dayhikers may bring some TP, but are not either mentally prepared or physically equipped to bury or haul out their TP.

Overnight campers: We suggest planning ahead, and preparing that hole as part of setting up camp, rather than waiting until it is needed. In that way, we all benefit from the better sanitation, and the visitor can be more relaxed when the time comes.

6-8 of good organic soil, not rocks, can be very hard to come by back there. Check out this nice photo:

Hi Paul,
Thanks for posting a reply, that answers my question. Beautiful area. Wish you'd left the Ridge Rest photo up instead though, LOL.

G

Hey Gordon, then check this out.

Yeah, when I saw you briefly upload this image to this thread I started to get a little scared:

Perhaps I've watched a few too many episodes of the X-Files.

G

Resurrecting an old thread 'cause I can't find opaque bags in small quantities.

Last weekend we sacrificed a WAG bag for the opaque ziploc. It was more appealing than a clear bag.

Anybody have a source? I need a at least 20, but don't want to buy 1,000 which is the quantity sold by Uline.

Edit: Found 4"x6" on ebay about $13 with shipping for 100, 2 mil bags. Would prefer something bigger- more similar to quart ziploc at 7"x8".

Edit2: Dog waste bags are semi-opaque, reasonable size, but no zip-top. Maybe get some and put into a ziploc.