A Loo with a View

It is not the first thing that comes to mind when planning a day hike or a multi-day backpacking trip in the mountains. However, the need is bound to arise, either on the trail or at camp. Yes, I am talking about wilderness pooping and backcountry privies. But they are not everywhere. So, what are the options when it comes to taking a dump in the great outdoors?

Back in the 70s, when we traversed the Sierra, fishing lake to lake, and eating trout for days on end, we would simply find an out-of-the-way location, dig a discreet trench, do our business, and bury it. There were few, if any, backcountry facilities back then, and there were not that many of us out there, so our standard protocol was to simply deep-six it. The same thing occurred as we traveled the trails in Washington’s Cascades and Wyoming’s Wind River Range. Of course, all that has changed with the dramatic increase of human traffic in the backcountry over the last few decades, and with that, the establishment of more rustic privies, but not always.

When planning an overnight or multi-day trip, you do not want to be surprised by the lack of options. Interestingly, most hike descriptions do not even mention backcountry toilets. You will have to stumble upon that beta in someone else’s trip report, or on a trail map, that is, if it is even marked. And, if there are no facilities, you might find a caution not to bury it, rather a requirement to use a WAG bag and pack it out. Before you go, you must know.

A few years ago, after luckily scoring a six-day Enchantments permit for late September in the Colchuck Lake Zone, I felt compelled to do a reasonable job of planning for our group of five. The big idea was to camp at Colchuck Lake and make daily excursions up Aasgard Pass into the Core Enchantment Zone to explore the alpine lakes and nearby peaks. We would need a base camp big enough to accommodate our three tents, with a cooking area, and reasonable proximity to one of the established outdoor toilets.

But how many of them were there, and where were they located? We had no idea. The six-day lottery permit was a stroke of uncommon good luck, and we needed to take it seriously. So, three of us embarked on a ‘boots on the ground’ recon mission, day hiking up to Colchuck Lake to scout out and document the campsites and toilets. We found multiple campsite options and three toilet sites, which I later mapped out for the group. Curiously, the current GAIA GPS topo map shows only two. A secluded woodland toilet near our camp served us well, both during the couple of days of decent weather and even after it furiously snowed, which eventually forced us out.

Many of the more popular destinations now have some form of privy, most often a stark rustic wooden box with a hole in the top and a wood lid to cover it. As you might imagine, these traditional toilets do eventually fill up, and a new pit must be dug and the box moved. Dirty work. Years ago, descending the trail from Evergreen Mountain Lookout, we encountered a couple of young Park Service employees with long-handled shovels headed up to service the facilities.

Some newer versions, like one we saw at Colchuck, have the traditional wood frame and hole cover perched atop a fiberglass poo box that can be removed intact and hauled out, presumably with others, by helicopter. The one we encountered had a spare receptacle sitting close by, ready to be pressed into service.

Most ‘trailside’ toilets sit isolated in the brushy forested areas at the end of a rough spur trail where you might expect a bit of privacy. While others at the end of a spur might sit right out in the open. You can see everything around you, and anyone nearby can easily see you too. As compensation, some of these have incredibly jaw-dropping views. These are the rare and remarkable ‘loos with a view.’ The consequence of the stunning views is that privacy is not guaranteed. But you will be okay with that. The tradeoff is a good one. Trust me.

Even exposed, these seats are worth the few moments during which you might sit and ponder. Some of the most celebrated ‘view loos’ include a famous Core Enchantments toilet which faces the dramatic sharp granite spire of Prusik Peak, the one on the boulder shoulder that looks out and down from Hidden Lake Lookout, the lonely one at Desolation Peak Camp, and the tanklike metal compost toilet at Sahale Glacier Camp, which peers from its rocky perch, over Sahale Arm toward the massive Mount Johannesburg.

And, there are others, while perhaps lesser known, but still with fabulous vistas. I will never forget my brief October visit to the backcountry toilet just off the trail through Headlight Basin. I found myself surrounded by stunning golden larches and unimpeded views of the mighty Mount Stuart and Ingalls Peak. Majestic though it was, I did not linger. But I have not forgotten that morning.

Even those nestled in the rocky woodland niches will have more texturally intimate views than you will find with any outside of the wilderness environs. Even if old and on the verge of falling apart, the backcountry toilet still beats digging a pit or packing out. Just consider yourself lucky whether the views are intimate or expansive. Take time to pause briefly, sit, and reflect on your good fortune to be at this special place during these brief moments.