Thanks for the positive comments.
The Wag Bag vs. Toilet Facilities discussion is the bigger 'poop" issue that will take a year or more to resolve planning and resource/budget issues; even if the Forest Service wanted to do something today. I'm not saying they don't want to; it just takes years to implement a project of this scale in the government; as touched upon in the discussion.
I appreciate toilet facilities; such as those on Mt Rainier and the Grand Canyon Main Trails. Having talked to those who service the different types that have been used; I also understand the challenges involved to maintain such facilties. I also see the misuse of them and the deposits left between them - when nature calls triggered by heat/exhaustion; so they are not a 100% cure all.
What I didn't see in the discussion were immediate solutions to the poop issue. We have to go, there are no facilties, hard to bury above the tree line(where the fatigue/exhaustion caused issues occur; let alone the overnight use impact), and a procedure that is different than one is used to(LNT practice). This is a practical solution we each can do to improve the environment, until a better solution is implemented.
If we don't take positive action ourselves to protect the Mt. Whitney environment from human caused biohazard/pollution/poop & tp; more regulations could be developed to further restrict the area's use. If special interests are so concerned about SEKI and horses/mules- what is to stop these concerned parties from filing to save Mt Whitney because of human poop all over the mountain?
The effects of popularity- more use-generates more abuse- resulting in a place that we don't want to go to, or gets restricted so we can't....
