On the basis of expense and effectiveness (as I currently understand it) I'm still supportive of wag bags in the very heavily used trail corridors they're required. I don't support expanding that requirement beyond Whitney to Guitar Lake. I've not looked into composting or evaporative toilets in maybe 4 years or so, but have yet to come across one that actually composts at altitude and low temperatures. There's a bunch out there an in use, but they require a lot of initial cost to build (in remote areas over $30,000); a lot of year maintenance costs (a dedicated person to do it); and you're still packing out raw waste.

Now, this could well have changed in the last 5 years. A quick Google scan doesn't really show anything definitive one way or the other. If I were really dedicated, I'd at least call Yosemite and see if they've gotten any of theirs to work.

Now, there's nothing really wrong with using a vault type system -- and where you somehow separate the urine from the solids (a problem in itself) -- and just haul it out, but you have to recognize that's what you're doing and plan for it. That's what we did at Ostrander ski hut (average of 20 people per day to a max of 27). A four month season requires about 15 Jonny Partner cans. Not a bad solution but would never work on Whitney corridor.

I'm interested in information on actual working systems since this comes up occasionally but, for the moment, am not at all in favor of them over wag bags.

g.

PS: A dragon? That would improve the experience some... .

None of the views expressed here in any way represent those of the unidentified agency that I work for or, often, reality. It's just me, fired up by coffee and powerful prose.