Originally Posted By: Yury
Can somebody explain why previous discussions were so focused on solar toilets and llamas?
What are other options?
For example, why not to remove waste by helicopters?
Do you know how waste from Mt. Whitney summit toilet was removed?

Yury, solar and llamas are a proven solution at Rocky Mountain National Park. That solution has worked for decades, with weekly trips to remove the semi-dried waste. The presentation of that solution is documented here:   Exit Strategies Conference 2010 - Managing Human Waste in the Wild, specifically in the presentation by Joe Arnold, engineer at Rocky Mt NP:   Rocky Mountain National Park

The helicopter solution was used prior to the Whitney toilet removal, and deemed a failure by Inyo. They flew in/out twice a season, which meant managing an ever-growing bulk of waste for months. It exposed rangers repeatedly to the toilet mess.

The summit toilet itself was removed by helicopter, so I am assuming its contents were occasionally flown out in prior years.

Originally Posted By: Steve Chamberlin
While not a permanent solution, I think a good step forward would be a refundable deposit fee for WAG bags, similar to the deposit on cans and bottles. This wouldn't address the sanitary concerns, but it would help reduce the eyesore of bags left abandoned by the trailside. Some people would still litter, but others who didn't mind the yuck factor would pack out a few extra bags and help keep the trail clean in return for getting the deposit fees.

Steve, labeling WAG bags and WAG bag deposit/returns has been brought up repeatedly. It would certainly stop a lot of the bags being left along the trail, but I see several drawbacks:

1. It's still a WAG bag solution, something that I feel strongly is not a valid solution when there are better ones. Carrying a WAG bag is unpleasant and exposes thousands of hikers each year to bio-hazards.

2. The deposit/return idea would require a paid monitor to check-out and check-in the bags. Hikers come and go all 24 hours a day, so how and where would they access this WAG bag facility?

3. Since the WAG bag solution was not properly implemented, it is only a voluntary program. I don't think people can be forced to carry them, and certainly not forced to carry one with some identification attached.