Groups: What are proper occasions for a large, shared hole for waste?
So of course the common standard for proper burying of solid human waste is burial in a cat-hole, and generally this means one hole per instance per person. This is what I practice and teach on personal and group trips, per LNT guidelines.
But in what instance is using one large, group hole (latrine style), an appropriate and practical option? In other words, what situations make a latrine hole a preferable option to the standard cat-hole practice?
Of course it would be covered up, but only after moving on from that campsite. This sounds pretty gross to be honest, but I've known of some people who practice this in some locations.
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I have found that digging a deep group latrine works far better when taking youth and other folks who are hesitant about the whole "pooping in the woods" idea. I make it one of the task as we set up camp, one group cooks, one group sets up tents, one group get water then digs the latrine. I oversee that the hole is deep enough to accommodate the group for the night (or two) we are staying there.
I find it's easier for people to be okay pooping into a designated "toilet" instead of having to dig their own (which likely won't be deep enough anyways). As weird as that sounds. It also speeds up the process in the mornings when multiple people need to go at the same time.
Before we leave camp toss some dirt into the hole, give it a good stir with a stick, then cover it up with the soil you displaced while digging it. It is well covered, deep, and will decompose quickly (especially since people should be packing out their TP). If we are staying multiple nights I will cover then dig another hole every other day or so.
Personally I've found this to be a much lower impact system, having one hole that is well tended, than having many potentially poorly build cat-holes.
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There are several aspects to take under consideration:
- Group holes are not a good practice because your deposits can't be buried too deep. The soil needs enough organic material to eliminate your deposits. But, if the upper layers of the soil are big enough, you could make your hole bigger (so making it appropriate for larger groups).
- The type of group who are camping.. if you're camping with handicapped/very young/elder people, then you can't ask them to dig their holes, a bigger hole is then more appropriate.
But in all honesty, don't leave a cat-hole open, close it as soon as you are finished. People can step into, smell,.. As you said, large cat-holes are gross.
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