EISPIRATEN

On Thursday, I hiked to Inspiration and Muir peak via the fire road with some friends who had never hiked in this area. We took a detour to check out the old Tavern site. To my surprise, there was a new pit toilet. It was pretty nice and very clean. I did not want to take a picture of the inside but notice the unique shape from the outside. Inside has a pedal that you push to flush the contents and it all goes back to a type of reservoir (where the unique shape is seen from the outside). Anyways, its not like the older pit toilets where you can see all the disgusting junk because everything is removed. I had never seen one of these pit toilets.

Yay!?

Interesting

So I found out from RLC the USFS hired Bellfree contractors to install the new crapper. I don't think its solar. It has a clear ceiling that allows the sunlight to aid in decomposing waste. This is why it wasn't placed in the shade or under trees. At first glance we thought it was solar.

There is a 2 door version of this at Spruce Grove. It's made by Toilet Tech Solutions, toilettech.com. It separates liquids from solids to aid in decomposition. Hopefully they'll be installing these at Hoegee's soon.

And the old crappers at Spruce Grove are gone.

This is why I day hike.

HikeUp wrote: ↑This is why I day hike.

For overnights I bring something to use for digging.

Note to self: In two years dig up old pit and sift for coins and jewelry.

Did they put that thing right in the middle of the camping area? Is that now the centerpiece of the place?

Dima, you crack me up. It would make an interesting centerpiece. The new pit toilet was placed on the same side as the benches but not too close. if you are facing the road from the campsite it's to the right. It doesn't smell at least not yet. Lol

JeffH wrote: ↑

HikeUp wrote: ↑This is why I day hike.

For overnights I bring something to use for digging.

Even on day hikes I take my poop kit. You never know when you might get a Big Mac that doesn't agree with you!

TMI robow8

HikeUp wrote: ↑This is why I day hike.

Hmm....didnt know you found bathroom so attractive

In the saying of my mom, "Even kings need to crap". It's nice to have these in regions of density.
P.S. I wish more people would carry a sandwich plastic bag for their pee tissues, etc. when out for a small walk and not leave them by the side of the trails (but at least don't throw trash down the hill out of reach of good people cleaning up).

I hiked up from Altadena to use the fancy new centerpiece toilet. For anyone interested, the toilet is clean, has no odor, has 1.5 rolls of TP and is not locked as of a few days ago. I remain fascinated by the mechanism by which you 'flush' the thing, which involves depressing a lever with your foot five times, which upon each paddle plunge causes a conveyor belt at the bottom of the doody chamber to advance, as a sort of self cleaning mechanism I guess

I don’t get it - why five pumps? I think a short video would be in order.

@JeffH each pump of the foot pedal (think the chairs at a barber shop) advances the conveyor belt of poop about 3 inches. after 5 pumps you've scrubbed it all off for the next person. I'll be honest I didn't really look too hard inside to see how it works. But there is handy sign next to the toilet that tells you to do 5 pumps

I'm thinking that this thread and the fungi thread are about the same thing...stuff that doesn't interest me. But that's my problem. oh well.

HikeUp wrote: ↑I'm thinking that this thread and the fungi thread are about the same thing...stuff that doesn't interest me. But that's my problem. oh well.

Haha, so you probably won't appreciate a new subforum devoted to outhouse science.

Boy, I go dormant for awhile and I miss important ANF toilet news! Appreciate the link to the toilettech site. My first reaction is if this replaces locked loos at high-usage campgrounds, then I'm for it. My concern is user compliance -- how many run away without pumping 5 times, and can it handle inappropriate input like coffee grounds and plastic bags, both of which I've seen happen at Spruce Grove. If a couple bags can jam up the conveyor, then all is lost.

Maybe these will be going into Little Jimmy also. Its loos were removed and not replaced (as of last week). The crack ANF public info team informs us that "they are slated to be removed and replaced by the week of November 11, 2019." (link)