WAG bags for Whitney on sobo JMT?

imported
#1

I just read about the strong recommendation to pack out your poop when hiking up to Mt. Whitney and back to Whitney portal. Apparently they hand out special WAG bags to folks heading out from the portal side.

I guess if I’m hiking in on a (partial) sobo JMT trip I’ll have to use a plain old plastic bag. Anyone used a WAG bag and recommend them over a plain bag?

(for more info go to http://www.mount-whitney.com/hiking_backpacking_mt_whitney/mt_whitney_wag_bags.php )

Thanks, Doug

dougc

#2

WAG bags have some sort of odor neutralizer, don’t they?

Dude, you’ll almost be done with your hike. Just hold it until you get down to Trail Camp, where they always have WAG bags if you can’t wait until the portal to poop. (They may even have a toilet at Trail Camp…they did a few years ago.)

:cheers

markv

#3

I’m not for sure, but I’d guess these wag bags aren’t “special” as you say. They can be bought too – REI sells them. Though I guess you’d not want to carry your own all that way just for the end. I read an article a couple months ago that the folks at Whitney removed some of the outhouses in favor of using the wag bags they now provide.

psig

#4

We were issued WAG bags at a Ranger station enroute to Guitar Lake campsite the day befdore we did Whitney. You don’t have to carry your own WAG bag for the whole JMT. At Guitar Lake there is no soil, only rocky ground and you can’t bury anythings. We used them and carried the stuff out, but it is double and triple wrapped that there is no smell. My partner took markv’s advise and held it to Whitney Portal.

This really isn’t a big deal.

swamp fox

#5

A box of Wag bags is trailside near Crabtree Meadows. You just take one, no charge (at least that was the case in July 2008). They are no trouble, they do not smell and are really needed and required in the Whitney Zone. There are special trash bins at the Portal where you deposit the used bags. One bag is fine for multiple uses. The bag comprises a large poly trash bag with some Kitty Litter which is wrapped and placed in a ziplock. The kit also incudes TP and hand sanitizer.
I camped the night at Guitar lake and summited Whitney and descended to the portal the next day.
Many people express disgust at having to carry their waste but for the day or two after Crabtree it really is no big deal.
I imagine it would be a much bigger problem if you were heading northbound, carrying waste all the way to VVR!

RichardD

#6

I don’t know why the sunglass face appeared in my post. It was supposed to read 2008)

RichardD

#7

Oh well!

RichardD

#8

Thanks for the feedback. I happened to go to REI today and saw one there myself.

swampfox–that’s handy to know. I’ll pick one up on the way to Whitney at that ranger station. Holding it till you get out if a fine plan, but when you got to go, you got to go.

dougc