It’s actually a coincidence that the adjective ‘alpine’ contains the word ‘pine’. But I’m fine with it, as it occupied my mind for long stretches of this strenuous ascent to East San Bernardino peak, an epic ramble on the front range of the San Bernardinos that checked a number of ‘firsts’ for me. First hike this year with over five thousand feet of elevation, first time ‘bagging’ this particular summit, first time ever driving into an empty parking lot at the trailhead in the morning, and returning to an empty parking lot in the late afternoon, having been completely alone all day, and finally, first time having to poop on trail.

Yep. It’s a fact, not a big deal, just a fact. In twenty plus years of regularly spending entire days on trail, I have never been faced with the ‘need to go’ and ‘no place to go’ dilemma. Not that I have anything against scooting behind a manzanita bush to dig a hole and drop my business in it, but given the choice, I’d rather sit to shit, even in the dubious comfort of a port-a-potty. And I hope, as a matter of public sanitation, that most day hikers feel the way I do. Imagine what would happen to popular trails like the Mt Baldy ski hut, or Vivian Creek, or the old Mt Wilson trail if every other visitor defecated trailside. I think I know what that would look like. I’ve seen it. There’s a spot in our backyard, in Altadena, on a use trail that connects Rubio canyon to the heavily trafficked lower Sam Merrill trail where people have been relieving themselves for years, leaving plenty of traces. On a bad day, it’s like walking next to the exposed inside of a port-a-potty tank; dodging clumps of used toilet paper sticking to mounds of bowel movements.

“Pack it in. Pack it out.” I say. Meaning, hold it. Or, if like me, you’re seven miles from the trailhead, at ten thousand feet and that no longer is an option, dig a hole and cover it up when you’re done, and carry an extra baggie to haul out your paper. The next hiker who doesn’t have to sidestep around your stuff is thanking you already.

Now, back to gazing at majestically twisted limber pines who spend their entire existence with a priceless view of Old Greyback towering over the San Gorgonio wilderness.

Walking Project 131_al-pine ramble – east san bernardino from chris worland on Vimeo.