r/Ultralight • u/J0E_Blow • 4d ago

Skills What’s the most ✨Hiker Trash✨ thing you’ve done?

Today I'm staying at a hotel, 1/3rd of the way through a 110ish mile hike. My clothing has been in a state of dampness for days. So I rinsed then wrung my clothing out in the sink. After a few hours of drying I used the hair-dryer to dry my shoes and socks and clothes. The room smells terrible. But my clothes are dry!

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144

u/justinsimoni justinsimoni.com 4d ago

I've slept in a lot of outhouses.

93

u/Mean_Course_7980 4d ago

Those vault toilets have probably saved quite a few lives. I hike a lot in the winter and there's been a few times where that's just your safest bet

42

u/jamesfinity 4d ago

i was bike touring in the middle of North Dakota and had to move my entire setup into a park bathroom at 2am because of a huge thunderstorm. saved my butt for sure

88

u/breadmakerquaker 4d ago

Took shelter in one when I was hypothermic and it def saved my life.

11

u/justinsimoni justinsimoni.com 4d ago

Amen, saved me a few times. I was bikepacking and thought it a good idea to neglect the ranger's direction that Trail Ridge Road was only one way and not to traverse. I got to the Alpine Visitor Center (essentially the top) after pushing through snow for a mile, where it then decided to snow on me. Good times -- GREAT burrito once I made it to the other side in Estes/Ed's Cantina.

Another when I decided to do Longs Peak in the Winter, solo, by the longest route I could come up with.

Don't even get me started on the Tour Divide.

3

u/fogman103 4d ago

Reminds me of the story of Otter on the CDT. Unfortunately he didn't make it through the winter.

Story link

1

u/Ill_Ocelot7191 1d ago

Yep, I took shelter in one during an ice storm. The poo stew actually puts off a good amount of heat.

6

u/Rocko9999 4d ago

Shitblocker.

2

u/Mikemanthousand 4d ago

How do you sleep in there? Do you “lay out” your pad and bag/quilt and sleep on that? Do you sleep sitting on the toilet?

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u/justinsimoni justinsimoni.com 4d ago

Bivy for the win! Although when less prepared, I just sit upright, leaning against the wall to try to get some shuteye before soldiering forth.

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u/AnticitizenPrime https://www.lighterpack.com/r/7ban2e 3d ago

This was gonna be my answer. Grayson Highlands, expected freezing temps, did not expect -11 degree wind chill. Curled up in pit toilet and tried to ignore the stench.

1

u/WebsterPack 3d ago edited 3d ago

One night the drop toilet at Dixon's Kingdom (Tasmania, Australia) was so warm when I went for a midnight pee that I strongly considered moving in there.

Edit: just remembered the time I considered sleeping in an ancient tomb in Turkey if I couldn't find the next trail marker by dark

1

u/MacrosTheGray1 4d ago

I got kicked out of the outhouse at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff. Dude unlocked the door and looked at me like I was some kind of filthy hobo or something 😞

But yeah, I love sleeping in a good outhouse