Over the years, I’ve primarily hiked with dudes. As a women, I have often found myself using hiking with the guys as an excuse to not carry my own weight (literally and figuratively). But one of the things I’ve learned is the importance of being self reliant. Nothing feels better than finishing a solo trip and knowing you totally kicked ass and you did it all on your own. As women, we are often made to feel weak or otherwise less than. I want us to feel empowered, everyday and especially in the woods. In this series, I’ll cover some fun topics, like backcountry cooking, as well as some more important skills, like first aid and defending yourself against unwanted advances, from both animals and other people. If you’ve got comments, questions or ideas for upcoming posts, email me at carolinemeleedy@gmail.com! Happy trails, ladies!
In the first installment of the series, I’m covering two questions I’ve been asked hundreds of times: What do you do when you need to pee? What do you bring with you?
Perfect your pee technique
Vulgar start to the series, but lets face it- when you’re in the woods and you gotta pee, you gotta pee. It doesn’t matter if you’re a squatter, a sitter, a leaner or a go girl user- just perfect your technique. I am very proud of the fact that I can literally pee anywhere. Probably too proud. There’s few things worse than getting drip in your boots. Gross.
There’s a few things we need to talk about first, to help you decide what works best for you, and honestly, it’s a lot of trial and error.
First, make sure when you get down to business, you practice Leave No Trace principles. No one likes going into the wilderness just to find toilet paper littering the landscape. Leave no trace, ladies! Below I’ve given LNT technique directly from the source. For more information, visit leavenotrace.org.
“Use the privy for human waste only (feces). Do not add trash. If there is no privy, dispose of human waste by burying it in a "cat-hole," a hole 6-8 inches deep, 4-6 inches wide and at least 200 feet (80 steps) from campsites, water sources and shelters, and well away from trails. Add dirt to the hole, and stir with a stick to promote decomposition. Push toiler paper to the bottom of the hole, and leave your stick in the hole. Don't hide your waste under a rock - this slows its decomposition.
...Disperse dishwater and toothpaste, and urinate well away (at least 100 feet) from shelters and popular campsites. In this way, wildlife is not attracted close to camp. Animals sometimes defoliate plants to consume the salt in urine, so urinate on rocks or bare ground rather than on the vegetation. Where water is plentiful, consider diluting the urine by adding water to the site” (appalachiantrail.org)
Now, there’s a few ways of going about this. Don’t worry, I’m not drawing any diagrams or linking any how-to videos. One option, is a device that allows you to pee like the dudes. There’s a few options, and you’ll have to decide which works best for you. Two popular devices I’ve seen out there are the Go Girl and the Freshette. I’ve heard great things about both of these, my only reservation would be clean up and storage. I have yet to try one out, but I definitely plan on it at some point.
The best way I’ve figured out is what I refer to as the lean. This involves leaving your pack on, using it to lean against a tree while semi squatting. It allows you to keep you pack on, which saves a bit of time, as well as using it to balance yourself, all while avoiding rubbing your back uncomfortably on a tree.
Basically, what it all comes down to is what makes you comfortable. Doesn’t matter if you’re a leaner, a squatter, a privy only user or a hold-it-until-town kinda girl, just make sure you’re peeing responsibly and respectfully.
What to Bring When Going Into the Wilderness Solo
I’m sure we’ve all heard of the ten essentials. This is a list that you can find in nearly every guide book out there. Outdoor stores print up the list to give out to those wishing to get outdoors. Hell, there’s even a wikipedia page dedicated to it. It covers the absolute essentials someone should have when heading into the backcountry, even just for a day hike. Map, fire starter, extra food, knife, matches, First Aid supplies, headlamp/light source, extra clothing, sunglasses/sunscreen, compass... You get the idea. But there are some other items that you should bring along as well. We’ll call them the Semi Essentials
1) It goes without saying that water is super important. Hydration is key, and you don’t want to end up without water. Some sort of water purification system is key. You want to make sure that if you end up running out of water, you have a reliable way of replenishing. I have the Sawyer Mini. It’s lightweight and easy to use.
2) A cell phone is also a good idea to have on you, but most people don’t stray too far from theirs anyways. Getting cell reception in the backcountry isn’t a guarantee. It’s not even something you should remotely hope for. But sometimes, if you’re real lucky, you can get a little bit of service, usually at higher elevations. I always leave my phone on airplane mode while I’m on the move, but I’ll often turn it one once I reach camp or stop for lunch, just to let my person know where I’m at/if I’m on track. Which leads to my next point...
3) Always have a person. Your person should have you itinerary and know when to expect your safe return. They can contact the proper authorities if you don’t come back within a reasonable timeframe, giving you a better chance at a successful rescue if it were to come to that.
4) We know that food is one of the essentials. But what food is best? High calorie, low weight foods are my go-to. Protein bars, peanut butter, jerky and energy drink powders are a few of my favorites. Mess around with which foods you like best and throw a few extras in your bag before heading out.
5) Nalgene bottles. These are great. I absolutely love mine. I know they’re heavy and if you’re a true gram weenie, you might scoff but hear me out. Not only are they sturdy and hold a good amount of water (without the icky plastic taste that other bottle leave you with), but they’re GREAT for rolling out sore muscles. I use one on my IT band when I’m really sore and it feels amazing. I wake up the next day feeling just a little less sore.
6) Lots of people may disagree with me, but I love ear plugs. I am a very light sleeper and even the smallest rustle in the bushes wakes me up, and keeps me up. I like to sleep with an ear plug in whatever side is facing out when I’m laying down. I can’t get a good nights sleep without it, and when you’re hiking for days on end, you need your sleep.
7) Last but not least, coffee. I love my coffee. I’m sure you know this by now. It’s a great way to start your morning and it helps get me moving. The caffeine gives me a boost and I look at the world in a whole different light... Okay, that last one was an exaggeration. But in all honesty, days in the backcountry that start with coffee are often my best.
Which is all of them.
Because being outdoors is rad.
Great, thanks for some of those tips
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