Climbing is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and it should come as no surprise that select crags (a steep or rugged rock face) are more crowded than ever. Beautiful outdoor areas like Squamish, in British Columbia, are seeing a massive influx of visitors.
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While more people getting outside is usually a good thing, the increase in visitors and lack of facilities ended with a disgusting issue of human fecal matter left around popular climbing routes.
Part of the problem is people coming unprepared to deal with their waste, while the other is rocky climbing routes with few areas to stop and dig a hole.
The Squamish Access Society, a conservation group focused on protecting climbing access, say they are adding poop bags to the area.
The WAG (Waste Alleviation and Gelling) bag program “provides climbers with convenient waste disposal solutions, reducing human fecal contamination in our parks.”
The group says toilet paper and hand sanitizer are also available. The eco-friendly program aims to alleviate the unhealthy issues at the climbing destination.
“Most climbers are responsible and good at taking care of this issue, but there’s always going to be people caught out in an unfortunate situation and not prepared,” Ryan Tucker from the Squamish Access Society told local media about the problem.
Advocates say the issue has also become a problem for nearby hikers and their dogs.
Anyone visiting the outdoors should follow proper Leave No Trace principles.
