BASIC TRIP INFORMATION
RIVER INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW* (continued)
HUMAN WASTE AND CAMPFIRE REGULATIONS: The National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management require that ALL solid human waste (feces) and all campfire charcoal be hauled out of Canyonlands National Park and Labyrinth Canyon. The rivers and surrounding desert canyons of this land are beautiful but fragile places. They have unique ecosystems which require special care and understanding.
Waste deposit and storage systems are quite sanitary and convenient. They are also relatively compact and odor free. The current regulation requires that all parties traveling along The Green and Colorado Rivers will use a waste haul out system which will enable the group to pack out all human solid waste and at trips end dispose of the waste through authorized sewer systems, i.e., RV dump stations or by flushing down sewer clean outs.
Systems using plastic bag liners are no longer allowed as they are not compatible with these disposal regulations. Under no circumstances is burial of feces allowed for river runners. The Outfitter will outfit groups of any size with a complete waste system including: toilet seat, waste container, and deodorizing chemicals. The only item YOU NEED TO BRING is TOILET PAPER. The system is completely self-contained, very sturdy, and designed for commercial use. Instruction on use of the system will be provided in person immediately prior to your trip beginning.
CAMPFIRES: A fire pan is required for all wood and charcoal fires. The pan can be any HEAVY metal container with a lip high enough to hold the ashes. A fire pan is intended to replace a fire pit or fire ring. All campfires should be built small enough as to be completely contained within the fire pan. When breaking camp, we are all faced with the problem of what to do with the remains of the campfire. As all floatable unburned residue must be carried out, the following procedure is recommended:
1) After allowing the morning fire to burn down, fill a bucket about 3/4 full of water. Shovel the fire pan residue into the bucket in small amounts, stirring slowly.
2) Remove the pieces that float, putting them in a sturdy container for carryout or for burning in the next day's fire. Repeat the process until the fire pan is empty.
3) The residue that will sink to the bottom of the bucket can be disposed of in the main current of the river along with the remaining water.
4) The disposal of ash in the river's backwaters may have a detrimental effect on young endangered squaw fish, thus the necessity of dumping ash only in the main river channel for maximum dilution. This will most often require dumping the ash bucket from the boat after launching rather than dumping it while on shore.