This was calculated by a back country sanitation engineer. It's an average figure for the Rubicon during peak season. It's hard to imagine. Think of it as pile of 18 jeeps stacked on top of each other. That's a lot.
Because the Rubicon has no installed toilets, this waste is either left behind or hauled out by us, the users. But you ask, why can't we just bury it along the trail? Well, if you've been out there during busy summer seasons, you know a couple things; 1) we can't always find ground soft enough to dig a hole (where there's no granite); and 2) not everyone carries a shovel even if they could dig; and 3) most importantly, the Rubicon resides in a very sensitive area (with drainages that flow to Lake Tahoe and the America River), and waste products can make their way to water tables through rain and runoff.
We cannot afford to let this close our trail. The anti-access crowd would be happy to include this as a reason to close our trail someday. We can prevent this. WE can pack it out.
You can carry the best answer: a Pett toilet system with privacy tent.
You can use an Outback Pack, cardboard toilet, and combine this with Wag Bags from the Pett system as this makes the results landfill and dumpster safe.
You can dig a small hole and use the Pett Wag Bag in it (with the landfill safe results).
You can use the plastic bucket (rubi-can).
But whatever you do, PACK IT OUT starting now, this trip.
