Wag Bags should be part of your climbing kit

It has happened to all of us. You head out early to the crag, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (thanks to that caffeinated beverage in your hand), hoping the project is no match for your new gym training regiment. As you march up the trail, the excitement gives you butterflies in your stomach, at least you think those are butterflies. You reach the cliff and throw on a harness and shoes, no time to waste, but as soon as the figure eight is finished the grumbles and rumbles from deep within give you a moment of pause. Uh-oh, it’s 💩 time. Do you have a plan?

Everyone poops, and sometimes it has to happen at the crag, boulder field, or alpine wall. With so many climbers in the Front Range it doesn’t take long for popular climbing areas to literally be covered in human feces throughout a season. Not only is this gross, it’s bad for the environment. Human waste, especially when concentrated, can pollute watersheds and negatively affect wildlife. It can also lead to access issues from land managers who are left trying to deal with a minefield of cat holes. These days the accepted way to deal with 💩 at climbing areas is by packing it out and disposing of it properly. 

Here at the BCC, we think wag bags are the best strategy for dealing with human waste when established toilets and porta-potties are not available. Each year we spend thousands of dollars to provide bags for the climbing community, free of charge. We do this in a few different ways. First, we install and stock crag stations at various popular crags in the Boulder/Golden area. These stations are meant for emergencies at the specific crag and any climbers who find themselves in need should take and use one. Second, we have installed new kiosks at numerous gyms in the Front Range that include wag bags for BCC supporters. These bags are meant to be taken and carried in a pack until duty calls while out climbing. We all want our crags to be as clean and healthy as possible so doing your part to manage human waste is a critical task as climbing continues to grow.

Try as we might, BCC can’t get wag bags into the hands of every single person who visits Front Range crags. That is why we believe that climbers need to start thinking about wag bags as essential kit for a day of climbing. Just like you wouldn’t leave your chalk bag or climbing shoes behind for a day of cragging, you should always pack a wag bag when heading out to the cliff. As climbers, we buy all sorts of little things that make our experience better–chalk, tape, crack gloves, brushes–wag bags should be included in that list. We are fortunate to have quality gear shops in our area like Neptune Mountaineering, Rock and Resole, and Bentgate Mountaineering that all stock wag bags for purchase. If every climber made a point to have a wag bag on them as part of their “poop plan”, our crags would be much cleaner and the climbing experience would be better for everyone.

We hope that as you are packing your bag for your next climbing adventure you remember to be a responsible climber and throw in a wag bag. We also hope that you support the BCC in our mission to provide as many wag bags as possible to the community, because 💩 emergencies happen. A part of every membership and donation goes toward supporting our wag bag program through crag stations and gym kiosks. 

PS. Never used a wag bag? Get the beta from our friends over at the Access Fund!