The source of contamination may not be from humans, but water samples taken from remote Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness lakes still contain fecal bacteria.
“I was expecting to find more human evidence because of the surface turds we ran into all the time,” said Dan Pendergraph.
Pendergraph sampled water from 21 wilderness lakes and two Granite Peak snowmelt streams as part of his graduate thesis in environmental sciences at the University of Montana in 2018. The results of his research were recently published in the official journal of the Wilderness Medical Society.
“Total coliforms were detected at all lake outlets … and E coli was detected at 11 of 21 sites,” according to Pendergraph’s analysis.
Bacteria
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Using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction assays to further refine the analysis revealed “the presence of human feces-derived microorganisms, albeit at (low) abundances.” That means most of the positive tests for bacteria came from animals – which could include pets and livestock – as well as wildlife.
“Our results suggest low prevalence of water-borne pathogens (specifically E. coli and human-derived Bacteroides) in this popular wilderness area,” the study concluded.
“It was nice to see there wasn’t as much contamination as I thought,” Pendergraph said.
Coliforms are bacteria that live in animal and human digestive systems and are released into the environment from their feces. E. coli is a subgroup of coliform bacteria. Such bacteria can make people sick if they are ingested, either from unclean hands contaminating surfaces or food, or from drinking tainted water.
“It’s just a snapshot,” Pendergraph added. “It doesn’t reveal what goes on over the course of the summer.”
Use
Lost Lake in the Lake Fork of Rock Creek drainage and Elk Lake in the East Rosebud drainage were the two lakes with the highest concentrations of bacteria. Elk Lake made sense because it’s such a popular spot, Pendergraph said, the first lake along the Beaten Path on the east side.
He said it would be interesting to return to a popular, lake-filled trail like the Beaten Path and sample the water throughout the summer to see how or if it changes over time. Especially now since visitation to the area has increased.
A Forest Service trail counter at the East Rosebud trailhead recorded a nearly 50% increase in "average daily traffic" between 2019 and 2020 (from 106 hikers per day to 149 hikers a day), according to Patrick Cross, executive director of the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness Foundation. That compares to 73 hikers a day in 2016.
Water
Pendergraph’s analysis reinforces the importance for backpackers, hikers and other wilderness users to filter their water. Pendergraph uses a Katadyn pump filter when he’s in the woods, although he’s tried ones with a ceramic filter, chemicals, iodine and a pen that beams ultraviolet light.
“I’ve used it all,” he said, noting that chemical mixtures are like science experiments and iodine adds an unpleasant taste.
Luckily, he’s never gotten sick because of the precautions he’s taken to filter and treat his water, but it’s not an uncommon backcountry ailment.
The bacteria giardia is well known for infecting hikers, causing an affliction sometimes referred to as “beaver fever” since it can be transmitted by beavers.
“I’ve known plenty of people who have gotten the beaver fever,” Pendergraph said, including Forest Service workers and hunting guides.
Rules
Backcountry regulations and the Leave No Trace ethic recommend human waste be disposed in 6- to 8-inch deep “cat holes” at least 200 feet away from water sources in inconspicuous places where others aren’t likely to congregate or camp.
“Whether or not it contaminates the water, it’s unpleasant to look at,” Pendergraph said.
As forest use has climbed during the COVID-19 pandemic and with many of those users unfamiliar with proper backcountry behavior, unpleasant toilet paper and poop piles have become more common in many areas.
"We have been seeing an increase in improper human waste disposal in popular backcountry camping areas," said Melissa Simpson, recreation program manager for the Custer Gallatin National Forest. "We are seeing unburied human waste and toilet paper, especially in areas that are very rocky and near lake shores where it is difficult to dig a cathole."
More restrictive regulations like requiring overnight users to pack commercial products like WAG (Waste Alleviation and Gelling) Bags for their waste aren’t common yet, except in high elevation areas where it’s near impossible to dig a hole or there’s heavy use.
"We have not been having in depth discussions on WAG Bags yet, but there may be a couple of key areas in the near future where we explore that option," Simpson said. "We currently focus on Leave no Trace messaging and educating visitors. "
The Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness Foundation, which conducts trail work in the forest, uses a portable latrine that the Beartooth Back Country Horsemen pack in for their crew, Cross said.
“Our volunteer trail ambassadors, who post up at popular trailheads around the wilderness, do hand out WAG Bags and (more importantly) talk to visitors about the importance of proper waste disposal, especially as it relates to water quality,” Cross said.
Bag it
Boaters on Montana’s Smith River could be required to pack out their waste in the future as Montana State Parks re-examines its management plan for the popular 60-mile float. Pendergraph said he thinks some areas of the Beartooths should require WAG Bags. One of the unpleasant tasks backcountry rangers often perform is properly burying human waste near campsites, derogatively known as the poop patrol.
Granite Peak, the state’s highest mountain at 12,807 feet, is one place where mountain climbers can find it difficult to dig a “cat hole” for their waste. Some guides who take trekkers to the peak require their clients to use WAG Bags. Climbers of Mount Rainier in Washington, Denali in Alaska and Shasta in California are required to pack out their waste.
In 2006 Mount Whitney in California’s Inyo National Forest began requiring visitors to pack out their waste, an amount estimated at 7,000 to 8,000 pounds of poop a year.
“You can almost guess which tree you will find a pile of toilet paper behind at every popular lake – but I think things are improving as groups like ABWF and others work to get the word out about wilderness ethics,” Cross said.
Improper dish washing and fish gut disposal around popular campsites are other backcountry behavior problems ABWF folks encounter, Cross said. He and Simpson also cited improper disposal of dog waste – either not cleaning up after their pets or leaving bags scattered along a trail – as a growing problem. Friends of Hyalite even organizes a poop pickup day in the spring and the Forest Service has paid contractors to help clean up.
"It's a growing problem that is difficult to manage," Simpson said.
Cross agreed, saying, “We are making sure our volunteer trail ambassadors are prepared to talk to folks about these issues too – just a few easy steps will help keep the wilderness pristine while ensuring a top-quality experience for the next visitor.”