It’s important to follow all Leave No Trace principles when recreating outside. Following proper bathroom etiquette is especially important as human waste can pollute water sources and spread diseases. Learn about when, where and how to use your PACT Kit below.
If you have to go and there is no official bathroom, such as a trailhead or visitor center bathroom, you might need to break out of your PACT Kit. However, there a few things to consider first. Depending on the area, you can bury or pack your waste out. Consider the environment you’re in. Is it a forest or a desert? Are you below tree line or in the alpine? Forests and environments with lots of trees have soil that is full of micro-organisms, meaning poop can break down quicker. Deserts and the alpine are drier and rockier; poop won’t decompose as fast. Some places, like national parks or areas that get a high volume of visitors, require you to pack your poop out regardless of the ecosystem. Always research where you’ll be recreating ahead of time to know for sure. Come prepared and follow all regulations.
Always follow Leave No Trace when relieving yourself outside. If you are in an environment where you can bury your poop, make sure you’re 200 feet (which is about 70 adult paces) from water sources, camp and trails. Choose an inconspicuous spot that isn’t highly trafficked to dig your cat hole. When you’re done, make sure you cover the hole completely.
PACT Kits have everything you need to cleanly and safely “go” outside. Use the shovel in your PACT Kit to dig a cat hole, which should be at least six inches deep (look for the handy marker on your shovel that measures six inches) and four inches across. Use a little bit of water to expand a wipe. Once you’re done, put the wipe in the cat hole with a few tabs and cover the hole completely. Watch this video to learn more.
“Doo” Colorado Right is an initiative by PACT Outdoors, Gunnison Crested Butte and the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) to reduce waste in the outdoors. PACT created the PACT Kit as a way to combat the growing problem of overuse in the outdoors. They noticed that with more people using the outdoors, poop was becoming a bigger problem. PACT hopes to educate people and give them the tools to responsibly enjoy the outdoors. This campaign also lines up with the statewide Do Colorado Right campaign. This campaign encourages visitors and locals to behave responsibly in Colorado’s outdoors. The “Doo” Colorado Right initiative will distribute PACT Kits to welcome centers and trail organizations across the state. They will then be given out to visitors and trail users.
The goal of “Doo” Colorado Right is to steward the trails in Gunnison and Crested Butte, as well as all of Colorado. We hope it will also help educate visitors and locals on proper outdoor bathroom etiquette so trails can continue to be used and enjoyed for many years to come. Trails organizations in Crested Butte and Gunnison such as the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association (CBMBA), Gunnison Trails, and the Sustainable Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee (STOR) have been working to build and maintain trails for years. “Doo” Colorado Right is meant to build on and support this work.
PACT Outdoors participated in the 2021 Moosejaw Outdoor Accelerator (MOA) at the [email protected] MOA helps entrepreneurs with innovative products grow their outdoor industry businesses. PACT is headquartered in Crested Butte and is part of a growing group of entrepreneurs running outdoor industry businesses in the Gunnison Valley. The Gunnison Valley is home to over two million acres of public lands. Practically every kind of outdoor recreation is available in the area. This makes Gunnison and Crested Butte a unique place for outdoor industry businesses to grow. PACT is just one example of an outdoor company living and working in a place that aligns with their business goals and passions. With resources like the [email protected], Blister Labs, the Rady School at Western Colorado University and the Small Business Development Center, the Gunnison Valley is positioned to be an outdoor industry hub.
PACT Kits are being distributed across Colorado to visitor centers and trail organizations. Here is a list of places you can request one. As a thank you, consider volunteering with a trail organization or making a donation to help them continue the work they do.
The Gunnison Valley has over two million acres of public lands and 1200+ miles of trails (800 are singeltrack!). Enjoy hiking, mountain biking, e-biking, OHV, gravel biking, horseback riding and more. Use our trip planning guide to learn about visiting Gunnison and Crested Butte. Use our direct booking tool to find a place to stay, book flights for getting here and make a list of things to do.