2020 WASN'T A WASTE

BY ALLI DEL GIZZI

Alli started with CCWC in July 2020​​

Backcountry waste management isn’t the most appealing of dinner conversations, but its impacts are far reaching, particularly as tourism and recreation increase throughout our watersheds.

In 2020, CCWC partnered with the Town of Crested Butte, the US Forest Service, and the National Forest Foundation to install a permanent structure with two vault toilets in the Washington Gulch Watershed, about 1.6 miles past the Long Lake Trailhead.

Based on pumping records from portable toilets at nearby sites, CCWC expects the new permanent toilets will intercept about 800 pounds of human waste each year. By capturing this waste in an appropriate facility, the project protects watershed health, water quality, and improves the recreational experience.