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Hammertime
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Meeds lake West Island in July 2021.
When we showed up the rangers were digging a brand new one and filling in the old site.
Getting first crack at a fresh latrine is hard to beat!
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highplainsdrifter
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It is nice to see my old post brought back to life. Thank you B,B&G for recents posts. My faith has been restored that there are true latrine aficionados out there :)
I don’t hide my feelings. It was a sad day to run into the new and improved USFS latrine. Where the heck is tradition?
The new latrines are an abomination on the land...... look like they belong on an airplane. The designer needs to be run out of the woods on a rail (or forced to dig latrine pits summer after summer
This picture was taken by my son on Pillsbery Lake September 18, 2008. I will spare you the campsite to shield you from this outrage (you have a 50/50 chance on guessing the site).
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Geezerboy
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Fishguts, I have to agree with you in principle but after an experience on Bass lake near lake Nippissing I can see the wisdom of having a fixed latrine site. we were going to make camp on a particularly beautiful campsite that we knew about. Arriving at the site we were appalled to find human feces everywhere. By that I mean out in the open next to the tent pads and several um, er, "piles right next to the fire ring. Must have been twenty to twenty five piles in an area only big enough for three tents. They all appeared to have the same degree of deterioration so we had to believe they were made by one group. Fortunately I've never run across anything like this in the BW. I can only attribute that to the permanent latrine sites that make the decision of where to do your "business' a moot point.
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fishguts
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Geezerboy,
That is appalling! Some humans should not be allowed in wilderness settings....we ran across a campsite like that in Quetico once....disgusting...no excuse for such behavior!
We just went up to our cabin in the woods here in Oregon....no running water or electricity, here is a picture of our out....there is no house.  
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Pinetree
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LindenTree: "A Superior NF Ranger buddy of mine went to check campers on Insula Lake one time. When he approached he saw them filleting a fish on a wooden board at their campsite. He did not tell the party that they were using a board from the old latrine that used to be on that site."
a=ooh- a little more added flavor.
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lundojam
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Best pooper view.llc
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analyzer
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TuscaroraBorealis: "  Little Crab Lake
Not necessarily my favorite but, certainly the most surprising. :)
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Wow, what animal is that? Is that a fisher, or pine martin or something? Kinda looks like it has a pup in there too. Gross, but probably warm I suppose. I'm assuming it was alive.
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TuscaroraBorealis
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analyzer: "TuscaroraBorealis: " Little Crab Lake
Not necessarily my favorite but, certainly the most surprising. :)
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Wow, what animal is that? Is that a fisher, or pine martin or something? Kinda looks like it has a pup in there too. Gross, but probably warm I suppose. I'm assuming it was alive. "
Nope it was deceased! You can't see it in this photo but, the outside of the box was completely spackled with 'mud' from an obviously unsuccessful extraction. My guess was there was something (food?) that probably inadvertently lured the animal down there; and after going down to get it, was unfortunately unable to escape. Good reminder why not to throw anything down there.
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deerfoot
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Very amusing thread. And I have to say I really appreciate it when the USFS considers the view when siting thunderboxes.
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TuscaroraBorealis
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Little Crab Lake
Not necessarily my favorite but, certainly the most surprising. :)
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LindenTree
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A Superior NF Ranger buddy of mine went to check campers on Insula Lake one time. When he approached he saw them filleting a fish on a wooden board at their campsite. He did not tell the party that they were using a board from the old latrine that used to be on that site.
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marc bates
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My favorite is on the Island site on Ramshead. It sits way up high and gives a great view and you can watch canoes go by, if there are any, without them seeing you. Lack of use also kept the smell way down.
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Stumpy
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TuscaroraBorealis: " Little Crab Lake
Not necessarily my favorite but, certainly the most surprising. :)
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Poor Pine Marten.....sad way to go.
As for going late at night....
At 16 or 17, I would have been scared Sh*tless..... No pun indented.
But now much older, I actually enjoy sitting out there in the dark listening to the night sounds.
And todays good headlamps make some of work much easier than holding a flashlight.
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Pinetree
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lot of talk about latrines lately(people must be getting bored and yes us older crowd needing them more.) Well heres much on shape and when.
You can see I am in flashback mode on topics today
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RT
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Savage Voyageur
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 I found this one on Ensign lake.
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Speckled
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lundojam: "
Best pooper view.llc"
North Arm Knife Lake?
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quark2222
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Hammertime: "Meeds lake West Island in July 2021.
When we showed up the rangers were digging a brand new one and filling in the old site.
Getting first crack at a fresh latrine is hard to beat!"
My son and I had a crack at that new latrine the last week of July in 2021. Thanks for the memory . . .
Tomster (quark2222)
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ZaSquatch
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Boulder Pass backcountry campsite Glacier National Park 
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firftr911
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We camped at a site on Oyster that had a small pine tree right by the latrine that acted has a natural air freshener.
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Ozarker
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My favorite is the one that's close when I need it!
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overthehill
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Peepin' through the quarter moon I would hum a happy tune. That lil' brown shack out back so dear to me! Like a snowbird on its nest I would snuggle down to rest, and read the Sears&Roebuck catalog.......should have posted this in "favorite song" thread. :)
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BigZig
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HPD - I "visited" this latrine in May 2005. I think the foot rest was different from your photo. I actually missed that you posted it too. The view was really remarkable. Yes my Brittany is tent-broken but not ranger-boxed. She is kind of curious though.
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HighPlainsDrifter
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I did a search on latrines, and was a bit surprised that this topic had not really been explored. I suppose the topic might be taboo, but fess up, I bet some of you have a favorite one. So, here is the spot to post a picture of your favorite latrine.
After thinking about the latrine, I made some changes today (10/24) to my original post.
The discovery of the latrine, nestled far back along a lonely trail, always creates a sense of wonderment. Each are different. Some are downright difficult to find. Each took hours of painful work to install. So you walk the trail. You expect it. You know it is there, but where? Then you spot it...... a lonely little monument to the hands of man nestled in a most unexpected place.
I often say to myself, I ain't going up this trail in the dark (and you hope nature does not call at that hour). The fire grate and tent pad (essential to camp) hold a place of honor up front....... you gaze out on the lake. What a beautiful spot. Out back, the ugly sister, sits. It is just as essential. The setting can make a great spot for contemplation of the forest (if the skeeters ain't bad and the day is without rain).
We have a great collection of latrine pictures (Between my tripping buddies (Matthew, Danielle, and Nate). I guess we are amused by little things. But the dang things are so unique (and funny) sitting out in the forest waiting......
I found this throne on the north side of Little Trout Lake. It didn't look like much until I turned around and sat down. Now that was a great view of the lake (note the old burn). But hey, this baby was really comfy. No chipped edges and it was unlike the other fiber glass thrones. Note that this old style is different color and the surface is textured. Also note the great foot log. Whoever put this in, knew how to do it
Footnote: I do not care for those new "high tech" square models. Simple is best.
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cowdoc
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I was perched on a latrine up on the Knife once and was thinking to myself what a wonderful view it was.....until the group paddling below me waved!?!?
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Dennisal
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Any out there furnished with a ventilation fan? I took my grandson on his first trip to the BW this year.. Camped on Lake Three.. he was holding off as long as he could to use the latrine.. and then the third day had to go. You could hear the echo of the gagging miles away. I think he had something coming out of both ends.. 
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bapabear
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I agree with Ozarker - the closest one is my favorite. Whatever moves you.
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watermark
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Favorites:
There's a latrine at a campsite way up on Lac La Croix... ...someone had installed a toilet flush handle on the side of the latrine box. It was so funny that I took a picture of it, and it's in a scrap-book (the picture, that is). Buggy spot, no view, but the flush handle made it a favorite.
Views... ...there's an island on Seagull Lake that has a throne with a view - very nice.
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izzy
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I had a favorite one on Alpine but it burned in the Cavity Lake fire. Great view of the lake. I spent about 6 hours there one night after eating some bad Polish Sausage. Wonderful view of the lake and stars. Izzy
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Kiporby
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My favorite so far is one on an island on Seagull Lake. Way up on the hill in a burn area. Great view.
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greenydd
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on our trip last may we stayed at north temperance and the latrine there was in the middle of 100 downed trees! but....it had a stump for my coffee cup, a place to rest my book, and a toilet paper holder! :o)
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fishnfreak
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favorite latrine is on a campsite that I marked in the map section on Boulder bay. Sits high up on a hill with a 360 view of the lake. You can't see the johnny fron the water, if that is concern
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Pirate
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Wow! And pictures to boot! Well; I'll bite (figuratively speaking of course)!
Your favorite crapper ought to be the one that's there.
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moose plums
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Funny one Cowdoc!!!!! Years ago, back in the days of the wooden latrines, there was this particular latrine, on a site on Insula, that has alot to do with my name on this site. Inscribed under the lid, beneath a large drawing of bullwinkle, in great big letters, were the words "THE MOOSE IS LOOSE". How I miss those nice damp wooden latrines!!!!
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Spartan2
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Well, I DON'T miss the old slimy wooden ones! And personally, I usually leave the lid open, as I think they smell less if the lids are open and they don't "cook" in the sun all closed up. After many years of BWCA tripping, I have come to the conclusion that I much prefer the open latrines to a standard outhouse or a porta-potty--now THOSE really smell intense to me! :-(
UncleMoose, the rose garden is lovely. I have found, though, that sometimes those beautiful ones come accompanied by a huge complement of bees! Can make a trip in the sunshine a daunting adventure!
My favorite of all time, I think, is at the southernmost campsite on Cherokee. It is a site with a big sitting rock that juts out into the lake. The biffy trail goes straight up the hill and the throne sits 'way up high with a view of the lake that is a lovely panorama. It was the first site I ever took a camera to with the serious intention of photographing the view FROM the latrine! I had one of those old disposable panoramic cameras. This was on our long trip (22 days) in 1992, although we have visited the site once in the years since. I can't really scan the photo without messing up my album, so I'll pass on that. It is pretty faded anyway. And, in actuality, it is just a panorama of the woods and the lake at the bottom of the hill, with our tent visible, too. Of course you can't tell where the photographer was sitting when she snapped the shot. Thankfully.
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UncleMoose
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This one on Tuscarora was lined with wild roses, almost as if they were intentionally planted there. One could feel like royalty upon this throne.
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Jeriatric
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I recall one or two latrines (at least one of them was on the big Crooked Lake) with lids. I like those because the lids, if used, lessen the likelihood of wasps setting up housekeeping in the latrines. Although I have several pictures of BW latrines, I didn't get one of a lidded dunny.
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The Great Outdoors
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I cannot believe this topic made it this far!!!
Maybe if it was late March after a lonnnnnnnnnng winter, cabin fever had set in and everyone was beginning to lose it (like in "The Shining")I could see it.
But only the third week of October, sheeeeeeeeeeesh!!!
I'm thinking a forum psychiatrist is long overdue!!
Cowdoc, ever think of expanding into a new field?? :)
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drifertagalong
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Sorry about the the person in it (hpd) but i am quite fond of this gem i found on little saginaga
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Camp Cook
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While I can't say that I have favorite latrine, I did once have a pretty remarkable experience while using a latrine (insert joke here). In early June of this year, at a camp on Hudson, I watched a spruce grouse drum and dance on a dead fall about fifteen feet from where I was, um, sitting. It was a display that I won't soon forget and lasted about ten minutes. The only downfall was that because I did not want to move, for fear of flushing the grouse, I was left significantly exposed to the bumper crop of blood suckers... I had welts for a week.
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soledad
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The ones with plants growing in them are my favorite! Unless of course those plants are poison ivy. 
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BigZig
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I really liked this one at the campsite on Little Trout Lake next to the portage to Misquah. It is up high and offered a great view. 
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highplainsdrifter
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Bigzig
Now what are the chances that two members of BWCA.com post a picture of the same "favorite latrine"? In this case, the throne at Little Trout next to the Misquah portage. How about that?
Were you testing me or did you not recognize my close up picture of the pot? From the looks of the vegetation you were in there early in the season
So, is your dog potty trained? She (or he) sure looks expectant.
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paddleaway
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Fantastic topic. Never thought I'd get to share my favorite latrine on the boards, but there it is.
This is a picture of the potty on the island campsite of Omega Lake. Great camp site, high off the water, with a nice landing, & a good place to "drop bombs" as my paddling partner put it. The two logs on either side, when dry, made a great place to stand up & let fly.
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Georgiaboy
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Kiporby,
You beat me too it. The one on Seagull was my favorite too. You could sit up there and watch the canoes go by. Better than reading a book.
A plus also no bugs!
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L.T.sully
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Any one where my butt doesn't have 1000 skeeter bites on it by the time I've left.
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bellolake
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One of the island sites on south end of Lake 3. Set in the middle of a cedar grove, not too buggy.
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highplainsdrifter
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aw come on TGO, loosen up........... hmmmm, that was a bad choice of words for this topic :)
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snakecharmer
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A few deep thoughts were thunk from atop this Lac La Croix latrine. I don't recall exactly which site it serves. But I enjoyed the openness and pine needle carpet this facility offers.
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Ho Ho
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I'm mostly a Quetico guy, which means that the "latrine" is where I put it. That has it's ups and downs. Some sites don't have great options, and you long for the permanent fixture you get in the BW. On the best days, though, you have a nice open pine forest high on a ridge with a great view. Yeeee haw!
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fishguts
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There are none in Quetico..........that's the best kind.
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Corsair
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Great topic! I have to say the best one I can remember is on the Island in Adams Lake.
Nice and open and down wind!
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DeterminedOrange
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Great topic HPD! I thought I might be the only one with a tradition of saving a memories of those brown beauties. It was tough to pick a favorite, I have seen several in the wide open or buried in the brush and even one with a bees nest started in it. Watch out!
I decided to pick one that was memorable due to its history. This one is on Swan Lake at the site of the old logging camp. In fact, it is next to the old railroad grade, right on top of a raised area of land that might be an old building foundation. Probably was a nice easy place to dig the hole.
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Geezerboy
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Don't have any pictures, but I stand in awe of those of you who were sufficiently moved to snap a photo of a latrine, biffy, crapper, or whatever you term you're comfortable with. But up on disappointment lake, I was busy using the facility there(How's that for being pc??) when a squirrel began pelting me with pine nuts. The little rascal ignored my shouts of protest and kept winging them down at me from a height of twenty five or thirty feet with admirable accuracy. Totally broke my concentration and those things do sting a little bit when they hit your bare, hmm, ah, er, well you know what I mean.
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Grandma L
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Hey Corsair, I agree. Adams island latrine is great.
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BigLake
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"My favorite is on the Island site on Ramshead. It sits way up high and gives a great view and you can watch canoes go by, if there are any, without them seeing you. Lack of use also kept the smell way down."
Use to camp on the island on Ramshead all the time starting back in the late 70's. Last trip to the lake was 1999 and somebody was on the island so we had to camp somewhere else. We saw the campers pack up and leave and later in the day decided to go check it out for old times sake. Walking up the hill to the camp site we run smack dab into somebody using this area to do the dirty deed. After quickly pulling his pants up the gentlemen asked us what a guy had to do to get some privacy around here. We said maybe the next time you should use the latrine instead of dumping at the camp site and pointed to the trail that went up the hill. He looked at us and said that is what I'm talking about. I was up there just about ready to go when this moose came by and and I nearly went in my pants. I had to go real bad so I came back here and then you two interrupted me. I wanted to see the moose so I headed up the trail and sure enough hanging out by the latrine was a big female moose.
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tmcd
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On the Manotowish river In North Wisco,one campsite had a stainless steel latrine with a bullit hole shot right threw both metal sides, I have always wondered, was the latrine shot when someone was sitting on it doing there business. That would get you moving ,no pun intended, Tom
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Bromel
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There is a latrine on the southern shore of Birch Lake (the one on the border, east of Moose Lake) that has an AMAZING view. You have to walk up the hill quite a ways to get to it. And when you sit down, you are rewarded with a great view of the lake as you look through the birch trees. I have fond memories of spending extra time up there to watch canoe parties slowly paddle by. Little did they know they were being watched. I am sure that some of you veterans know about this latrine too. It's unforgettable.
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Bannock
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Little did you know - you were, too. :)
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Pinetree
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It amazes me how many people comment on this subject. But I guess over Our lifetime we must have spent at least a couple of years sitting there. Probably our second-most favorite chair?
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nctry
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Savage Voyageur: " I found this one on Ensign lake. "
Quite the throne... some of the surprises you come across out there makes you wonder how people treat or clean their bathrooms at home....
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