Backcountry Hygiene

I was accused earlier of smelling like a chicken butt and that got me to thinking: What does everyone do to keep the funk down when you're out on the trail?

I'm usually solo, so here's my typical routine:

Dry Camp: If I have a campsite which is extremely out of sight of the trail, I have been known to "air out" everything at the end of the day. ("Please don't let a bear show up now!") It's a good chance to let your body totally dry off as well as your clothes. Right now, I'm swapping back and forth between my current wet wipes (the biodegradable-in-10-days type from Wal-mart) and alcohol soaked cotton balls. I like carrying the wet wipes (just enough for the trip, not the whole heavy package) but I get "cleaner" with the alcohol balls. Whichever I use, I typically do a good wipe-down/tick check at the end of the day, throw on dry clothes and that's pretty much it. I don't carry deodorant when I'm solo because I've never found any that doesn't attract insects, and because I don't care if I stink at the end of the day. If water is really low, I will wait until morning to brush my teeth. Otherwise, I brush my teeth and go to bed, then repeat the whole thing in the morning.

Wet Camp: The "air out" procedure is the same. If I'm close to a clean swimming hole (downstream from my drinking source) and the weather permits, I'll take a dip to cool off and be refreshed. I will normally do the wipe down process after this to make sure I didn't pick up any cooties in the water. Also, If I have any open wounds, even small scratches, I might skip the dip to avoid any cooties entering my body. If it's hot enough though and if the water is moving well/doesn't show any signs of contamination, I will usually go for it. In the morning, I will break out a Nalgene (which I filled last night and kept warm in my tent all night) and I'll wash my hair. I carry a tiny bottle of biodegradable soap just for this. I don't know why, but having a nice clean head first thing in the morning just starts my day off right. Then I do the normal wipe down and head off.

How about you? Or do you just prefer to smell like a chicken butt the whole time?

Hey, chick..er, I mean Jay,
Hope you didn't take offense to the chicken butt reference. Just could'nt pass it up. LOL..
I do the same as you as far as bringing wet wipes. They work good for an overnight trip. For longer trips, I carry a small 1-oz bottle of biodegradable soap and will take a "cup" bath. A little water goes a long way towards making one feel clean.
UL

Go to walmart and buy you some Parmanone, has a blue top, spray can. Even if the little bugger, ticks, skeeters, flys, light on you then they will die. You spray only on your clothing. Pants, shirt, even top of socks. When I do this I have no problems, even with deoderant. Also it will last up to 14 days even with repeated washings.

Wow,
I feel real dirty right now. In my whole outdoor carrer out on the trail, with dayhikers, weekenders, or thru-hikers, and I am talking I have hiked with at least a hundred different people for many lengths. Maybe only 3% brought any type of soap to wash up, toothpaste but no soap. When your out there, your out there, that is including your smell too. I guess we all never really noticed because we ALL stank like chicken but. I wipe down daily with clean filtered water and kept myself dry and that has helped keep the stink down on me. I guess I just don't care about smelling good on the trail because noone else I ever hiked with or met did either. One less thing to carry too. When I'm out there in the backcountry enjoying its beauty and splendor the last thing on my mind is what i am going to smell like at the end of the day. I know I am going to get dirty and stinky and sometimes I smell myself and say mmmm, now that is the smell of a true outdoorsman.

Isn't it funny how everyone has there own little idiosyncrasies out there? I totally understand what you mean snow. As for me, I kinda like some stink too. Reminds me that I'm "earning" it. (And in fact, I've heard it can help keep the bears away.)

But I also hate feeling "sticky" when I lay down to sleep at night. Nothing like a good freshening up to reinvigorate a tired hiker.