Every year, more than 1,000 climbers head to Alaska to attempt a difficult and potentially dangerous feat—climbing Denali, the tallest mountain in North America. The grueling journey to the summit and back typically takes 18 to 21 days. Climbers must carry heavy packs up steep, frozen slopes while steering clear of deep crevasses. These cracks in the ice can plummet 120 meters (394 feet) straight down. During the ascent, climbers face extreme cold and high altitudes that can make it difficult to breathe. There’s also a challenge of a less-risky sort: where to go to the bathroom on an ice-covered mountain.
For decades, climbers dug holes called latrines in the ice or tossed their feces into crevasses, where it would never be seen again . . . or so they thought. Now scientists believe all that waste will soon reappear farther down the mountain. That’s because the glaciers that cover Denali are always on the move. Over time, the weight of the ice causes it to flow down the mountainside—carrying tons of left-behind poop with it.
Every year, more than 1,000 climbers head to Alaska to try a difficult and dangerous feat. They aim to climb Denali, the tallest mountain in North America. The tough journey to the summit and back usually takes 18 to 21 days. Climbers must carry heavy packs up steep, frozen slopes. They also must steer clear of deep crevasses. These cracks in the ice can drop 120 meters (394 feet) straight down. During the trek, climbers face extreme cold. High altitudes can make it hard to breathe. There’s also a less risky challenge. Where do you go to the bathroom on an ice-covered mountain?
For decades, climbers dug holes called latrines in the ice. They also tossed their feces into crevasses. There, it would never be seen again. At least, that’s what they thought. Now scientists believe all that waste will reappear soon, farther downhill. That’s because glaciers cover Denali, and they’re always moving. Over time, the weight of the ice causes it to flow down the mountain. And it’s carrying tons of left-behind poop with it.