I'm glad you didn't wash dishes in the stream or lake as some beginners do.
That would have involved hiking downhill (straight) a couple of hundred feet, or about half a mile down the trail...
We're not new to camping, just exploring new ways to do it!
The old-fashioned camp dishwashing method that I learned at my mother's knee required a washbasin. We horse-packed, so weight wasn't so critical. A kettle could substitute. She washed the dishes in a small amount of soap (not detergent) in really hot water, and I dried each item as soon as she washed it, without rinsing. The idea was to wipe thoroughly to remove any soap. I don't remember anything ever tasting soapy. The soapy water was, of course, dumped a long way from the campsite and from any water source. It is recommended that you filter the dishwater through a piece of paper towel or a coffee filter to remove the food particles, which you pack out.
Hmm... this would work, and boiling the little bit of water would help to soften anything stuck to the pot that might need it. We're still getting used to the new stove!
Your wet-wipes sound like a great idea for a short trip, and I plan to try it! The weight of the wipes would be an issue for long trips, though. You could let the used wipes sit out for a few minutes to dry afterwards to reduce your garbage weight. I hope you're doing the final rinse with filtered or purified water. This just shows that beginners can be more creative than us so-called "experts"!
We purchased a big package of "refills," so we got a good quantity of wet-wipes for a cheaper cost. Then we divided them into ziplock baggies, so that we only carried the few that we thought we'd need.
We actually packed in all of our water (a camelbak and nalgene bottle full apiece) so the water was nice and clean. We do have a filter, but didn't expect to need it for such a short trip, and were right.
I avoid washing dishes as much as possible by using the Freezer Bag Cooking method.
It seems that everyone here is a Freezer Bag Cooker... I have already stumbled across their site, and loved it! Of course, this means that we'll have to get some sort of dehydrator, and that's out of the question for the moment. Until we can save up the money (as college students, it might take awhile), we will have to stick with less easy-to-clean methods.
I assume that when you said "thrown away on the way out of the park," you meant deposited in the park's garbage can. I prefer to take my garbage home for disposal--a reaction to seeing too many park/forest/roadside rest area garbage cans overflowing after a weekend.
Oh yes, we made sure to carry our trash and put it in the garbage can. One of these days we'll even remember to carry some extra trash bags so that we can collect more of the trash we see. I do so hate carrying a handful of someone else's trash out with me without a bag. Until I remember, that's what I'm stuck with!
I had never considered over-flowing trash cans, we might re-consider our trash disposal!
Starting out backpacking by going only a mile or so in is also an excellent idea. It sounds as though you're off to a great start!
Thanks! We're definitely loving it and can't wait to get more practice in! Every chance we get!
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