"World's Highest Porta-potty" on Everest

Excerpts:
The end for the highs and loos
Andrew Murray-Watson
The Scotman Online

A GLASGOW firm which built the world’s highest portable loo for use on Mount Everest has been sold.

Scientists working 19,000 ft on the slopes of the world’s highest mountain had every reason to be grateful to Bridgeton-based company Associated Metal when it constructed a stainless steel portable toilet which Sherpas could carry up the mountain.

The Everest toilet was specially designed by Associated Metal for the British Mount Everest Medical Expedition back in 1994 for scientists who needed to spend a penny when conducting research into high altitude related illness.

Until its arrival at base camp, at the edge of the ice layer, visiting the toilet was a numbing experience.

To survive the gales and blizzards which lash the mountain the loo and its cubicle had to be anchored to the ice face by stainless steel guy ropes attached to ice-picks.

The custom-built cubicle, specially created to resist extreme temperatures and storms, was flown to Nepal where Sherpas carried it up the world’s highest mountain.