Pump necessary?

[katerbrown]

Hi,
I hiked AT and was fine without pump (chemically treated water) - wondering on CT if I can go without as well. (planning a thru hike summer 2015) In other words, are most water sources flowing water with ability to fill gatorade bottle or water bladder? or some shallow standing water that only way to reasonable get is through pump? No offense but I'm not looking for anyone's philosophies on water treatment - just the physical filling of containers part.

Thanks in advance wise posters

[Booshay]

I was glad to have my pump in 2013, all the water to be found in one 30 mile stretch was a stagnant green puddle animals drank from, mmmm

[StubbleJumper]

Almost all of the trail has water sources that you can simply dip a Nalgene into. In the south there are a couple of stretches with fewer water sources...to the point where you might go 14 or 15 miles between reliable water. But I used a Nalgene for both of my end-to-end hikes in 2011 and 2014 with no trouble at all. In 2011 there was one stretch of about 20 miles where I elected to carry a gallon as a risk management option (and if I hadn't, I would have been scooping water out of a small stream with cow $hit in it).

Getting on to philosophy, everyone has a view about whether backcountry water is generally harmless, or whether it'll generally make you sick. I will not contribute to that "religious" debate. However, I will observe that there are several places along the trail where ranchers graze cattle and shepherds keep sheep. Irrespective of your philosophy about backcountry water safety, these areas constitute an elevated risk, so you should carry with you some sort of option to purify (even if you elect to not purify for the other 350 miles).

[katerbrown]

Thank you both Booshay and StubbleJumper for your input. Both responses are helpful. And StubbleJumper I am very much of the better safe than sorry camp and elect to carry household bleach which I believe is safe and effective for killing organisms. I just dread the idea of extra weight, cost, maintenance etc. of messing with a pump and only want to go down that road if it's really called for. I just know water treatment is a topic of fierce debate so did not want to open that can of worms. Just wanted to know how many puddles vs. streams I would maybe encounter.

[Cookerhiker]

On my 2011 thru-hike, I used Aqua Mira the entire way.

[Hole-In-The-Hat]

I used Potable Aqua Plus on my thru - no pump needed.

One time I came to a small seep that I couldn't have dipped from, and was uncertain how much further to reliable water; I was contemplating sopping water with my bandana when a north-bounder happened by, and assured me that the creek a few miles ahead was running. Voilà - problem solved!

[Odd Man Out]

...I just dread the idea of extra weight, cost, maintenance etc. of messing with a pump and only want to go down that road if it's really called for...

The question and discussion is focused on pump vs filter? Where does a non-pump filters such as a Sawyer fit? It doesn't have the same weight, cost, and maintenance issues associated with pump filters.

[San Juan Ron]

No pump, Nalgene bottles and a Steripen for nearly 2 CT full hikes. No issues. SJ Ron

[squeezebox]

Enough people get sick from drinking untreated water that it just is not worth the risk. My dog will drink out of the toilet but I won't.

[soulrebel]

I used a sawyer filter and it was very nice to pull off my platy valve and stick the output on there and sit on or rest my knee on the bag. Personally, I don't really filter on the East Coast except in lowland areas. I found the water on the CT to be pretty disgusting by comparison. There's a decent amount of shared water holes with livestock in and or around the area. i would go filter again due to the color, particulate, coliform content of the water...Also, Be careful washing your socks as they will get the stink and transfer to your shoes. Took a few towns and bottles of detergent to finally wash that out enough to fly home in those shoes. GL it's a great trail.

[bigcranky]

The question and discussion is focused on pump vs filter? Where does a non-pump filters such as a Sawyer fit? It doesn't have the same weight, cost, and maintenance issues associated with pump filters.

I think the question is about getting water out of places that one can't dip a bottle or platy into and fill -- which is how one uses a Sawyer. It's not about filters versus chemical treatments per se.

[Coffee]

I used the Sawyer mini on the CT last year. I would have been comfortable with aquamira as well but I was selective in choosing water sources. I did carry quite a bit of water in some places to avoid relying on possibly marginal sources. Overall water on the CT was much less of an issue that I thought it would be.

[MuddyWaters]

I think the question is about getting water out of places that one can't dip a bottle or platy into and fill -- which is how one uses a Sawyer. It's not about filters versus chemical treatments per se.

You can dip with your cookpot, or a ziplock, in water shallower than you can use a filter in, so I really dont understand the question. Im kicking around the idea of CT hike in August if I can get the OK from work, I only use AM. Treated cow crap...mmmmm

[Nodust]

This maybe outside the box a little but what about a sponge?

When dry it would be very light. You could just soak up water from a very shallow puddle and squeeze into a bottle of choice. You could even wipe down your tent or tarp in the morning and collect the dew if it is wet.

[Coffee]

Just be aware of where there are likely to be many cows grazing and avoid those sources. There were a couple of times where I was surprised to find cows just downstream of where I had collected water. But usually there are obvious signs of grazing. I usually collected my water relatively high to avoid streams through cow infested meadows. I accepted (and would accept again) a small weight penalty to haul better water.

[San Juan Ron]

You have to treat ALL of your water (whether a crystal clear creek or a cow pond). I hiked with someone this past year on the CT who forgot to treat his water several times and he contracted Giardia. He was very sick for months. Filters are needed, but water treatment is a must at all times. SJ Ron

[San Juan Ron]

You have to treat ALL of your water (whether a crystal clear creek or a cow pond). I hiked with someone this past year on the CT who forgot to treat his water several times and he contracted Giardia. He was very sick for months. Filters are needed, but water treatment is a must at all times. SJ Ron

Make that "Filters are NOT needed"

[StubbleJumper]

Just be aware of where there are likely to be many cows grazing and avoid those sources. There were a couple of times where I was surprised to find cows just downstream of where I had collected water. But usually there are obvious signs of grazing. I usually collected my water relatively high to avoid streams through cow infested meadows. I accepted (and would accept again) a small weight penalty to haul better water.

+1

Most of the water on the CT is pristine and delicious. But on a day-to-day basis you need to look at the databook carefully and develop a plan for the next 20 miles. If there are many sources, then you can just grab 1 litre at a time and not worry about whether a particular creek might be contaminated by sheep because you can just skip it and tank up at the next creek. But if you see that there are only perhaps two sources for the next 20 miles, then it's nice to carry a bit more so that you are able to walk past a water source if it looks dubious.

In the first half of the trail (ie Denver to Salida), there were really only a couple of areas where I was concerned enough to treat my water. The first was the Platte River at the end of segment 1 (the water looked good, but the river drains such a large watershed that you don't really know what might be in it), and the the second was the Lost Creek Wilderness where cattle graze seasonally. Other than those two places there wasn't much risk of livestock contamination. I'll leave it to others to expound on the "dangers" of naturally occurring (non-livestock) contamination.

South of Salida is a different story. There was evidence of cattle beginning at Marshal Pass, there were definitely cattle at Tank 7, there was active grazing on Sargeant's Mesa, and Razor Creek looked like it was mainly cow pee. There was grazing at Lujan Creek, all the way down past the Cochetope creek and again at Eddiesville. There were sheep grazing after Jarosa Mesa, and again farther south. So for the first 120 miles or so after Salida, you really need to be careful even if you do not generally treat your water in the back country.

[bearcreek]

Lots of beaver in Colorado. Beaver carry Giardia.

[colorado_rob]

Lots of beaver in Colorado. Beaver carry Giardia.

And marmots. Basically land-beavers. I use Aqua Mira on trails such as the AT or JMT, but in my home state, Colorado, I filter, simply because the water clarity isn't always quite as good as other places. That being said, I'd say roughly 2/3rds of the CT has pretty clear water (though I'd still treat somehow).