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Rough
12-09-2005, 14:10
Looking for some hiker experiences here. Have you ever stopped to spend the night at a shelter, only to discover that the water source was dry? What did you do? Hike on? Share what water you were carrying in with others? Tough it out and do without until the next day? Any tips for avoiding this situation are also welcome.

bulldog49
12-09-2005, 14:19
I just did the section from Dick's Creek to Fontana and had to deal with anticipated water sources that were dry. To avoid having to skip a hot meal, I stopped at a water source in the mid afternoon and cooked my meal, drank as much as I could and filled my Platypus. Several nights the place I camped had no water but I was ok because I had enough to drink for the night and get me started the next day.

I found out I was able to hike later, and farther, by eating early instead of waiting until I made camp. I plan to continue this practice in the future even when water is not a problem.

Mouse
12-09-2005, 14:24
Once I made for a trail junction at Saltlog Gap specifically because it showed two springs just downhill. I clampered all over looking and never found them. By that point I had given up cooking, so supper was dry ramen and a pouch of cold tuna. Next morning a skunk spent over half an hour fighting to get into my tent where it was dry, so I was much more occupied with how to get away unsprayed than I was about water. After making my escape I got to Punchbowl shelter and I think that was where I finally got water.

That was the night after I discovered my sleeping bag full of fleas, so I guess overall, water was not high on my hierarchy of needs. (I spent the night using my pack as a footsack and packcover as a blanket rather than getting my flea-infested bag out of it's stuffsack)

Footslogger
12-09-2005, 14:31
Looking for some hiker experiences here. Have you ever stopped to spend the night at a shelter, only to discover that the water source was dry? What did you do? Hike on? Share what water you were carrying in with others? Tough it out and do without until the next day? Any tips for avoiding this situation are also welcome.
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I don't know that it's so wise to "tough it out" as you say. We didn't have any water shortage issues in 2003 but when this happened to me during my thru I just hiked on to the next water source and then looked for a place to set up camp.

'Slogger

The Will
12-09-2005, 14:46
In my experience on my thru-hike and backpacking in other areas, water sources were frequently the topic of conversation between myself and hikers going in the other direction. Of course, this is not always plausible in areas of low hiker density, but if you do make it a point to inquire about water with passing hikers you greatly decrease the probability of going a night without water....that may mean carrying evening and next morning's supply of water 8 miles to a dry campsite, but that is much better than going without.

Spirit Walker
12-09-2005, 15:06
On the AT, you generally will know which sources have problems and which do not. If it is a dry year, you ask those coming the opposite direction what they found. Sometimes if you go upstream or down, you will find water even if the obvious source is dry.

When hiking western trails, where there is no one to ask and water is scarce, we make a point of always arriving at the next source with some water left in the pack. That way if the source is dry or fouled (i.e. dead animal) we can go on to the next source with some safety. We also learned to always pick up water, even if you aren't sure it's necessary, just in case you can't use the next source. Or in some cases, in case the tiny trickle of water really is the stream you were looking for.

Brock
12-09-2005, 15:25
We always heard from people what water was dry and what wasn't. Usually when we heard one spring was dry, it wasn't.

At one shelter in PA there are 300 stone steps to get to the water source. This really sucks after a long day of hiking. Fortunately, it poured that evening, so we collected rain water in the milk jugs left behind and were able to filter it and drink it with no walking thanks to Mr. Fusion.

ATSeamstress
12-09-2005, 16:32
I was there in September, and it was barely trickling. My feet were killing me, and my hiking partner had gotten to the shelter and spring before I did.
Bless her heart, she had collected and filtered enough water for both of us. There was even enough left for me to heat and have a warm sponge bath.

As a section hiker, my strategy is to carry plenty of water the first day or two until I see how the springs are running. If they are slow, I tend to eat, clean up, and drink a lot when I do find water, then carry a bit more than I normally would just in case the next one is completely dry.




We always heard from people what water was dry and what wasn't. Usually when we heard one spring was dry, it wasn't.

At one shelter in PA there are 300 stone steps to get to the water source. This really sucks after a long day of hiking. Fortunately, it poured that evening, so we collected rain water in the milk jugs left behind and were able to filter it and drink it with no walking thanks to Mr. Fusion.

Alligator
12-09-2005, 17:03
Make a point to read the register at the next to last shelter you come to. As water is so important, there are often notes about upcoming shelters regarding water availability. In dry times, carry extra capacity and don't hesitate to fill up sooner than expected, like 1-2 miles before stopping.

jackiebolen
12-09-2005, 17:42
If you read the register in the shelter, usually it will make note of sketchy water sources, etc.

Usually if I get to an expected water source that is dry I will be okay because I "camel-up." This means that I start the morning off by drinking 2 or 3 liters even before I start hiking. Then at each good source I come to (especially if it's hot) I'll drink another liter or so. So I stay hydrated throughout the day and it's not such a crisis if there's a bad source. Also, you can carry less water this way. Well, I guess you still carry the water, it's just in your stomach and not on your back.

fiddlehead
12-09-2005, 18:59
Just keep lookin, and going down till you find it. It's there somewhere. This is not the desert.

icemanat95
12-09-2005, 20:28
I always like to have plenty of water on me. I fill up every chance I get because I don't know what the situation is going to be up ahead. If I have to camp RIGHT NOW, I want to have enough water to get me through. So I carry a bit more water weight than is the current vogue.