View Full Version : All that water
I'm looking for ideas/suggestions on how others pack/carry the recommended 6-8 liters of water in certain sections of Sothern California; in the pack, strapped to pack, on the belt, platypus, 1-2 liter plastic bottles, dromedary bag or bags, etc.?
Thanks
garlic08
01-10-2009, 16:16
I used two of the 2.4L platypuses plus one 1L Aquafina bottle for a little less than 6L total. That was always enough for me. I learned a lesson once when I tried a 4L bag and it leaked. Too many eggs in one basket there. Use more, smaller containers. And the Platypus will normally last a through hike. Drinking tubes never last long enough and aren't reliable enough for my use.
Also, you may learn that you might not need to carry so much water, especially in early season conditions. I now carry 3-4L where I used to carry 5-6, having gotten more comfortable with a little thirst. And I don't carry a stove anymore, so dry camps are easier and take less water.
That is alot od water, but I can see needing that much in some places. In such places I would look into more than just how to carry that much. I would look into how much water you need per mile compared to other people, and ways to reduce consumption with the right clothing and gear and perhaps avoiding the mid day sun. Of course knowing where the reliable water sources must be a big part of it. I don't do desert hikes but I got caught a bit short on a winter hike once. When you get slowed down for one reason or another things can get critical. In that case I could still melt snow and ice but didn't have the time and energy to as I had gotten low on food reserves. I think the body has a 2 litre reserve before you get into serious trouble, so it can be a bit misleading working out your consumption rate sometime because its not always clear how much you've tapped into that reserve. You might travel 5km on 2 litres in certain conditions, but you might have actually used 3 litres, so on in the same conditions 6 litres would not be enough for 15km. You would need 8 litres. Critical stuff water, even up here in the Northeast in winter.
I like the idea of 2 bottles plus a bag, so for 6 litres maybe 1.5, 1.5, and 3 litres.
A rough rule of thumb is 1 ltr per 5 miles. Add 1.5 ltrs for camping.
Again, this is for me and is just a rough estimate. But one I find works well.
I'm simple minded, so I need simple rules. :)
I've had good luck with a Nalgene Canteen. I like the wide mouth. Add in a Gatorade bottle or two, and I was good to go. My pack (an Essence) makes it very easy to carry the canteen. I just slip it juts behind the panel where the pack is closed up. Here's a view from the CDT. I did not realize a strap came undone in this photo. :o
http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=14087&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=f78a3e9fade375390b8197797125e37a
I now use the newer version, but similar design (if different material)
(BTW, I call this my "Cheesy Backpacker Magazine cover photo (http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.php/component/option,com_gallery2/Itemid,36/?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=18988&g2_imageViewsIndex=1)". :D)
The main thing is that for many AT veterans (esp those from the water blessed East), the desert section is the Boogie Man of the PCT.
Like any part of life that is unknown, it is not as bad is you think it is. You'll get out there, adapt and find what works for you.
Enjoy!
TwoForty
01-10-2009, 17:13
I've seen it all. One guy even had a 1L bottle strapped to each trekking pole!
I found it best to carry it in (3) 2.4L platypus water bags and (1) 1L gatorade bottle in mesh side pocket on my pack.
One tip, try to keep the water in the middle of your pack if you can, but away from sharp things (like a fork!). I used to keep it up top for simplicity, but that got heated by the sun a few times. It was like drinking hot bathwater for 20 miles after I crossed I-10.
Don't forget to account for carrying increased water when you choose which pack to take. You won't always have 20 pounds of water, but I often carried about 5 pounds more water than I did on the AT.
This fellow was talking about Southern California, so I think that gets into more that 1 litre per 5 miles. Even up here doing the Fundy Footpath I've done 1 litre every mile at times, in hot muggy conditions with a heavy pack in very rugged terrain. Water stops were plentiful though, so water wasn't a problem 2 litre capacity was plenty. Water consumption per mile can vary alot though, as can the distance between water stops, and rate of travel. Some hikes 500ml is plenty. Other hikes its more than you can carry. I think the camelbak things are overdone though, like hiking sticks. It seems like outfitters like to dress and equip everyone the same no matter where they are going, and yuppy consumers seem eager to comply, presents company excepted of course. :)
]This fellow was talking about Southern California, so I think that gets into more that 1 litre per 5 miles.
Jak, I've actually hiked SoCal on the PCT (and desert sections of the CDT in August) using this formula. :)
It is a rough rule of thumb, but one I (and others for that matter), find useful.
I'll use it too. Thanks Mags.
Rules of thumbs are meant to be broken, but are still useful.
Two 2 ltr platty's and two single ltr Aqua Fina bottles. If I thought I need more for a long dry section, I'd add another 1 ltr or a two ltr soda bottle.
Yup, 1 ltr every 5 miles is what I do too.
Johnny Thunder
01-10-2009, 18:35
I've wondered that in the absence of white or light colored packs if someone has ever thought to use white fabric spray paint on their packs to keep the internal heat down?
garlic08
01-10-2009, 19:45
I saw a lot of hikers on the PCT attaching two 0.7L drink bottles to the pack shoulder straps with shock cord. I tried that and didn't like it. One guy even fashioned straws so he could sip from the bottles while hiking.
I always packed my "bulk" water under the food bag, against my back, and kept a one-liter bottle in an outside pocket.
The 5 miles per liter rule is a good one if it's very hot (upper 90s or higher), which it will be on many days on the PCT. If you can hike when it's cool, you can probably double that to 10 miles per liter.
I don't think anyone has mentioned cameling up. Especially on the southern PCT, or other arid regions, it's a good idea to drink your fill while at a good source.
A few hikers I know do that and only carry 1 qt or two, for long distances. I rather have the water, in case I wanted to camp early.
I've used garlic 08's exact setup, which is similiar to Slys'.
Here's a good piece of advice:
Also, you may learn that you might not need to carry so much water, especially in early season conditions. I now carry 3-4L where I used to carry 5-6, having gotten more comfortable with a little thirst. And I don't carry a stove anymore, so dry camps are easier and take less water
Here's some more solid advice:
A rough rule of thumb is 1 ltr per 5 miles. Add 1.5 ltrs for camping.
Again, this is for me and is just a rough estimate. But one I find works well.
I'm simple minded, so I need simple rules.
The main thing is that for many AT veterans (esp those from the water blessed East), the desert section is the Boogie Man of the PCT.
Like any part of life that is unknown, it is not as bad is you think it is. You'll get out there, adapt and find what works for you.
Here is some more:
As an UL hiker I have really learned to dial in the amount of water I carry and understand my water consumption needs under a variety of conditions, but I can think of no other single thing that more significantly affected how much water I carried on the desert portion of the PCT than being made aware of up-to-date water availabilty info supplied in the water report! GET UP-TO-DATE WATER REPORTS!!! They R handed out with snow reports at the kick off or U can go directly to the PCT website to find this info.
Thanks y'all.
Think I'll start out with Sly's 6 liter plan and adjust up or down as needed. For me, that feels about right for now.
Granite Gear Nimbus Meridian.
2 one liter soda type bottles in side pockets. use first.
2 two liter platy's in pack.
2 liters in morning
2 liters in afternoon
2 for dinner, breakfast, to next water hole.
6 liters X 5 miles= 30 miles per load.
(Haven't decided to use it, but I found a nifty drinking tube for aquafina type bottles from Smartube. http://www.bluedesert.co.il/smart_tube.html)
Thanks again.
Krewzer, one of the most useful tools for the PCT is the databook's water alerts. It's noted if any sources are more than 12.5 miles and more than .5 miles off trail. There's quite a few long waterless sections and many times you'll be dry camping where you'll be picking up extra for dinner and the next mornings breakfast.
Mags' 1.5 litters for that is pretty much right on for that.
Krewzer, one of the most useful tools for the PCT is the databook's water alerts. It's noted if any sources are more than 12.5 miles and more than .5 miles off trail. There's quite a few long waterless sections and many times you'll be dry camping where you'll be picking up extra for dinner and the next mornings breakfast.
Mags' 1.5 litters for that is pretty much right on for that.
Thanks again. I've got it here in front of me now. It already looks like it's got a few hundred miles on it.
Thanks again. I've got it here in front of me now. It already looks like it's got a few hundred miles on it.
The 30+ miles ones can be a bear but it's not too bad. Also, although they shouldn't be depended upon you'll find quite a few water caches. It's best just to camel up at these and only take what's necessary.
I don't think anyone has mentioned cameling up. Especially on the southern PCT, or other arid regions, it's a good idea to drink your fill while at a good source.
A few hikers I know do that and only carry 1 qt or two, for long distances. I rather have the water, in case I wanted to camp early.
Good idea and something I like to do. I found that when camped at a water source, before leaving in the morning, if I drank as much as I could get down me without exploding, then I could go well into the day without the need for a drink. (stops to discharge liquid was another matter though!) ;)
I'm an advocate for the 2 litre soft drink plastic bottles. That's all I ever carry. They're free, extremely strong, (fill one up and try jumping on it) almost weightless and can be flattened when empty to conserve pack space. Blowing in them will reform them. I initially carried four bottles for the 'dry' areas, but soon got rid of a couple when I found that the 'camel' trick was an easier way of carrying extra water. When on the move I carry one bottle stowed on the outside of my pack for easy access.
Jim Adams
01-12-2009, 00:42
Mr. Parkay used one of the best set-ups that I've seen for arid hiking.
He made 2 "tubes" from rolled closed cell foam sleeping pad with duct tape wraps and mounted them vertical on each side of his Atmos 50. They were the same diameter as gatoraide liter bottles and each side held 3 of the bottles. They were mounted outside of the bag in case they leaked. They were insulated by the foam and stayed cool longer. They were extremely light for what they did. Pretty wild set-up but it worked great.
geek
rainmakerat92
04-09-2009, 20:49
The most water I had to carry on the PCT was 6 liters. I use an external frame pack, and attached 1 liter bottles on each side of the pack (carried in bottle holders attached to lower pack frame and accessible when hiking), and carried two 1.5 liter bottles in the upper pockets on each side of the pack. I also carried a 1 liter bottle inside my pack.
The two 1.5 bottles are the kind that bottled water comes in (available at Wal-Mart). One of the 1 liter bottles is a Gatorade container (nice wide mouth). The other 1 liter bottle originally contained some kind of sports drink, and has been with me since 1999. It has done the entire PCT, along with the LT, CT, Bartram Trail and about 800 miles of the CDT. And I'm still using it. Nalgene? I don't need no stinkin' Nalgene........
rainmakerat92
04-09-2009, 20:53
Great photo, Mags. I can almost hear the wind and feel the sun.
fiddlehead
04-09-2009, 21:16
For me, the most was out of scissors crossing which i believe is around 28 miles of dry hiking. I carried 4 litres for that section.
We stopped at scissors crossing around noon and sat there for the hottest part of the day and ate and drank lots (and i mean lots) of water. I believe i drank about 6 litres.
(sometimes that creek is dry but we had cached 2 gallons each there before we started our hike)
We waited until 4pm and headed up the mountain. I ended up doing 12 more miles from there that day and didn't drink any water. Then we dry camped and i used up a litre. That left me 3 litres for the 16 miles the next morning. We got up early and had them in before noon. I had about a half-litre left and wasn't very thirsty at all.
Staying hydrated is the key.
I hear there's lots of people leaving water caches anymore. (they didn't have those in '96) Of course you can't rely on them so it is really a moot point isn't it???
The next longest dry section (i believe) is up around Walker pass (the last big road before Kennedy Meadows) and ends with one of the few shelters on the trail. (somebodies cabin) that has 2 ponds from what i remember (this is all from 6 years ago now, so recent hikers can correct me if i'm wrong)
We did the same and that time i only took 3 litres and ran out about 1 mile before the cabin. I didn't realize it at the time but that pond has lots of cow action going on. I didn't get sick though and that's when i started agreeing that cow **** doesn't necessary mean you're going to get sick.
Have fun.