Newbie Question About Camp Water

[Spot In The Sky]

Hey All- practically no camping experience but planning on a SOBO this year.

As people are listing their gear list I see water for drinking along the way and water for the camp. Im not sure I understand this dynamic really....
do most lean-to's have water sources near them that people go and get the water from there, or you need to keep a lot of water packed and kept especially just for camp? I see people who have like 1L for drinking and 3L for camping, is that a normal ratio?
It just seems like water is really heavy and and to carry 3L per night inbetween stops would be a bit much.
Teach me!

[SGT Rock]

I normally walk with a liter and have a Platy 2+ L for camp. Water sources can be a good distance from the shelter and it is best to make one trip.

On some sections I'll carry more than a liter, depends on the section though.

[Spokes]

I agree with Sgt. Rock. In some sections I was so dehydrated at the end of the day I would wake up in the middle of the night and end up drinking a liter of water.

You'll get into a routine on how much water you'll need in camp in no time at all.

[ChinMusic]

Im not sure I understand this dynamic really....
do most lean-to's have water sources near them that people go and get the water from there, or you need to keep a lot of water packed and kept especially just for camp? I see people who have like 1L for drinking and 3L for camping, is that a normal ratio?
It just seems like water is really heavy and and to carry 3L per night inbetween stops would be a bit much.
Teach me!
Most shelters have a water source close by. Most days you will do just fine carrying a liter only while walking. Then, when you get to camp, take out your larger container and get enough water to hold you over til morning. Repeat.

There will be times that you will want to camp at a location that is dry. For that night you will need the larger container AND have to carry the extra weight from your last water source to the dry camp.

I carry a 32-oz Gatorade bottle filled during the day and a 4L container for camp use. I rarely have to carry the 4L container filled with water very far on the AT.

[Berserker]

Most people carry a certain amount of water on their personage at any point in time to keep hydrated while hiking, and then extra water is obtained for use at camp (for things like cooking). How much water you choose to have on you at any point in time, and for use at camp is entirely your choice. I think in general most of the AT has regular water sources in that if you are hiking at a normal thru hiker pace (say 15 – 20 miles per day), you will pass multiple sources per day in most areas. This warrants being able to carry small amounts on you at any point in time, and then just taking breaks at the sources to drink a bunch and fill up again. As for camp, the philosophy here varies a bit. First off it depends on if you are camping near a water source. If you are then you can easily access water whenever you want some. If not, then you might need to carry some extra water from the closest source to where you plan to camp (plan this out so that you can hit the source before camp).

Me personally, I carry 1 pint to 1 quart of water on me for drinking. I take regular breaks at sources while hiking to refill my bottle and chug some water. As for camp, I usually camp near water sources, but I am lazy. So I have a 1 gallon platypus bladder I use to get all my water for the evening, next morning and to fill up my bottle for hiking for the next day all at one time.

[garlic08]

With experience and good management, there's seldom a need to carry much water on the AT. I hiked in a wet year, 2008, and only a few times carried more than 1 liter at a time. I drank heavily at clean sources, usually ate near one, too, then left carrying a small amount. I know I don't use more than 1/2 liter in a dry camp if I don't have to eat a meal. I used a recycle 1 liter soda bottle, and carried a 2+ L platypus for the two or three times I had to carry water for more than 10 miles.

But my method is unusual for the AT. Much of my hiking style comes from hiking in dry country. I've hiked while thirsty enough to know that running out of water a few miles before a spring doesn't mean you're going to die. Most AT hikers carry lots of water, which was funny to me because it's so wet there. I met one hiker who carried 3 L from camp every day, no matter she was walking, feet wet, through excellent springs and streams all day--it was just part of her routine and no way was that going to vary.

[Slo-go'en]

Water sources can be a good distance from the shelter and it is best to make one trip.

And steeply down hill in a lot of places. You definately need some way to carry a goodly amount of water back to camp so you don't need to do it more than once.

Its also good to be able to carry more than one's normal hiking needs if you think you might "dry" camp, i.e., there is no water close by. Usually you can fill up towards the end of the day in this case, if you plan it right.

I remember one shelter in NC where the sign said "spring, 1000 yards". I didn't think much of this at first, but after walking for 10 minutes, it finally dawned on me that 1000 yards was like 3/4 of a mile! (one way!)

[Tennessee Viking]

Depends on a couple things.

How much do you sweat...If you do a lot, plan to carry a 1 liter at least. If you can walk miles without a sweat, you might be able to get away with a Gatorade bottle.

How do you want to treat your water, if you do...If you go chemical and drink a lot, you might have to carry one drinkable liter, and carry a being treated liter. Filter, you will not have to carry a lot and pick up water as you go. If you don't treat, then just grab as you go.

The only water you will need to treat at camp is your drinking and cooking water.

And just plan on that your summer months going into fall will be your drier months. And you might have to plan to carry some extra water.

[Pedaling Fool]

For camp I carry a 6 L water tank. Looks a little like this http://www.mountainhighoutfitters.com/Products/Platy+Water+Tank+(2-6L).html


I carry it empty during the hike, collapses so small that it takes up virtually no room and weight is next to nothing. I make one trip to the water and have enough for dinner and breakfast and to resupply my hiking water.

[Bear Cables]

I remember one shelter in NC where the sign said "spring, 1000 yards". I didn't think much of this at first, but after walking for 10 minutes, it finally dawned on me that 1000 yards was like 3/4 of a mile! (one way!)

Did that happen to be M. Collins shelter?

[Blissful]

I had a 3 liter platy for drinking and a nalgene canteen for camp. Usually you want to find a camp with a readily available water source. Though at times you might have to cart in water if the source is on the way to camp. Guidebooks are good for this as well as maps.

[Praha4]

the ideal system is to 'fill n drink' a 1L water bottle like an Aquafina or Gatorade or 1L Platy as you hit each spring or creek along the trail... minimize the water weight you are carrying along the trail.... then at camp in the evening, you can fill/filter a 2L or larger container for use in camp... cooking, drinking, washing, bathing, whatever you want, and refill your bladder or bottle for the next day hike.

BUT, there are areas of the AT where you may go 6 miles or futher without seeing any springs or creeks or water, and in the heat of the summer, I can't make that kind of distance comfortably with only a 1L bottle of water.

My system is to carry a 2L Camelbak Omega 'Unbottle" insulated bladder on side of my backpack for sipping water during the day while hiking, and I also keep a 0.75 or 1L plastic bottle usually filled with some kind of electrolyte sport drink (gatorade, powerade, or Propel) that I take a hit off when I take a rest break on the trail...the electolyte drinks really help on tough days, especially in the summer. I carry a bunch of the powdered Propel or gatorade drink mix pouches in my belt pouch... so I can stop at a spring/creek along the trail, treat it with Aquamira and mix in the Propel, and I'm good to go... usually a 1L electrolyte bottle mix will last a whole day, sometimes in hot weather I mix in one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
You need to look at your maps or trail guides to study where the water sources are each day, and how long you may have to hike between water.. and remember in the hottest part of summer, some of the springs along the ridge lines become muddy and unreliable. This time of year there is plenty of water all along the trail.

[daddytwosticks]

I do what John Gault does in camp...works great. Use various combinations of Gatoraide-type plastic bottles to carry water while hiking, depending on time of year, duration of hike, drought years, etc. With that said, I am one of those hikers who tend to carry too much water :(

[cascader]

With that said, I am one of those hikers who tend to carry too much water :(

Better than ever getting dehydrated. Conditions can creep up on you--and on some days you could find yourself very happy to have that second liter in your backpack. I was coming to the end of an 18 mile day in southern NH in 85 degree weather one sultry July and felt all the signs of dehydration hitting me, had to stop, sit down and drink most everything I had left, even tho' I was less than half a mile from camp and water source.

I'll carry just a liter on a day that's not going to be hot like that, with regular water sources along the way I know are running well. There were parts of NJ/NY last May (when it was hot and dry, before all that rain came later in the summer) when you absolutely needed to carry 2 liters b/c so few sources were running.

Speaking to the newbie whose question started this thread: don't let the urge to "go light" threaten your safety and well being. Better to carry more than you need at first and then, as you get the hang of it, carry less. You'll need to monitor conditions, scope out the water sources ahead, and talk with hikers coming the other way about how the sources are running. The drier it gets, the more the Trail talk turns to water and the more grateful you will be for the info hikers are happy to share about this.

happy trails!

[Gramps]

In addition to utilizing your written resources, talk to NOBOs as you come to them about water ahead, check with outfitters in the towns you visit along the way, maybe USFS or NPS personnel in the area. And remember you can always dump the excess water any particular day if you know that, for example, you'll pass 6 good streams that day. Be flexible and be ready.

[Appalachian Tater]

Most shelters are located near water but if they are dry or if the source is unreliable the guidebooks will note that. Some of the data books list a lot more water sources than the guidebooks, especially those between shelters and established campsites.

A tip is if you are approaching a shelter and there is a sign indicating water you should consider stopping to tank up rather than having to backtrack once you get there.

[Chicken Feathers]

a very good source of water availability is Neels Gap outfitter for water in Georgia