What's the longest/furthest you "accidently" had to go without water?

[Ricky&Jack]

I know that on average, you should run into water every few day on the A.T.

But im looking for stories/examples of times you may have found yourself screwed for water.

Has anyone here showed up to a shelter for the night with the last few drinks of your water because you thought there was water there to re-fill, only to find out that the water dried up and you cant get water for another 10miles etc?

Im just wondering, because when i did Amicalola to Black Gap shelter last week, I carried only 36oz of water with me, and when i arrived I was almost out, and durring the whole hike, int he back of my head I was worried "oh crap. what if the water spring is dry?" (but luckily there was 2 good water sources nearby).

Anyone had to go a full day with only a few sips of water in your bottle because of unexpected dry sources?

[ChinMusic]

It is pretty rare to have a water issue on a traditional NOBO. The only time I carried for than 2 liters was on the climb up Lehigh Gap. Once in PA I paid closer attention to water so I didn't get stuck walking a half mile off trail to reload. Bottom line: water in NOBO season is usually not an issue.

Later in the season the "seasonable" water sources may be dry. You have to think about water more. I did get surprised on a section hike to find the water source at Walnut Mountain Shelter to be dry. I dug a hole and was able to get enough. It was horribly muddy, but the sediment settle out with time.

[Kerosene]

I started south from Loft Mtn. Campground (SNP) on a week-long section hike in October 2002 with 2 quarts of water at 11 am. Upon reaching Blackrock Hut I was informed that the water source was dry, with the next known water in Rockfish Gap 20 miles away. I had not asked about water conditions before I left and learned that Virginia was experiencing their worst drought in 70 years.

I attempted to flag down a car with an empty water bottle near Wildcat Ridge, to no avail, so I was very careful with my remaining quart that evening. Fortunately, I found a water seep just north of Calf Mtn. Shelter that allowed me to fill-up. I was a bit dehydrated, but not as bad as I was during a weekend hike in August 1978.

Starting out from Wawayanda Road on the NY/NJ border, the unusually muggy day had us drinking more water than normal. The only spring in that section turned out to be dry, so we had to walk another 4+ miles to NY-17A where we begged water from a nearby home. To this day, I can point to that one uncomfortable situation for why I tend to carry more water than other people.

[Ricky&Jack]

I think I was a little dehydrated when I did Amicalola to black gap. But that was my fault. I was "too careful" with my water since it was my first overnight hike.

I rarely drink soda or carbonated drinks..... but when i came back home the next day, i drank a 12 pack of diet dr pepper in about 4 hours because that was all that would "quench my thirst". Water was just making my stomach feel full, but the dr pepper was satisfying my thirst.

[ChinMusic]

I think most of us are somewhat dehydrated from time to time but that is not because we are short of water, we just don't drink enough. I can often think of times that I got into town to have a meal and drank a couple pitchers of soda. It wasn't because I couldn't find water on the trail.

[rafe]

On the descent off Wesser toward NOC.... it felt like it would never end.

I remember a desperate search for water.... at Sweetwater Gap. No kidding.

PA was seriously dry in August 2007. Many times I had to walk what seemed like halfway down the ridge just to get water. Trail angels had left gallon jugs of water at one or two road crossings. (Thanks!)

In the Whites, you can be fairly sure of not finding water on the high ridges.

[bamboo bob]

I know that on average, you should run into water every few day on the A.T.

Really there is water every day at least. There is a 17 mile stretch around Catawba? I think and PA has some stretches that require getting off the ridge. But really, it's the AT, one poster above said he had to ask at a house! So the AT is never dangerously dry. I like a liter for every five miles so sometimes I may carry an extra liter. Just requires some planning from time to time. But for over 2000 miles carrying a liter is the most you actually NEED. Unless you PLAN on a dry camp which I often do.

[Cookerhiker]

I recall a Fall section hike back in the 80s in Virginia along the Blue Ridge Parkway when we found no water during the day and the shelter's source was a trickle. It was a drought period in that the leaves didn't turn colorful but brown.

I think most of us are somewhat dehydrated from time to time but that is not because we are short of water, we just don't drink enough. I can often think of times that I got into town to have a meal and drank a couple pitchers of soda. It wasn't because I couldn't find water on the trail.

Amen to this. On my Allen Gap-to-Damascus section hike, I was in pretty good shape by the time I hit the Tennessee Highway from Watauga "Lake" on. The weather was perfect, I was striding along, I felt great, I thought I was drinking enough...until my pee came out red around the TN/VA border. Fortunately I was close to Damascus so I drank everything up and headed straight there.

[MuddyWaters]

Backpacking with scouts at Philmont scout ranch N.M., we had to go just 7 miles with a 1900 ft elevation gain, 90F temps. So naturally my son and I were figuring about 4 hrs tops, I brought 1L, and he brought 1.5. In our experience, plenty for that distance considering we had just drank well before leaving. The other people probably had 4 L each.

Did not consider how poor shape the other people were in and how slow and whiney they would become once they started uphill. They wanted to break every 20 minutes, and walk at a snails pace . My son drank all his water after about 3 hrs. I gave most of mine to him. (I had not drank any at that point. ). After about 6.5 hrs, we reached the destination, in the sun a lot of the time. I had drank only about 1" out of a liter bottle, I was still saving what little I had for my son if he needed it. My saliva was getting pretty thick.

[Odd Man Out]

... There is a 17 mile stretch around Catawba?...

I'm doing that in July. Where exactly is that stretch?

[rafe]

Good thread. Hiking doesn't take much brain power, it's true (why I like it) but what brain power it takes is often spent dealing with water. The stuff's really important, really more so than food. (Most of us won't die if we go a day or two without food.)

To address your other questions... most shelters have water but some don't. Reliability of water at certain shelters.. is iffy. Especially in a dry year, and especially later in the season as summer wears on. The trail guides may mention whether the shelter's water source is reliable or not. Also, check the shelter registers, they may carry information about the next shelter north or south.

There's a broad range of attitudes concerning how much water to carry. I choose to err on the side of "too much." If I'm heading up onto a long dry ridge on a hot day, I take three quarts. Maybe that's just me. I'm sure there are some very fit ultra-lighters who'd say that's too much weight to be haulin'.

If you're well stocked up with water late in the day, camping options open up since you're not reliant on finding water at a shelter. Your home for the night can be anywhere.

[Ricky&Jack]

Good thread.

well yeah.... that's how I roll/hike

im still very new (only really doing a small local trail and my first overnight was last week Amicalola to Black gap) so im very much still in the "paranoid and ask a ton a "what if's"

[ChinMusic]

Water is something to always be somewhat worried about. On other, more dry, trails it is paramount.

Once you find water you have to stop and access the distance/time to your next water source. It just becomes a normal part of your routine.

[modiyooch]

I hiked in a drought. We literally had to drink from the Shenandoah River coming into town due to lack of water. That evening we used pitchers for glasses. That's the thirstiest I have ever been.

[modiyooch]

I recall a Fall section hike back in the 80s in Virginia along the Blue Ridge Parkway when we found no water during the day and the shelter's source was a trickle. It was a drought period in that the leaves didn't turn colorful but brown.
.

this is the same year and same section that I quoted

[Bronk]

I forget where it was, but I once saw a stick that was sticking out of a muddy bank and one tiny drop of water was steadily dripping off the end of a stick into a 5 gallon bucket that someone had put there...and the water was crystal clear. I remember being glad to see it because it was a particularly dry stretch. Sometimes if a water source appears dry you have to dig under leaves to find a puddle or go upstream if its a trickling spring. You'll find that most of your mistakes come from poor planning or absent mindedness. The few times I remember being really thirsty or in need of water it was because I skipped a water source thinking there was another one a short distance away only to find it dry or I passed it by accident.

[slbirdnerd]

When you do fill your bottles at a water source, remember to camel up (drink a bunch and then refill while you are still there). This will help keep you hydrated. I've been really guilty of not drinking enough and have finally learned my lesson.

[MDSection12]

I've been working on water management a lot the past year or so. It's the hardest part of hiking, in my opinion. What I've settled on is a system where I keep a liter in reserve, plus a small (16 oz I think) bottle that I drink from. As I hike I drink the small bottle, then stop and refill it from the liter bottle when needed. This helps me to keep track of my consumption, and lets me feel like I have a bit extra just in case.

The main thing I've learned though is to manage your hydration rather than your water. I'd rather be well hydrated and out of water than dehydrated with some left. Camel up at each source, literally as much as you can stand to drink. Monitor the color of your urine... Try to keep it clear all day. If you can do that then the water in your bottle is less important.

[MDSection12]

As for dry sections, I hiked from McAfee Knob to Daleville and made the mistake of not filling up at Lambert's Meadow... It's dry from there to Daleville. I managed to find some snowmelt to collect and found a half full water bottle someone left (yuck) but I was still very, very thirsty. When I got to a small, muddy creek I filtered and drank two liters... Only to realize the actual (less muddy) creek was another fifty yards...

[lemon b]

82nd Airborne Recon Class 5-75. Part of the training. Day and a half. Weeded out some of the men in training. Learned the importance of planning around something real basic.