Water along the JMT? I've never hiked the JMT...

[nawlunz]

but curious as to availability of water? I am trying to go "ultra-light" on everything except food, and was hoping to carry only a couple of liters of water while packing. My reading and read of the maps suggest good water availability on each day so that there will many opportunities to get water and to treat/filter it...is there a stretch where that is not the case?

[sbhikes]

There's lots of water on the JMT. There might be stretches that for you are relatively dry however. It depends on how much water you tend to drink. I just completed a 5 day trip on the JMT. I never carried more than one liter of water, and often carried only half a liter, having treated a liter and drunk half of it.

[RedneckRye]

Take a 5 foot long tube, use it like a straw and you'll probably be fine.
A two quart container for dinner water and you are perfect.

[perrito]

If you're going to do Half Dome, bring more than you think you'll need. I was begging (actually, offer to help others rid themselves of excess water) for water on the way down.
Also, I recall the 10 mile stretch before Reds to be quite dry, with the exception of one solid source about 4 miles or so before Reds. It sucks to be thirsty.

[Rambler]

I often carried no water, but was sure to drink usually 1 liter when I passed a water source. I kept my steripen handy and my one liter cooking pot on the outside of my pack. Water was plentiful in August.

[nawlunz]

I often carried no water, but was sure to drink usually 1 liter when I passed a water source. I kept my steripen handy and my one liter cooking pot on the outside of my pack. Water was plentiful in August.

This current month of August?

[sbhikes]

I found this current month of August to have plentiful water.

[Phreak]

Just got home from hiking the JMT. Water is everywhere. My hiking partner carried a 20oz water bottle and never had an issue running out 'tween sources.

[Helmuth.Fishmonger]

could even be lots of snow, not just water...

FRIDAY 27-AUG-10, 6:36 am PDTBig change in our weather, temperature wise, over the next 2 – 3 days. That strong high is being replaced by a vigorous upper trough out of the Gulf of Alaska. It will bring a 10 – 20 degree drop in temperatures by Sunday along with gusty winds and the threat of snow along the Sierra Crest. More dramatic cooling from today will be on Saturday then into Sunday. Right now, Sunday looks to be the coolest day. Record breaking lows are possible somewhere in our forecast area on Sunday. That trough will be quick to move out on Monday, returning temperatures to normal by mid week.For all you mountain trekkers out there, light August snow is possible in the upper elevations, around 10,000 feet, on Sunday into early Monday. Along with this, windy conditions will prevail. So please go prepared.and yesterday, massive flash flooding in Owens Valley - check this out - Hwy 395 in owens Valley yesterday:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oOEW...layer_embedded

[The Will]

I just finished a JMT thru-hike a week ago and there was plenty of water. The longest dry stretch I noticed was only around 6 miles.

[Dogwood]

Water about every 6-8 miles at most. Don't carry too much by tanking up at every water source as Rambler said and noting where you have climbs ahead so you can be sure to have water for the climb up to passes, etc. I often carry no more water than a Liter at a time on the JMT.

I would inquire with the Backcountry Office In Yosemite Valley of the status of the spring as you go up Half Dome, if you should choose to also hike that as a side trip, which of course you should, especially if you have never been to the top of Half Dome.