13 replies to this topic

[zzcoop]

Hey gang.

I was just curious as to how much water you typically carry for an average, moderate day hike? Without fail, an adequate amount of water is the one thing I always seem to underestimate.

As a sidenote, in general, how safe/unsafe is the water in the streams? Not as a primary source, obviously, but I will admit that it would be really nice to just stop every now and then and lift a hand of cool, clear Rocky Mountain water to the ol' lips. But I'd rather not be hauling arse to the privy, a la Jeff Daniels in Dumb & Dumber.

[Lynette]

zzcoop, on 07 June 2010 - 09:05 AM, said:

Hey gang.

I was just curious as to how much water you typically carry for an average, moderate day hike? Without fail, an adequate amount of water is the one thing I always seem to underestimate.

As a sidenote, in general, how safe/unsafe is the water in the streams? Not as a primary source, obviously, but I will admit that it would be really nice to just stop every now and then and lift a hand of cool, clear Rocky Mountain water to the ol' lips. But I'd rather not be hauling arse to the privy, a la Jeff Daniels in Dumb & Dumber.

In our family, we each take 2-750 ml bottles. It's usually been enough to get us where we want to go, without being too heavy to carry. (I guess that's about a liter and a half.. maybe up to 2 liters.) That's not much, so we also take along a Katadyn water filter. We've only had to pump a few times, but it's not hard, and much easier than either carrying extra water or taking a risk of getting sick. The boys can usually get anywhere on a dayhike without needing more. I have to drink more... so ...

[Veik]

I generally start with two quarts of water. I always take a water filter too because often times two quarts isn't enough. Freshly filtered stream water is nice and cold.

[Scrapinator]

I have a nice size Camelback I wear and never completely empty. I'm not a heavy water drinker compared to a lot of folks, though. If I don't take my Camelback, I carry two bottles of water, one I freeze, so I have nice cold water all day long.

Edited by Scrapinator, 07 June 2010 - 01:05 PM.

[zzcoop]

Carrying a frozen bottle = GENIUS. Thanks for the info, folks!

[zzcoop]

Any opinions on Katadyn filter bottles?

[hahn23]

Recently, I've been carrying a nalgene 1 liter bottle. Good for day hikes under 7 miles. Water is dead weight. It's best to ration it out over the entire day. Drink small amounts many times, as it's best to avoid dehydration, rather than to recover from it. It's not efficient to have water left over at the end of a hike.


On the issue of Giardia Infection , it does exist in the area. Don't drink water out of the streams or lakes! It's not worth the risk of contracting the parasite, because it can wreck your life for months, or longer. I know a guy who contracted Giardiasis and he was very sick. He also lost a scary amount of weight from the intestinal distress. He told me he wouldn't wish this on his worst enemy.


When I started to hike in RMNP in 1973, it was common for us to carry tin cups... so we could drink out of the streams. We were oblivious to the risk, if it was present then. Only a few years later did the park service alert everyone to the problem. Evidently, there is risk in even the most pristine-looking water, like water just melted from a snowfield above treeline can contain the parasite.


On trips to Long's Peak, I carry two liters of water, storing one liter in a snowbank above Jim's Grove, around Granite Pass.

[MaizeEagle]

zzcoop, on 07 June 2010 - 10:20 AM, said:

Any opinions on Katadyn filter bottles?

We love ours. We start off with camelbacks, not completely filled, to cut down on weight. If we are going on a hike where we know there is a water supply, we just dip out filter bottles in and fill them up. We've never had an issue with gettting sick. The water is soooo cold and good from the streams.

My only issue is I lost one of my large Katydin filter bottles on a trail last year when we were returning from Shelf-Solitude in a hail storm. Didn't hear it fall from my pack. Still bummed about that.

[Midmccoy]

I use a filter bottle and love it! Have used them for a couple years now and have had no issues. I purchased the cheaper versons that run around 20 bucks a bottle. It is so neat to be walking along and be able to reach down in a stream and have cold mountain water. The only thing I can think of as being a problem is if you hike places where there is not a lot of water available. But most hikes we have done in RMNP there is a water sorce pretty available. If you don't want to purchase a filter then I would go for the Filter bottle.

[zzcoop]

I'm kinda leaning that way. Do you find that the actual life of the filter itself to be true to what is advertised?

[Igloo Ed]

I'm not familiar with the filter bottle you mentioned but friends have had filter bottles and they can't drink the last half of the water out of the bottle as they started sucking air. The problem with this is when you do a peak and get above water sources and the peak requires more than a half bottle to climb.

[MaizeEagle]

zzcoop, on 07 June 2010 - 12:34 PM, said:

I'm kinda leaning that way. Do you find that the actual life of the filter itself to be true to what is advertised?

Yes--so far.

[Swimswithtrout]

hahn23, on 07 June 2010 - 10:26 AM, said:

When I started to hike in RMNP in 1973, it was common for us to carry tin cups... so we could drink out of the streams. We were oblivious to the risk, if it was present then. Only a few years later did the park service alert everyone to the problem. Evidently, there is risk in even the most pristine-looking water, like water just melted from a snowfield above treeline can contain the parasite.

I worked several years as a hiking/ BP'g /climbing guide in RMNP in the mid '70's. Like you, I also rarely even filled a water bottle and just kept my Sierra Cup on the hip belt of my pack and drank a cup or two from every rivulet/ stream I passed by.

I'd only fill a 1 qt bottle when I would go for a summit, and even then, you could usually find enough melt water trickles somewhere to fill your cup and drink.

I never got sick and never knew of anyone that got sick back then.

During the early 80's, one of my best friends was working for DOW/ State Water Quality board and his job was to roam the western slope drainage's of CO, trapping beavers/muskrats and testing their guts for Giardia. He told me it was 100% universal in every one of his samples.

That's when I bought my first filter.

I still never carry more than 1 qt/liter at a time, and just stop at the all too frequent streams that I used to casually drink from and filter a full bottle when I need it.

Given the duration of most of my hikes and the normally dry air of the Rockies, I wouldn't want to carry the 3-4 qts of water to go through a day without severe dehydration. One full qt bottle to start and a 12 oz Hiker Pro filter is plenty to last a whole day no matter the time/length of hike .

[smudge]

Let me preface this with the fact that I move much faster then your average hiker, so the amount of water I carry can get me pretty far. So the times and distances may be off a bit for some folks, but I'll chime in on what works for me.

First of all, the steripen has changed my hiking/running life! For real! This is a super lightweight filter than is better than most conventional bulky models, weighs next to nothing, and is quicker than anything out there.
http://www.steripen....adventurer-opti (EDIT - link for exact steripen to buy if you're so inclined!)
About $100 for the filter.

So I carry the steripen, and one 20 oz handheld Ultimate Direction Fastdraw Plus (+/- $20)
http://www.ultimated...&page=handhelds

So with one handheld, the steripen and 20 oz of gel in my gel flasks, I can go 40 miles with nothing more, stopping as needed to dip in a stream or river (fast moving, white water, etc - usually)

Most are right, water is dead weight. Even if you didn't feel comfortable carrying just 20 oz on you, you can carry a liter in your pack, and, with a little planning, filter when you know you wont be near a water source for some time. Judge the need with how fast you're moving, how much water you'll need for the next leg, and the availability of water sources on the hike. If I know there wont be water for some time I'll either plan ahead and bring a second handheld bottle for that section of the run, or I'll filter, chug one bottle full, filter again and get a move on to the next water source, where I'll chug another full bottle before filling back up and moving on again. You can manage your hydration almost perfectly with this system, and you aren't weighed down with a pack full of water... so you are able to move quicker, and hence remove an element of danger from some aspects of hiking (being above treeline with an approaching storm - prolong fatigue - cover more miles to see more - etc..).

I've been using the stripen for over a year, and I can't believe I survived this long without it!

Edited by smudge, 07 June 2010 - 09:40 PM.