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100oz Hydration Pack Question
#28073 09/26/12 09:15 PM
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Do you think if I start with 75-100oz in a hydration pack I can stop for water only twice (both times at Trail Camp Pond or stream feeding Trail Camp Pond)

So I will hike from Portal to Trail Camp, fill up then hopefully Summit, then stop there again on my way back.

Day hike, Oct 2nd, Rookie

Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
StellaBlue #28077 09/26/12 10:50 PM
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That is not how I would do it. That is a lot of weight to carry to trail camp, IMHO.

Between the Trailhead and Trail Camp, you can probably carry just a liter or so and fill up when you need to one the trail if/when you run low. That way you keep your weight down. From Trail Camp to summit and back to Trail Camp,, I carry 2 liters of water plus one of electrolyte solution, for three liters total. Basically a nalgene liter bottle plus a 2 liter camelback. Other folks have other systems so I am sure you will get other responses.

Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
StellaBlue #28079 09/26/12 11:10 PM
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100 ozs is around 3 liters = 6 lbs, which is a full load of water for most people. Water needs vary somewhat for each individual so think about how you compare with "average" hikers you might know. I'm reluctant to advise you to bring less water, but you'll probably do just fine with 2 liters between the Portal and Trail Camp. It's usually enough and you have a few things working for you, it will be cooler that average in October and you'll probably be hiking up to Trail Camp at night and early morning. And of course it's downhill on the way back when it's the warmest part of the day. The key stretch is the summit bid going up from Trail Camp and then back down to refill. Three liters is about right for that round trip, in my opinion. Be sure to drink a good amount at the Portal before you hit the trail and camel up again when you're refilling at Trail Camp each time. Have a great adventure!

Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
Akichow #28080 09/26/12 11:14 PM
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Akichow, I swear I didn't see your post until after I hit "submit." I basically repeated what you posted while I was typing.

Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
SierraNevada #28081 09/26/12 11:27 PM
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...or do like a few of us: Don't carry anything until the last water at Trail Camp. Dip and drink at most stream crossings.

From Bob R's album, 2012-05-25 Mt. Whitney attempt

Caption: "Steve's gonna die"


  Reliable Water Sources Along the Mt. Whitney Trail (a PDF document)
  related pictures: Water availability along the Mt. Whitney Trail

Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
Steve C #28085 09/27/12 12:40 AM
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Friend of mine got giardiasis backpacking on the East side (cottonwppd pass TH trip) in August. May be rare but it happens. She said it was great for weight loss....

Hey, SierraNevada, I grew up as an eastern sierra backpacker on this site, so no surprise that I drank the kool-aid, so to speak...meaning that my practices have often developed from the good info shared by you and others,

Last edited by Akichow; 09/27/12 12:45 AM.
Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
StellaBlue #28088 09/27/12 08:48 AM
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I am unfamiliar Camelbaks' offering but looking at their packs they seem kind of small and we are getting into October...which can be stinking cold at night, below freezing above 10,000'.

A few things...

You should consider an electrolyte replacement...about 2 liters should do ya for this trip. My preference is Cytomax. This means carry an extra bottle of some sort.

Does the pack have enough room for warmies that would get you through the night, if you really screw up and get stuck up high. Never leave home without enough warmies to get you through the night safely.

The only time I carry more than 2 L of water is on Trail Camp to Trail Camp RT. I carry 4 L because that gives me a margin of error most times on this trip. I have used 3 to 5 L doing this or Guitar Lake to Trail Camp...the five on a day near freezing all day.

How much water you need is dependent on your body. There are no firm or fast rules. You just do not want dehydrate.

Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
wbtravis #28090 09/27/12 09:57 AM
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This is what I did Saturday.

Started with 1 L of water and 1 L of gatorade. My plan was to get more water at Mirror Lake, but we had issues with our filter. The Water and Gatorade lasted until .5 miles before Trail Camp.
Fixed filter and filled up at Trail Camp (100 0Z bladder plus 24 0z bottle with gatorade powder to be added). I left the 24 oz bottle and some other stuff at the JMT Junction, then picked them up on my way back down.

Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
Akichow #28091 09/27/12 10:02 AM
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I don't want to hijack the thread, but really want to know...

Akichow wrote:
> Friend of mine got giardiasis backpacking on the East side (cottonwppd pass TH trip) in August. May be rare but it happens. She said it was great for weight loss....

Just a couple of questions, to make sure of things:
Did the friend get a positive diagnosis?
Cottonwood is cattle country.... Was he/she treating the water?
How many days after the start of the trip did the first symptoms occur?
How long was the trip?




Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
Steve C #28092 09/27/12 10:47 AM
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Originally Posted By: Steve C
Did the friend get a positive diagnosis?


She saw a doctor (in Bishop or Mammoth, where she is living), got a diagnosis, and received drugs. I do not know what tests they did, or did not, do. My friend is a long time (decades) backpacker ... has done the JMT 4-6 times solo in large sections ... fairly sophisticated about this stuff.

Originally Posted By: Steve C
Cottonwood is cattle country.... Was he/she treating the water?


Her actual route was Cottonwood Lakes TH-New Army Pass-Lower Soldier Lake-Cottonwood Pass TH. This trip was in August, and I was not on it (i.e., it was not the trip she did later with me over Labor Day).

She uses grapefruit extract to treat water, and nothing else. Makes me nervous, but that is what she does.

She is not a newbie to backpacking, as alluded to above. Rather, she is an old hand and is fairly sophisticated about where she chooses to fill up.

Originally Posted By: Steve C
How many days after the start of the trip did the first symptoms occur?


I do not know. I do know that it was after the trip because she mentioned that.

Originally Posted By: Steve C
How long was the trip?

I believe it was either 5 days/4 nights, or 4 days/3 nights, based on what she told me were her campsites.

Thanks,

Karin





Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
Akichow #28216 10/02/12 09:35 AM
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I have a 3L hydration pack and when I did the trek in July I had about .5L left when I got to trail camp on the way up. The next day when we left trail camp I filled up and I actually ran out of water halfway down the switchbacks. It would have been nice to have an extra liter.

I drink a lot of water when I hike but the best advice I have read was to take your hydration pack and use it to fill a water bottle with a known volume (nalgene bottle) and that way you know exactly how much water you are drinking and it wont be a surprise when you go to drink and its gone.

But like most have said, water is not a problem on this trail until after the switchbacks.


Come check out my weblog www.bryansoutdooradventures.blogspot.com and share your gear reviews, adventures, and trip reports!
Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
Bryan P #28218 10/02/12 11:50 AM
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...ultralight fanatic here.... wink   Just food for thought.

Those nalgene bottles weigh 6 ounces! And they cost TEN BUCKS!

Do yourself a favor, and buy a quart of Gatorade, drink it or pour it out, and you have a bottle that weighs an ounce or two (I'll weigh mine tonight.)

...there are probably even lighter-weight water bottles available,too.

Ya'all will probably draw the line here, but those hydration bladders and tubing are lots heavier than cheap water bottles, too. I'll take my hydration pack on an easy day hike, but for big hikes or backpacks, it stays home.

Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
Steve C #28219 10/02/12 11:54 AM
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When I did Whitney overnight my pack weighed in at 43lbs at the scale with 4L of water(Laugh I know) but I also was able to drink when I wanted to and just sip out of the hydration pack.

My Uncle who did not have his camelbac filled when he started and only had his water bottle drank significantly less because it was inconvenient to grab the bottle.

I like the convenience of being able to just sip away when I am thirsty and not have to worry about reaching for my water bottle.

ultimately it is personal preference however.


Come check out my weblog www.bryansoutdooradventures.blogspot.com and share your gear reviews, adventures, and trip reports!
Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
Steve C #28221 10/02/12 04:51 PM
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"...there are probably even lighter-weight water bottles available,too."

The Aquafina 500ml bottles use ultra thin plastic and are very light. They also squish down to nothing for packing (empty) and can be blown back out to shape with a quick puff. Great for packing a few empty compact bottles for the dry sections.

I also hang an insulated bottle holder from my chest strap so that I don't have to reach behind to get the bottle (shoulder dislocations make that a painful move).

Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
tdtz #28350 10/07/12 11:02 PM
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I ended up taking about 2.5 quarts from TC to Summit and then I ran out about halfway down switchbacks (I weigh 230lbs). If it was hotter I would have taken more water...I put electrolyte powder right in my bladder but I know some people don't care to do so. This was my first trip and next time I may take 3 quarts because I was conserving a bit. I like Hammer Products or Accelerade compared to Gatorade. I also use "gels" towards end of hike but I have a flask and don't use packets.

Re: 100oz Hydration Pack Question
StellaBlue #28354 10/08/12 08:33 AM
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What would you have done blew out your knee up high or you had 5 symptom AMS and could not move and were stuck overnight?

Temperature does not have as much to do with consumption as people believe. There are other factors; such as, exertion level and humidity. The most water I ever drank on this trip was on the coldest day I reached the summit...as did everyone else in my group...we all went through about 5 L on that 10 mile trip, thank God for snow.

You should have water left over when you refill coming off the switchbacks.

The name of the game is safety here, not time or pack weight...especially this time of year.


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