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How much water to carry?
#51120 07/23/17 12:27 PM
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I am having my day hike on 3rd September and would to get an idea of how much water to carry. I am planning to take 5L water and couple of protein shakes. I also hear that there are creeks on the way and we can drink water out of the filter.

Does this seem to be reasonable quantity of water and is there any other source of water on the way so that we can carry less water?

Thanks

Re: How much water to carry?
Test123 #51121 07/23/17 12:48 PM
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5 liters is too much weight to be carrying uphill.

Once I had my technique finely honed, I would start from the parking lot with one bottle of water, one bottle of Gatorade, and then a third bottle of water deep in my pack as a reserve.

Of that, one bottle got me to the summit. Then I drank more on the summit. On the way down, I would stop off at Switchback #25 to pick up more water if I was running low. The water there was almost pure snow melt, and nobody camps higher.

One year was cool, and I went all the way up to Trail Crest, drank my first 8-ounces of Gatorade, and then went to the summit. I had to drink much more on the descent to catch up.

Protein shakes are not weight-efficient.

Re: How much water to carry?
Bobby49 #51154 07/24/17 12:57 PM
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Plus, the more protein you consume, the more water you need to digest it. Food for the hike should be fairly carb-heavy.

Re: How much water to carry?
Test123 #51192 07/25/17 09:03 PM
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been on the trail 4 times.

i bring a 3L camelbak (filled 2L of water) and a 1L nalgene bottle (filled .5L with cold brew). i take lil sips though out the day to keep me focus.

start in the dark, then fill up my camelback with filter water at trail camp. on the way down, i can pick up more water from trail camp again.

from my personal experience, i consumed about 1 to 1.5 of water from trailhead to trail camp when i start in the dark. this is for months of July through October. from trailcamp to summit and back to trail camp, i consume a little less than 3L of water.

food wise, i stick with dry stuff if possible such as bars and trailmix. peanut m&ms are good. avoid jerky. sodium nitrate in jerky reduces oxygen delivery and make your altitude sickness feel even worse.

Re: How much water to carry?
mrchowmein #51486 08/08/17 01:08 PM
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I have done the hike 3 times, but last time was 10+ years ago. Doing the day hike 8/18/17 with my brother and my nephew.

I have a Pur hiker filter (Pur was purchased by Katadyn) that works fine, but is probably heavier than needed. Specs online says it weighs 11 ounces. I'm trying to reduce gear/pack weight.

Does anyone have experience with a lightweight hiker filter that works well on the Whitney Trail?

MSR trail shot looks like a good option.

Has anyone tried Aquamira?

Any advice, tips, plans for reducing pack weight and staying hydrated on this day hike would be appreciated.

Best spots to get water other than trail camp?
Last spot to get water on switchbacks?
How much need to get to summit and back to last water?

Thank you,
Bruce

Re: How much water to carry?
Carry on #51487 08/08/17 01:39 PM
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Originally Posted By: Carry on
...Best spots to get water other than trail camp?
Last spot to get water on switchbacks?
How much need to get to summit and back to last water?


Any of the streams (beware of WAG bags in the vicinity of obtaining water). I am not kidding!

Switchback 23 (yes, you may have to count them but listen for the percolating sound. The headwaters of Lone Pine Creek!

You may need 2 liters. Physiology and fitness varies.


Journey well...
Re: How much water to carry?
Carry on #51489 08/08/17 01:52 PM
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Originally Posted By: Carry on
Does anyone have experience with a lightweight hiker filter that works well on the Whitney Trail?


I switched from a Steripen to an inline Sawyer mini filter. I just got tired of stirring that little wand all the time. Very easy to suck water through the mini filter. Only problem is forcing water through to cook with. Takes a little pressure on the camelback to get water to come through the filter.


For Trail Camp, I filled up at the stream right below trail camp instead of waiting to fill up at the tarn. I prefer using running water when possible.

Then the spring on the 23rd switchback is the last water before the summit. Starts to dry up in late summer, but this year it probably will be flowing for a while still.

Re: How much water to carry?
Carry on #51491 08/08/17 11:16 PM
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Originally Posted By: Carry on
How much need to get to summit and back to last water?

Start with 3 liters from Trail Camp or the switchback 23. Finish one off at Trail Crest. Hide the empty and a full one there for the way back. Carry and use one for the R.T. from TC to summit and back. If you need more, add a little clean snow to your water (if you can find any).

Re: How much water to carry?
Steve C #51495 08/09/17 12:40 PM
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Originally Posted By: Steve C
Originally Posted By: Carry on
How much need to get to summit and back to last water?

Start with 3 liters from Trail Camp or the switchback 23. Finish one off at Trail Crest. Hide the empty and a full one there for the way back. Carry and use one for the R.T. from TC to summit and back. If you need more, add a little clean snow to your water (if you can find any).


That's good advice. 5 years back I had probably less than 2 liters after trail camp and ran out on top. Once I hit water, on the switchbacks on the way back down, i didn't treat or filter, and it was the best water I've ever had in my life LOL

Last edited by retarded; 08/09/17 12:41 PM.
Re: How much water to carry?
Steve C #51574 08/13/17 04:04 PM
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Thank you all above for the great advice.

Re: How much water to carry?
Carry on #51619 08/15/17 02:59 AM
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Why not just filter as you go from the portal? Plenty of streams on the way to Trail Camp.

That's what I did - dirty bag bladder - Sawyer Mini - to Nalgene bottle - steripen to top it off.

Doesn't take more than 5mins each stop once you get the hang of it.

I just carried 1 litre at a time. Saves about 2-4kg of water weight on the way up to Trail Camp.

Re: How much water to carry?
Test123 #51641 08/15/17 02:54 PM
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I don't like the weight that comes with carrying water. I usually spring for Mountain House dehydrated water.

Just add water and you're cooking!


@jjoshuagregory (Instagram) for mainly landscape and mountain pics
Re: How much water to carry?
mrchowmein #51945 08/31/17 09:34 AM
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Originally Posted By: mrchowmein
...

food wise, i stick with dry stuff if possible such as bars and trailmix. peanut m&ms are good. avoid jerky. sodium nitrate in jerky reduces oxygen delivery and make your altitude sickness feel even worse.


I believe that is factually wrong.
First of all, nitrates used during the curing process of food products are converted to nitrites over time (for long cures for like salami & saucisson). Hence you are not consuming nitrates but nitrites. Second, numerous studies have examined the effects of nitrates and nitrites on exercise performance. Although some of those studies have not found beneficial effects of nitrate dietary supplementation, none have shown negative effects.

Eating jerky won't make your altitude sickness/acclimatization worse!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4245587/pdf/nutrients-06-05224.pdf

http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMc1107887

Re: How much water to carry?
Snacking Bear #51947 08/31/17 09:43 AM
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Originally Posted By: Snacking Bear
I don't like the weight that comes with carrying water. I usually spring for Mountain House dehydrated water.

Just add water and you're cooking!


Funny guy. smile

Re: How much water to carry?
Phiker #51970 09/01/17 11:13 AM
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Originally Posted By: Phiker
Originally Posted By: mrchowmein
...

food wise, i stick with dry stuff if possible such as bars and trailmix. peanut m&ms are good. avoid jerky. sodium nitrate in jerky reduces oxygen delivery and make your altitude sickness feel even worse.


I believe that is factually wrong.
First of all, nitrates used during the curing process of food products are converted to nitrites over time (for long cures for like salami & saucisson). Hence you are not consuming nitrates but nitrites. Second, numerous studies have examined the effects of nitrates and nitrites on exercise performance. Although some of those studies have not found beneficial effects of nitrate dietary supplementation, none have shown negative effects.

Eating jerky won't make your altitude sickness/acclimatization worse!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4245587/pdf/nutrients-06-05224.pdf

http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMc1107887


Exercise performance has nothing to do with AMS. And yes, nitrates have been shown to aggravate AMS. I'll try to find the study, read it recently. It involved beet juice.


Wherever you go, there you are.
SPOTMe!
Re: How much water to carry?
saltydog #52153 09/13/17 12:01 PM
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In years pasts I carried all my water like a stupid mule. I would bring about 8 20 oz bottles of Gatorade because it tastes better than water and it's easy calories.

But this year I decided to go light and wore only a vest with a 2 liter bladder filled with Gatorade. I started at my usual 2:00 am time and only drank about 12 oz all the way up to Trail Camp (although I did chug down a 20 oz bottle right before we started).

I topped off a Trail Camp, hoping that 2 liters would be enough. Not only was it enough, but I still had over a liter left when the hike was over!

So how much water to carry highly depends on two things: 1) your condition and 2) how hot/sunny it is outside. Although it's better to be safe than sorry, I know next time that 2 liters will be plenty for me. If it's hot then I can take more. But really is it ever hot from TC to the Summit? Also one can drink as much as possible at TC and have that count for the total one wants to bring along.

Re: How much water to carry?
bruce #52159 09/13/17 04:55 PM
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I did my hike 2 weeks back on 9/3. I took 4L of water. But considering the current condition along the trail, there are so many creeks and waterfalls flowing, 3L should be enough.


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