[pct-l] Water Caches

[ed faubert]

Meadow Ed here.............
Speaking as one of the first trail angles to 'stash' water back in '96, that means for well over a decade pcters have had some water caches provided. I can tell you that by 08 there was 3 dozen or so caches that are maintained somewhere on the trail. Keep in mind this does NOT include the ones provided by friends or family's of individual hikers who follow a hiker up the trail and will stash water or have water available in cars at trail heads. This method adds up to water being available at most trail heads for some hikers.
 
No matter how one feels about the caches i can tell you they are NOT going to go away. We have even had to deal with immigration stealing the water as a deterrent for illegal. I saw 50 gallons of water throw in the garbage at Walker Pass by the Forest Service people when cleaning up the bathroom. i filled a complaint with the mans supervisor and well he did not return the water was told stashed water is not thrash.
 
Just like SPOT, GPSs, new updated topos, guide books etc etc water caches are now part of the PCT experience. Yes they do create some thrash buildup at places but that's mainly caused by lazy hikers who leave their thrash behind. i am seeing lots more thrash being left behind in the Grand Canyon, i recently got a new air mattress and aluminum ground sheet that way, i did however pass up the sleeping bag also left behind.  
 
Yes we do tell folks where some of the caches are but just as many new ones pop up all alone the trail depending on who's driving cars. Folks are going out to lots of dirt roads and leaving not just water but feeding hikers too. Look at the latest PCTA mag to see the one held between Mojave and Walker Pass.

--- On Tue, 3/10/09, Jim and/or Ginny Owen <spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com> wrote:


From: Jim and/or Ginny Owen <spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com>
Subject: [pct-l] Water Caches
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009, 7:17 PM



One of the problems with known water caches is that people DO count on them.  They carry less water - a quart or two instead of a gallon.  Not only is there the risk that the cache may be empty, but also, because people are expecting the water, they are more likely to arrive empty.  Instead of just topping off with the water - drinking a bit to get by, they fill up two or more quarts.  That makes the caches empty out much faster.  Has anybody thought about putting out the water but not advertising them?  Then they are a treat - and not a disappointment or danger when they aren't there.



When we hiked the PCT in 2000, we didn't know where the water was going to be.  We knew about a couple of possible caches, but because we were ahead of the crowd, we knew we couldn't count on them.  One that we had heard about on Hat Rim didn't exist that year -- at least not when we were there.  Fortunately, we never expected the caches to be there. Each was a surprise.  Yes, we had to carry more weight - but so what?  It is an expected part of desert hiking - and of thruhiking.  When we found a cache, we cameled up happily, but it was a treat, not a necessity.  I don't think that advertising the caches is really doing the hikers a favor. 



Ginny

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