[pct-l] The dangers of 'Cameling Up'

[Aaron Doss]

I agree, I drank too much water twice on the PCT.

The first time I was a scissors crossing (2006).  The water cache was stocked with distilled water.  I drank about 2 quarts which you would not think is that much.  In ten minutes I started getting very light headed with extreme weakness. I made up some concentrated rehydration mix and drank about a cup of it.  In 15 minutes I was back to normal.

The second time was in 2009.  I was hiking across the lava fields next to Mt Adams (WA).  There is super cold water coming from the glacier flowing through the lava fields.  It was extremely hot out and I kept drinking and drinking.  I lost track of how much I drank.  By the time I got across the lava I nearly passed out, I collapsed on the ground with an irregular heartbeat.  I immediately recognized what was happening and I felt so stupid.  My body was in panic ape mode, I honestly thought that I was going to die.  I had no rehydration salts so I tried to eat some salty snacks but I had so much nausea it was difficult.  I laid on the ground for an hour in misery and finally I had to pee.  I pissed a full bladder of clear urine, and in 10 minutes another bladder of clear urine, then again, probably 5 times total.  

I have a hard rule now, I don’t drink more than half a liter every 30 minutes.  This has kept me out of trouble.

On the opposite extreme, I had whisky/coffee like urine many times in the southern California deserts without anything bad happening.  

People die in marathons from being over hydrated.  No one ever dies in those events from dehydration.  Overhydration is far more dangerous than dehydration.    

Aaron Doss
PCT 2006
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