[pct-l] Water Tricks

[metam01 at earthlink.net (Monty Tam)]

Thanks Gary
My "normal" conditions are different.  
Hot and steep can double this for me into 2 liters per 10 miles.
Still 3-4 hours isn't bad with a light pack on semi-level ground.  One
liter usually.
Don't try this your first time on the PCT.
Gary's warnibgs are very real.

Warner Springs Monty


> [Original Message]
> From: Gary Wright <at2002@mac.com>
> To: pct list <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> Date: 10/21/2005 4:32:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Water Tricks
>
> On Oct 21, 2005, at 2:48 PM, Monty Tam wrote:
> > I usually figure 10
> > miles per liter in normal weather and usually have a pint left of  
> > that.
> > (Don't blow my cover!) .
>
> While I understand that water needs vary, 10 miles/liter in the
> area where caches are most frequent (southern CA) seems like very
> little water for "normal" weather in those areas for thru-hikers.
>
> Obviously temperature can vary quite a bit.  In 2004 I left Scissors
> Crossing with almost 8 liters of water late in the afternoon after
> 104 degree weather (in the shade).  I ran out of water about an hour
> short of Barrel Springs around 2pm the next day (and I did not cook
> during this period).  Note, I did not use the cache at the crossing
> but filtered and treated the creek water.  Also 3rd gate cache was
> empty when I passed it but was refilled several hours later.  I had
> assumed it would be empty and it was a *very* good thing that I made
> that assumption.
>
> Jump ahead to 2005. I understand that the hikers had blowing
> rain/snow (i.e. hypothermic conditions) in the same area around
> the same date.
>
> My point is that there is no single figure such as 10L/mile that
> makes sense.  You need to be aware of your own needs, the terrain
> you are covering, how much you've had to drink in the previous 24
> hours, the air temperature, wind, and so on.
>
> If you haven't hiked in hot-dry conditions before then *BE CONSERVATIVE*
> until you have a better feel for how your body reacts.  If you are
> used to the East coast/AT where it is quite obvious that you are
> losing water because your shirt, shorts, and pack are dripping with
> sweat you'll need to adjust your thinking because those external
> indications wont be there in the hot dry desert.  Salt stains just
> magically appear at the end of the day.
>
> I think that one of the frequent errors I see long-distance
> hikers make is getting dehydrated (the other is being ignorant
> of hypothermia).  Even mild dehydration degrades
> your physical condition*. Day hikers get dehydrated also
> but they are back at home at the end of the day and probably not
> hiking again the next day.  They recover.  Long distance hikers
> are working in a different context and need to be aware of that.
>
> * According to "Wilderness First Responder" losing 1.5 liters of
> water can reduce your endurance by 22% and your maximum oxygen
> uptake by 10%.
>
> Radar
> Gary Wright
>
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