Water

[jumpshooter]

In the 4th year of a drought out here in CA and getting ready for a 4 or 5 day pack trip into the high county. Last year, there was almost no water what so ever in this area. I am expecting to find no water where I am heading that can be used so that I don't have to pack in an insane amount of water. At 10,000 to 12,000 feet, I am suspecting to use the better part of a gallon a day.

What are any of you finding for easy packing of water? I have several platypus bags, but maybe there is a better way to carry 4 to 5 gallons of water.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I use an MSR Dromedary bag for large volumes of water. The 6L is a good compromise for my needs but two of the 10L bags would give you 5 gallons of capacity; fill them partially or all the way depending on your needs. The DromLite version would save you some ounces. I've used my drom bag quite a bit for the last several years, it's tough as nails and easy to use.

http://www.backcountry.com/msr-dromedary-bags?CMP_SKU=CAS0325&MER=0406&skid=CAS0325-ONCO-L4&CMP_ID=PLA_GOc001&mv_pc=r101&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PLA&mr:trackingCode=E63CC1DA-F061-DF11-9DA0-002219319097&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&mr:ad=77110705597&mr:keyword&mr:match&mr:filter=92798410117&gclid=CKaq3_38y8cCFVFefgoduq0Ahw&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I don't know if you can or have time, but I'd stash it. You obviously don't want to be lugging 40lbs. of water around everywhere you go.

 

[LopeHunter]

Stash ahead of time. No easy way to pack in 5 days of water plus pack in even the bare neccessities food and gear. I packed 110 pounds (included rifle) for a five day solo archery hunt 5 miles back (thought was 3 miles but switchbacks were involved rather than crows flying) and my body hurt every day. I had water in a creek or would have had to make two heavy trips just to start hunting.

A gallon is 8 pounds. That may not be enough if temperatures are warm. You are at altitude and is common for kidneys to go hyper as adjust to altitude. Even 5 gallons is 40 pounds. I would use more than 1 gallon a day in that situation even if highs were only 70F since I tend to cover some elevation as go out on day hikes from camp and take about 40 pounds with me (gun, food, game backs, GPS, water, etc) so can break an animal down without first heading back to camp. I use around 1 pint per hour during the day when am active on a hunt.

Running low on water is a safety issue since increases you chance of altitude sickness plus your blood thickens which increases the chance of stroke and increases the risk the stroke will be more damaging. If are not urinating every 30 minutes while awake then are not fully hydrated.

 

[hank4elk]

I hunted the Sierras for many years.
I use a water filter and bags and always could get water,except under the conditions you have now. There is no water,or almost none.Same with feed then,hunt the timberline lower ,IMHO.
The high country there now is a desert,bucks are not there like usual.
I was just at Huntington Lake last month visiting my packer buddy.He commented on lack of bucks up high this year. They are down where they can find food and water.You can get water from many lakes and springs with a filter.

 

[jumpshooter]

I would like to think there are lakes and springs, but there weren't last year and we are another year deeper in. Huntington is about 2,000 feet below where we will be, so not much hope there.

I wish I was headed up there between now and then, but work is too tough to get away in the next couple of days.

Funny about the hydration and peeing. I am a forester and wildlife biologist and I almost never pee even working all day in the woods, maybe once per day if that. Foresters are notorious for kidney stones because of this.

 

[hank4elk]

Yeah,my neighbor is retired FS geologist/hydrologist and he has stone collection...from his body..lol

Hunted the Kaiser out my door and JM/AA wilderness' a bunch . Pretty dry up high too for sure.
Find a basin or stream with some water and you'll be golden glassing from above, but different conditions call for plans x-z....I stashed water/ camps up high and in Owens,but usually from a horse,....carrying gallons of water on your back is murder on your body.....like 65#+ pack and 40lbs of fresh oranges over Taboose....but I was 40yrs younger and indestructable....lol