Backpacking Water Information and Trip Planning

I learned the importance of backpacking water treatment on my first backpacking trip after many years was with my oldest son. It was a short six mile trip on the Chinnabee Silent trail in the Talladega National Forest in Alabama. The kids were on spring break so we headed south for the week. I convinced my wife to drop the two of us off at the trailhead and to be back around noon the next day to pick us up. It was my son’s first trip and I was using him as my Guinea Pig to determine what backpacking would be like with the rest of the family. Well the trip was a success, he loved it and this trail is still one of his favorites. Being the first trip we purchased two new backpacks and a tent but the rest of our gear consisted of car camping equipment. Being a short trip we carried food that required no cooking and all of the water we thought we would need for a 24 hour trip. I learned two good lessons on this trip. The first, car camping gear is too bulky and heavy. Lesson number two, always have a way to safely get more water.

You see, as typical for a family of six we were running a little behind. We had been dropped of at the trailhead at high noon, sun blazing and being early in the season, there were no leaves on the trees for shade. If I remember right it was about 75-80 degrees, which is not too bad in the summer, but for a couple northerners just coming out of winter it was hot. Well I went through half of my supply of water during the short three mile hike up to the shelter. Here we were, just arriving at camp and three of my six bottles of water were dry. My son did not consume nearly the quantities I had and still had most of his, but I’m thinking I used three to get here and I still have dinner, breakfast and the hike back to go. In the end we had exactly the right amount but hiking with sweat pouring and having gone through half my water in the first two hours with no way to refill left me a bit concerned.

So what do you do about water in the backcountry? First it is heavy and for most trips you can not easily carry all the water required for the trip, and if you could, as with my story above, conditions may change where you will need to consume more than planned. Second, consider all water in the wilderness as unsafe until it has been treated. Treatment consists of boiling, water filters, water purifiers, chemically treating, UV treatment or any combination of these. Gone are the days when you can scoop a cup of water straight from the crystal clear mountain stream and drink it down. Most streams in North America contain bacteria that can cause vomiting and bad diarrhea, not something you want to deal with in the backcountry. Water in other countries should be treated not only for bacteria but viruses as well. Water filters do not remove viruses, viruses are small enough to pass right through the filter media.

Trip Planning and Other Notes About Water

1) You should know the locations of your water sources so that you can plan refills and know how much to carry.

2) I usually try to camp close to water sources so that I have plenty for the cooking and cleaning I will be doing at camp.

3) Ask rangers or other hikers if your planned water sources have water, especially in the dry season of summer. Some small creeks and springs only have water during the wet seasons or after a heavy rain.

4) This one is obvious but I will say it anyway, flowing water is much better than stagnant water.

5) Know the source and what is upstream, especially if it is a larger stream. Does it flow through a populated area? Is there industry, abandoned mine run off or agricultural land that could add pollutants? For this reason I use smaller streams.

6) I always carry a backup system of cleaning water. My primary is a water filter, my backup is my stove. You never know when your filter will clog or malfunction.

7) Do not be afraid to ask for help if needed. The help could be from another backpacker, day hiker or a house at a road crossing.