Guyot spring

[MichaelJ]

Five liters? That's 11 pounds. At what point do you find that the work to carry the weight of that much extra water causes you to drink more, than if you carried less and as a result were less thirsty?

I drink a lot less in the winter, too. I attribute that to not sweating so much trying to cool down. However, the air in winter is dramatically dessicated compared to summer, and many people will lose a significant amount of body moisture through their breathing in winter. Especially those who don't lose a lot to sweating in the summer.

 

[TrishandAlex]

Five liters? That's 11 pounds. At what point do you find that the work to carry the weight of that much extra water causes you to drink more, than if you carried less and as a result were less thirsty?

FWIW, I carry 4 or 5 liters each and every time I hike with Alex. I carried just as much in the summer and fall when we were on trails without a reliable water source. When I'm on my own, I carry 3 liters. Believe it or not, I don't notice much difference in my level of thirst or the weight of my pack.

Also, I don't find myself drinking that much more than when I go for exercise walks around the neighborhood, carrying no pack at all. That's just me, everyone's different, of course.

 

[giggy]

Really, who wants to climb the extra 200' down and back up from Guyot shelter, quite possibly breaking it out, if they can find out from advance information that the spring *isn't* running?

nobody, its a complete waste of time and energy for a bonds winter dayhike- thats why I thought it was for a backpack. In which, I would not rely on it being running at all - no matter what was said here.

Makes more sense to carry the water on a dayhike. if you can't carry 3 liters of water or looking for 20 ways to prevent that - then maybe you shouldn't be doing a winter bonds traverse.

just saying.

 

[MichaelJ]

It's never a waste of time or energy to know in advance if there's a water source, just in case you end up needing it in a situation. In fact, it's certainly less time and energy to go down to the spring and back, *IF* you know it's running, than to sit there with a stove trying to melt snow.

It was a perfectly reasonable question and deserved a perfectly reasonable answer.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have other dead horses to beat.

 

[David Metsky]

Makes more sense to carry the water on a dayhike. if you can't carry 3 liters of water or looking for 20 ways to prevent that - then maybe you shouldn't be doing a winter bonds traverse.

just saying.

Or you could accept that people hike their own hikes, and choose different tradeoffs then you would. IMO, it's not unreasonable to plan on filling up at Guyot if that's the way you plan the trip, and having knowledge about the status of the spring is always a good thing.

Just saying.

 

[sli74]

nobody, its a complete waste of time and energy for a bonds winter dayhike.

I respectfully disagree, giggy. I don't think it is such a waste of time. It takes me longer to get my stove going and melt snow. Plus if the day is really cold I prefer to keep moving even if it adds elevation gain and loss than sit and melt snow and get cold.

If one gets down there and the spring isn't running, then there is always the back-up of the stove but there is nothing wrong going in with as much information as you can gather. Also, I guess I don't understand what the big deal is to add a couple of hundred feet of elevation to an already long day if the need ought to arise. Anyway, I think everyone has a way that is best for them and it may not always make sense to others but certainly doesn't make their way a waste of time.

In any case, there is no harm in being as informed as possible.

sli74

 

[sli74]

Now if you'll excuse me, I have other dead horses to beat.

Ooops, I guess I added to that beating.

sli74

 

[dr_wu002]

Ain't goin' there...

I want to see someone actually do this. It so easy to talk the talk but when you're 1/2 way through a Bond Traverse and all tired and sweaty with 13 miles left to go and some more elevation you ain't gonna be like, ok off to Guyot Campsite for the maybe frozen spring. Sure, I could be wrong -- someone might actually be foolish to drop down to Guyot Campsite rather than just carry an extra liter or so or a stove. Just drink outta Zeacliff Pond or somethin'. Just sayin'.

Also, the advantage of having a stove is when yer little pecky is all frozed up from wearin' that kilt of yours you can boil up some water and defrost the thing. No sense in risking everything for a hike!

-Dr. Wu

 

[MadRiver]

Also, the advantage of having a stove is when yer little pecky is all frozed up from wearin' that kilt of yours you can boil up some water and defrost the thing. No sense in risking everything for a hike!

-Dr. Wu

Gee, where is my serial red squarer when you need her. Thank God I didn’t ask a controversial question like is the spring running for my unleashed dog while he barks on the cell phone.

 

[wardsgirl]

It's not me!

An innocent question:

Has anyone in this thread ever melted snow or tried to drink flowing water in winter on a dayhike? What was the result?

If one was to go down to the spring and find the water flowing, wouldn't the water be "teeth chattering" cold, and contribute to further chilling the body's core? The water also will start to freeze in a bottle almost immediately. One would want to take out his/her stove and heat it up first. So, either way, if one wants water, they would need to break out a stove. Better off melting snow somewhere along the hike without the climb down to Guyot Campsite and back up again.

Just my $.02

 

[MarkJ]

What Wardsgirl says.....

I'm sorry,That makes too much cents

 

[sli74]

I want to see someone actually do this. It so easy to talk the talk but when you're 1/2 way through a Bond Traverse and all tired and sweaty with 13 miles left to go and some more elevation you ain't gonna be like, ok off to Guyot Campsite for the maybe frozen spring. Sure, I could be wrong -- someone might actually be foolish to drop down to Guyot Campsite rather than just carry an extra liter or so or a stove. Just drink outta Zeacliff Pond or somethin'. Just sayin'.

-Dr. Wu

Well, foolish is my middle name
I haven't done this on a Bonds Traverse so maybe I am just "talking the talk" . . . but on a 100+ degree day, I walked over a mile and 600 feet of elevation loss and subsequent gain to get more water because I hadn't wanted to carry the gallon worth of water from the previous trickle.

But, I have also done the opposite, carried 7 liters of water over 10 miles so that I wouldn't have to drop 300 feet in elevation to get more water and could make my miles for the day.

I guess my point is that each person and each situation is different and why if one doesn't do things exactly the way another would, does it become immediately foolish or something?

Anyway, continuing to beat this dead horse . . . must have too much time on my hands today.

sli74

 

[dr_wu002]

Gee, where is my serial red squarer when you need her. Thank God I didn’t ask a controversial question like is the spring running for my unleashed dog while he barks on the cell phone.

I doubt anyone is going to square you for something that I said. It ain't natural. I'm just lookin' out for your best interests. I'd still bring a Jet Boil just in case.

-Dr. Wu

 

[dr_wu002]

Well, foolish is my middle name
I haven't done this on a Bonds Traverse so maybe I am just "talking the talk" . . . but on a 100+ degree day, I walked over a mile and 600 feet of elevation loss and subsequent gain to get more water because I hadn't wanted to carry the gallon worth of water from the previous trickle.

But, I have also done the opposite, carried 7 liters of water over 10 miles so that I wouldn't have to drop 300 feet in elevation to get more water and could make my miles for the day.

I guess my point is that each person and each situation is different and why if one doesn't do things exactly the way another would does it become immediately foolish or something?

Anyway, continuing to beat this dead horse . . . must have too much time on my hands today.

sli74

Aye, but winter is different than summer. In Summer I'd definitely take advantage of the Spring. But in winter -- too much risk, too much work, too little reward.

Hey, foolish is ok. Ask anyone that's ever backpacked with me what foolish things I bring along (bone saw ) and what I usually leave at home (sleeping bag).

-Dr. Wu

 

[David Metsky]

Has anyone in this thread ever melted snow or tried to drink flowing water in winter on a dayhike? What was the result?

Yes, straight from the spring, and it worked fine. Didn't freeze in my pack, didn't shatter my teeth.

 

[MadRiver]

I doubt anyone is going to square you for something that I said. It ain't natural. I'm just lookin' out for your best interests. I'd still bring a Jet Boil just in case.

-Dr. Wu

I wasn’t worried about me, I was just wondering if she was going to diversify a tad. Trust me, a stove will be in my pack!!

 

[sli74]

Yes, straight from the spring, and it worked fine. Didn't freeze in my pack, didn't shatter my teeth.

Same here !!! Though it was COLD.

 

[dr_wu002]

I wasn’t worried about me, I was just wondering if she was going to diversify a tad. Trust me, a stove will be in my pack!!

Just as long as yer not postin' pictures of whatcha got cookin in that stove of yours, should be ok!

-Dr. Wu

 

[DougPaul]

Has anyone in this thread ever melted snow or tried to drink flowing water in winter on a dayhike? What was the result?

Sure. Winter stream water is cold.

Ever drink ice water? Did you survive? Winter stream water is no colder.


Melted snow can be anywhere from 32F to 212F.


BTW, the water treatment issues (stream or melted snow) are essentially the same for winter and warmer. (However, chemical treatments take longer when the water is cold.)

Doug

 

[MarkJ]

Good point DougPaul.If snow fell into the spring ,would that be considered melted snow or spring water?