My dear friends,
I sat down to write something personal about water for you, the way I usually do, and I came up empty. Not because I have nothing to say about water, the new guide is full of it, but because the honest truth is that water has almost never gone wrong for me on a trip. For a while, I took that as a sign I had no story worth telling you. Then I realized it is the story.
Water has stayed uneventful for me because I plan it that way, not because I have been lucky. I research weeks ahead of the trip, mark my sources on the offline maps, and look at the latest reports on water reliability for these trails. When I am not sure a creek will be running or a source will be clean, I carry more water than I think I need and accept the extra weight, because I would rather haul a few pounds I do not use than gamble on water that might not be there. Most of my trips put me near creeks or clean lakes, and I choose them partly for that. None of this makes for a dramatic story, and that is exactly the point. The quiet trip, the one where water was never a problem, is the thing all the preparation was for.
I have some family members who shudder every time they see me collect water out of a creek with my BeFree filter and then drink straight out of it. I can't blame them, and I actually appreciate their caution. That is exactly what we need when looking at our water sources. Since they have never camped in the backcountry and never relied on a water filter to provide fresh, delicious-tasting water, they simply don't know that it is safe, as long as you understand what the filter can and cannot remove.
And speaking of delicious water, I ALWAYS filter extra water at the end of the trip to bring home with me, because it tastes so much better than my chlorinated LA water! Am I the only one doing this? I hope not! You should try it on your next trip.
My new guide is full of information about water sources, the filters I rely on with my life, what they remove from the water (and what they can't), as well as important maintenance tips. I also cover a few things that I've researched but never tried myself. My viewers have asked me about purifiers, for instance. Those are filters that remove even viruses. I also have no experience with Aquatabs yet or Steripens. I would love to add all three to my gear at some point (the Aquatabs will come with me on my next trip), but most places I've camped simply didn't require them, or I used other ways to treat my water.
So all of this is to say that I don't really have a story for you today. And that's probably a good thing. I would love to hear yours, though. What is a trip where water turned out to be more of a problem than you expected, and what did you do about it? Every story I hear from someone else is one I learn from, too.
The free 30-page guide is here if you would like it –>
Take care,
Andrea