AT thru-hike vs PCT - the water management is totally different

I did the Appalachian Trail back in 2019 and thought I had water figured out. Streams every few miles, just carry a liter and filter. Then I hit the PCT last summer and got humbled fast. Those long dry stretches in Southern California, I had to carry 4+ liters at a time and actually plan where my next source was. My back hurt for two weeks straight. Nobody told me how much heavier your pack gets when water becomes the main thing you're hauling. Anyone else switch trails and get caught off guard by something basic like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

patricia_hayes18d ago

Yeah that bit about "how much heavier your pack gets" really hit home for me... I remember on the PCT near the aqueduct I was carrying damn near a gallon and a half and my shoulders felt like they were gonna pop out of their sockets. On the AT you just scoop water every time you cross a stream and never think twice about it, but out west the weight adds up fast before you even see a real source.

dylan_rodriguez17d agoMost Upvoted

Man that gallon and a half is no joke especially in the desert heat. Did you ever try one of those bladder systems with a hose or do you stick to bottles? I've heard some folks say the hose freezes up in the cold and gets nasty in the heat but I swear by my dirty water bag for filtering on the go. Just curious what worked best for you on those long dry stretches.

cooper.max18d ago

Patricia_hayes, you nailed it with the weight thing. I once packed seven liters for a dry stretch in the Sierra and felt like a pack mule with a bad attitude for three days. By the time I hit the water cache, my shoulders were screaming and I dumped half of it out before I even took a sip.