Water Carry
Overview
Water carry refers to the amount of water a hiker transports between sources. It varies based on distance, terrain, temperature, and source reliability.
Key points
- Determined by upcoming distance between water sources.
- Heavily influenced by heat, elevation, and physical exertion.
- Requires balancing hydration needs against pack weight.
- Critical in desert or drought-prone environments.
- Often planned using maps, reports, and seasonal data.
Details
Water carries can range from minimal in well-watered forests to extremely heavy in desert regions where sources may be dozens of miles apart. Because water is dense, planning must balance necessity with weight management.
Hikers use guidebooks, water reports, and recent notes from other travelers to inform carry decisions. Overestimating needs improves safety but adds significant load.
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Illustrative hiking footage
The following external videos offer general visual context for typical hiking environments. They are not official route recommendations, safety instructions, or planning tools.