PCT: Most water carried?

When do you expect to be in the Mojave?

I carried 8 liters on the longest desert stretches and did not use water caches. I was early so figured there would be none. I used a McHale pack.

Start date on 5/7/14. Have a SMD fusion but I think it may be overkill.

There are a lot of variables. Temperature, hiking speed, dry camp needs etc etc. I tend to drink less water than many. The most I've ever carried was 6 liters out of Scissors Crossing. I'll be doing the Mojave section this May and plan to have a 6 liter capacity. Even if you pack isn't designed for that much weight and/or is not comfortable carrying the load remember it's only temporary. I personnly wouldn't get a pack capable of extra heavy load hauling that in reality I may be doing only rarely.
I saw a guy last year who carried a plactic gallon water jug in his hand in some of the hot streches and didn't seemed fazed by it. There are always alternatives.

CA Section F (Hwy 58 Tehachapi to Walker Pass) now starts with a 32-mile waterless stretch, thanks to range cattle destroying Golden Oak spring. I have not heard of an effort to get the plumbing fixed before this spring.

http://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/trail-condition/golden-oak-spring/

The most I have ever carried is 5 liters, at the start of Sec. D and its 22 mile climb to the first water source. I have a ULA Ohm 2.0 and with the water it weighed around 32 lbs., but I could have carried another liter or 2 without compromising the loading. I didn’t have a bear can, but if I did there would have been no room in the pack for more water.

In 2014 my wife and I never carried more than a combined 8 liters. We were never relying on caching, but we did cut it tight a few times were the cache came in super handy. A cache was also super handy when a platypus ripped open and dumped 2 liters during a 30 mile waterless stretch.

The Fusion is a pretty nice pack. If I was solo hiking the PCT I'd get pretty ruthless about achieving a 7-8 lbs baseweight and I'd go with a frameless pack, but that's only for weight geeks.

This is my most recent PCT list.

I have a Prophet, I am just tentative to use it because it lacks a belt. I can attach a 1/2″ webbing and use the sleeping pad as a virtual frame.

I also will be hiking with my wife, she is planning on using a SMD Fusion 65 until we finish the Sierra.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Edit – Add 1.83lbs to see BPW using the Fusion 65 instead of the Prophet. Add 2.75 for the bear can.

6 L was the most I carried, but I think my longest carry was something like 24 miles.

Also, golden oak spring was beautiful when I was there. This is yet another reason I ****ing hate cows.

Saw this just now:

https://anthonyspct.wordpress.com/2015/05/10/out-of-the-desert-and-into-the-sierras-744/

Fine.

Twice is enough.

I see hiking speed and one's need to sleep at water the largest factors.

On my 2012 PCT thru hike, I believe the most I carried was 4 liters…and that was in the Mojave area. I think that was only once or twice. Average miles was 27 miles/day over the course of the trip during days that we were not coming into town.