Desert, cold, and water

[Arthur]

We are headed to N AZ.  The first two nights are supposed to be in the low to mid teens, no water, so we are hauling water for that time.  Any suggestions on keeping the water from freezing solid those two nights?  It will probably get into the 40’s during the day but we could get real thirsty before it melts.  This is a sudden decrease in temps locally, so the ground should be above freezing.  I was thinking of burying the water during the night.

[Alex H]

You are right about the ground being warm, depending on how much water you can put it under your legs or between two people is sleeping close or under your pack or other insulation.  You really only need to keep the water you will need in the morning from freezing.

[Jerry Adams]

A method is to put water containers on ground, put gear on top to provide insulation.

[Todd T]

If you hide them under gear (or leave them outside at all), set them upside down so the lids won’t freeze shut and any drinkable liquid will be near the opening.

[rubmybelly!]

I now carry an aluminum bottle for water with a good cap, and will put that, wrapped in a ziploc, at the foot of my sleeping bag (I use sleeping bags instead of quilts at that temp). That gives me .75 liter of non-frozen water to work with in the morning. The aluminum bottle was a water bottle I saw in Safeway once, eminently reusable, it’s been my water bottle ever since. Haven’t been able to find it again though, as I’d like to get a second one.

[Nick Gatel]

In those temps I ignore weight and use these insulated holders and Nalgene bottles.

[Tom K]

Keep what you need in the morning in your sleeping bag, as suggested above, and bury the rest in a shallow hole beneath where you will pitch your tent/bivy bag.

[Jerry Adams]

When I’ve screwed up and let my water freeze, if there’s even just a little liquid, heat it on stove, pour back into water bottle to thaw it out.

[John Vance]

I have had good luck putting it under the foot end of the tent in a shallow depression with the tent floor and my sleeping pad on top of it.   If it leaks there are no worries.  I keep a smaller bottle for a drink in the night under my pillow with just enough to wet my whistle.

[David Thomas]

Now, in the Fall, the ground won’t be frozen very deep at all (different story in January).  Dig a hole, place water jugs, and cover with loose soil or gear.

Or (multi-purposing idea!): bring bladders.  From water carriers or running/day pack inserts or wine-in-box (2.5 gallons for the Gallo table wines).  Fill with water.  Use as a pillow at night.  As you use the water, refill with air for continued use as a pillow.

[Arthur]

Thanks for the tips.  Heading out in the morning.   No time to drink 2.5 gallons of Gallo!  But will try a combo of the suggestions.  8-10° F first two nights.

[Paul McLaughlin]

If the two of you are sleeping side by side, lay your water containers on the ground between you. Done it many times camping on snow down into the teens, works a treat.

[Joshua B]

Also, if you have the UVPE type nalgene bottles that Nick Gatel pictured above, you can boil your water, put it in your nalgene and wrap it in a piece of clothing and keep it in your sleeping bag as a hot water bottle for the night.  This is one huge advantage to nalgene bottles over others that can’t handle boiling water.  I use this method to push the temp rating on my sleep system all the time.

[David Thomas]

Any HDPE bottle will also handle boiling water, so if you dumpster dive in the #2 recycling bin (instead of the #1 bin where you usually look for SmartWater bottles), you can find HDPE bottles.  They tend to be a bit heavier than the PETE options, but, hence are sturdier and are completely dishwasher save.  That lets you very thoroughly remove any residue from them and get them really clean after each trip.

Of course, the lids need to checked carefully.  Most containers aren’t as leak-tight as a Nalgene, but some are.  Vitamin and protein powder containers tend to have great lids AND are wide-mouth, letting you cold soak in them.  Laundry detergents have easy-pour spouts and water-tight lids, but usually have odd shapes that don’t pack as nicely.  If you can deal with a narrow mouth, bleach and hydrogen peroxide come in nicely shaped and decently sturdy containers and hydrogen peroxide is so cheap, sometimes I’ve bought it just for the container.

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