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Backpacking Light

Pack less. Be more.

Desert, cold, and water

Home › Forums › General Forums › Philosophy & Technique › Desert, cold, and water

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
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  • Author
    Posts
  • Oct 24, 2020 at 6:42 am #3680848
    Arthur
    BPL Member

    @art-r

    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.

    Oct 24, 2020 at 7:51 am #3680857
    Alex H
    BPL Member

    @abhitt

    Locale: southern appalachians or desert SW

    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.

    Oct 24, 2020 at 8:19 am #3680862
    Jerry Adams
    BPL Member

    @retiredjerry

    Locale: Oregon and Washington

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

    Oct 24, 2020 at 10:57 am #3680885
    Todd T
    BPL Member

    @texasbb

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    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.

    Oct 24, 2020 at 12:01 pm #3680896
    rubmybelly!
    BPL Member

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

    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.

    Oct 24, 2020 at 8:55 pm #3680976
    Nick Gatel
    BPL Member

    @ngatel

    Locale: Southern California

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

    Oct 25, 2020 at 5:48 pm #3681083
    Tom K
    BPL Member

    @tom-kirchneraol-com-2

    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.

    Oct 25, 2020 at 5:57 pm #3681086
    Jerry Adams
    BPL Member

    @retiredjerry

    Locale: Oregon and Washington

    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.

    Oct 25, 2020 at 6:13 pm #3681087
    John Vance
    BPL Member

    @servingko

    Locale: Intermountain West

    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.

    Oct 25, 2020 at 7:08 pm #3681093
    David Thomas
    BPL Member

    @davidinkenai

    Locale: North Woods. Far North.

    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.

    Oct 25, 2020 at 8:11 pm #3681100
    Arthur
    BPL Member

    @art-r

    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.

    Oct 27, 2020 at 9:37 pm #3681363
    Paul McLaughlin
    BPL Member

    @paul-1

    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.

    Nov 16, 2020 at 7:34 am #3684333
    Joshua B
    BPL Member

    @leukos

    Locale: Indy

    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.

    Nov 16, 2020 at 3:34 pm #3684388
    David Thomas
    BPL Member

    @davidinkenai

    Locale: North Woods. Far North.

    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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