Ideas for Dealing with No Water at Parsons Landing on Catalina Island

[Casey Bowden]

The family and I will be spending two nights at Parsons Landing on Catalina Island next week. We hiked from Avalon to Two Harbors last year so we are familiar with the island. However, unlike the other campsites, Parsons Landing has zero fresh water so we will carry it all in / pay to have some delivered. With respect to the water issue we are seeking ideas for the following:

• Cleaning: We will be dusty from the trail and salty from swimming in the ocean. I can’t stand sleeping under those conditions so I’m bringing dried out wipes which we will re-hydrate and use to wipe ourselves down. Any tips for this?
• Food: Even though the campsite has no fresh water it does have pit toilets, trash / recycling bins and a fire pit / grill so we are thinking about bringing non-conventional backpacking food. Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[Rex Sanders]

Wipes
Why dried out? You’re only saving a few grams per wipe, and could waste precious water rehydrating. If using big wipes, start at the face and work down to your feet.

Food
Without delivered water, you are carrying water in the food, or to add to the food. Hardy fresh fruit and vegetables can last a couple of days or more. Apples, peppers, onions, celery, mushrooms, radishes, carrots, zucchini, eggplant, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, citrus, not-quite-ripe avocados – cruise the unrefrigerated produce section or farmers market with an open mind. Consider pre-washing at home to save water in camp.

One can of fruit like peaches, pineapple, or fruit cocktail could make a yummy desert – or a surprise reward for reaching camp. Remember to bring a can opener!

Pouch dinners from Trader Joe’s and elsewhere include the liquids, just heat and eat. But try at home first! Bagels and lox keep well, cream cheese if kept coolish until opening.

Shish kebab over the campfire, bamboo skewers are light. Baked tofu keeps. Might be some long-lived meat options, can’t help there. Skewers could be reused to roast marshmallows, but need a hard container to stop squishing.

HTH.

— Rex

[Rex Sanders]

PS – Soak bamboo skewers with water before cooking, or they’ll start burning, too. Longer is better.

— Rex

[dirtbag]

You can bring fruit cups.. no need to bring can opener. Peaches, mixed fruit, fruit cocktails..

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

Camp Emerald Bay is close by, you could sneak in and take a sponge bath.  When I have been there, there always seems to be partially empty water containers around, though I wouldn’t count on it.

[Sandy Hilton]

I’ve done Parsons twice. Why not just pay for the Park Service water drop?  It’s slick, easy and puts some $ into their operation.

[Ben H.]

Definitely pay for the water. It’s the only way to get firewood and that is an idyllic beach campsite that is absolutely serene with a nice campfire. Carrying water sucks. Plus as mentioned above put some money into maintaining the beautiful Trans-Catalina trail.

Non-traditional foods are great at Parsons Landing, too. We bought some frozen steaks at the convenience store in Two Harbors and grilled them over the campfire. I actually caught an Opaleye in the surf there and we had a nice surf and turf dinner. (It’s a great surf fishing spot)

Hiking Catalina isn’t cheap as far as backpacking trips go but it is worth it. Little Harbor and Parsons Landing are two of my favorite campgrounds I’ve ever been to in my life. It absolutely blows my mind that you can be less than 25 miles from 15 million people and feel like you are on a deserted Caribbean island.

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

non-conventional backpacking food. Suggestions?

When we have campfires, we like to roast foil wrapped potatoes, carrots and or beets in the ashes.  It’s pretty easy to do.  You can also foil wrap kielbasa or other sausages as well.

[Casey Bowden]

Great ideas everyone, thank you.

For clarification, we are paying $50 to have 5 gallons of water and two bundles of wood brought in. This will be for three people for three days. Our plan is to take the flat fire road in on the first day (~ 8 miles), do a day trip to Lands End the second day (~ 8 miles) and take the steep hills back on day 3 (~ 7 miles).

[Casey Bowden]

Ben H. wrote: We bought some frozen steaks at the convenience store in Two Harbors and grilled them over the campfire.

Did you use the existing fire rings/grills for this or did you need to bring anything? Not having luck finding good photos of the grilling situation there.

[Ben H.]

Did you use the existing fire rings/grills for this or did you need to bring anything? Not having luck finding good photos of the grilling situation there.

I’m trying to dig up a picture but striking out. I am pretty sure there was a grill grate. Equipment at Parsons Landing is pretty weathered and not in the best of shape. There was a locker and picnic table. I think the fire pit was just piled up rocks and we found a grate somewhere. We had a small fry pan if nothing else was available.

 

Here is the best photo I found so far: 

 

[CS]

Happened to see a report here that shows the grills, BBQs are also listed as amenities on the Catalina Island Company’s website.

https://www.readysetpto.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-camping-at-parsons-landing-catalina-island/

 

[Jacob]

5 gallons of water and two bundles of wood brought in. This will be for three people for three days. Our plan is to take the flat fire road in on the first day (~ 8 miles), do a day trip to Lands End the second day (~ 8 miles) and take the steep hills back on day 3 (~ 7 miles).

I hiked into Parsons with one other person over the steep hills from two harbors 2 weeks ago in similar weather. We left two harbors with 3 liters total and we had 5 gallons delivered. While we weren’t trying to ration, we had 4 liters remaining the next morning for the flat hike back.

I think you need 2x-3x more water for 3 people for 3 days if your gonna hike each day.

[Casey Bowden]

We left two harbors with 3 liters total and we had 5 gallons delivered. While we weren’t trying to ration, we had 4 liters remaining the next morning for the flat hike back.

Unless my math is wrong, that means each of you used about 9 liters in 24 hours, seems excessive.

[Ben H.]

If you go over the hills it is a steep dry hike. Catalina Island company recommends 1 gallon per person per day. I am sure that has a lot more buffer built into it than most people on here use, however you are talking about using water to wash up. From a campfire perspective, I would want at least 4 bundles of firewood for 3 days. I know it is expensive, but that would also put you at 10 gallons of water meeting Catalina’s suggestion. We definitely had water left over, but we used up all of the firewood.

[Ben H.]

https://www.readysetpto.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-camping-at-parsons-landing-catalina-island/

Hah! that is the exact same spot we camped at with pictures from the opposite angle as my picture above…. and they show the grate!

 

[Jacob]

I double checked and you’re right; we ordered 2.5 gal extra water and received two of these

https://images.app.goo.gl/6rpRJ18TRVvBgKrUA

Which are actually 1 gal each. The site fee doesn’t include any water, so what I thought was 2x 2.5gal containers was actually 2x 1gal. It seemed like a lot and we were surprised at how much we used.

The fire pits are rock piles and ours had a heavy cast-iron looking grill/grate, which would require a bit a of elbow grease to clean up and get in proper position.

[David Thomas]

What kind of an engineer are you?  Cobble together a 2- or 3-stage evaporator heated by a BRS-3000T.  Each liter of fuel could produce 20 liters of water – you’ve got the whole Pacific Ocean for feedstock and as a heat sink.

Or put the kids to work pumping an emergency desalinater.  2.5 pounds, a liter per hour output.  $1,295 Yankee dollars.  

[Casey Bowden]

What kind of an engineer are you?

The best kind, retired!

[Casey Bowden]

Jacob and Ben H.,

Thanks for your input regarding water. Just went ahead and ordered two more lockers so we have more than enough now (10 gallons waiting for us at Parsons Landing for three people for two days). Plus we’ll start the hike well hydrated and carrying 2L each and leave early the third day and get back to Two Harbors for lunch. I’ll report back how much we actually use.

[Author]

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