Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Sources of Drinking Water

Hi there, and thanks again to those smart and kind souls who responded to my first post. I continue to learn from this community and feel grateful that I stumbled upon this message board.

Okay, so here is ignorant query #2: I have been planning to carry a Nalgene bottle and iodine and purify drinking water as I go along--but are there, in fact, regular water sources (streams, park service faucets for hikers) from which I can take water to purify? Above a certain point does one need to melt snow for drinking water? It occurs to me that my Whitney book does not cover this. (I am going up via Cottonwood.)

My pack only has essentials and is already of gargantuan proportions: I am hoping that I do not need to pack drinking water to boot!

There are ample sources of treatable water (trailside streams and lakes) up to and including Trail Camp at 12,000'. However, from there to the summit, there is only one spot in the middle of the Switchbacks where there may be water flowing. That can be frozen in the early a.m. or inaccessible in the p.m., so I wouldn't count on it.

Figure on carrying between 3 and 4 liters of water starting from Trail Camp and needing all of it by the time you summit and return to Trail Camp.

I use the Platypus "baggies" instead of Nalgenes for carrying large quantities of water...they weigh almost nothing empty (an ounce or two even in the 2.5 liter size) and take up very little space since they pack flat except for the cap. You can buy them with (or add) a hydration hose and bite valve, as well, or just use them as large containers from which to refill your Nalgene.

For that matter, leave the Nalgene at home and carry a couple of the 22-ounce Gatorade "Edge" bottles (with the twist-open valves built into the caps). They weigh less than Nalgenes and are easier to drink from since you don't have to unscrew the top to drink. Plus, they cost a whole lot less than Nalgenes!! ;^)

By "Cottonwood" I suppose you mean Cottonwood Lakes.

If you go over New Army pass there is a river and multiple lakes to get water from.

If you go over Cottonwood pass, drink deeply at chickspring lake.

Next reliable water would be soldier lake or lower Rock creek.

Over Guyot pass I would need to consult a topo map. It seems there is a section you have to carry water over. There are some small creeks (Guyot, perria, but from what I understand they are not always reliable for water). It is close to 10 miles, so 1 quart may not be enough.

Coming around the back there are multiple lakes near crabtree ranger station...like guitar lake.

You would have to carry water up over the west side to trail crest and on to Whitney and then down to trail camp.

From trail camp to the portal there are many places to get water.

I'd suggest you purchase your maps which will tell you exact where the water is in reference to the trail.

A Nalgene bottle? If the Cottonwood you speak of is Cottonwood Pass mean you will have one quart of water for about 7 to 8 miles from Chicken Spring Lake to somewhere north of Siberian Outpost.

Another area of concern is how can your pack be of gargantuan proportions if you have just essentials. You might want to put your packlist here for help and comment. The only difference in a long weekend trip and a week trip should be food.

Not to be flippant but how do you plan a trip without maps?

Bill

I've done this hike by this route, and one of the nicest hikes, I think.

I agree, a pack of gargantuan size, and only essentials are contradictions. When I did this trip, I think my pack was about 20#. It would be about 15# now. (not including water).

From guitar lake area, I'd carry three quarts up, leaving one with the pack at the intersection. Use one to there, one to the top and back, and the third to Trail camp. One could use more, but this should be adequate.

As others have mentioned, the trek out of Chicken Spring Lake to Rock creek is dry, although mostly downhill, and when I went, there was no water from Rock Creek to Crabtree.