Chapter Three

Water

Water is essential for life. This simple fact seems innocuous when you are at home with an ample water supply. However, once you hit the Trail, much thought and planning needs to go into how and where you will find water that is safe to drink. Never deprive yourself of water––this leads to dehydration, which contributes to numerous ailments, including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and hypothermia. Proper planning is the preventive for water woes. Where will you get water? How will you treat the water you do get? You must be able to answer these two questions before you hit the Trail, and the answers are just as important for the day hiker as they are for weekend backpackers and thru-hikers.