Jon talks about how much water to take on hikes

 

Water Tips for Healthy Hiking

How Much Water to Take on a Hike

The #1 mistake made by hikers in the Southwest is not taking enough water for their hike. So, what is the general rule for water? How much should you take? Well, it depends on what you are doing but there are some general rules we can use. The heat is intense out there and it is a good idea to have extra water for unanticipated uses or problems that can (and do) come up.

Over 800 Search and Rescue operations last year in Arizona and over 40% of them for day hikers who didn’t have enough water and couldn’t find (or make) shade. The simple fix for the desert heat is water and shade.

Check out our previous post on how to avoid and treat heat illness.

Here’s the basics:

  1. Drink your fill at the car before the hike.
  2. Carry 1 L for each hour you plan to be out.
  3. Add an extra bottle for… whatever.
  4. Rest in the shade regularly.

Pretty simple.

Go play outside. With water!