How much water should you bring or is required so that you do not get dehydrated? You hear so much on the news in the summer about people dying or near death because of dehydration. What is the required/suggested amount to bring on a long hike? Like a 5 to 7 mile hike or climb?

l never climb 7 mile before
l only climb 5 mile
Water very heavy
Leave water at bottom
and use long straw
to drink
l guess drink one
quart per hour
Let is see what
others say

Jack

In the Sierra even in the late season there r usually creeks every couple miles or so & many trails often follow the creek up hill, so one does not have to carry more than a quart of water at a time, which is great because water is heavy. You drink ur fill at the water source, fill ur bottle, hike & repeat.

l would not consider a 5-7 mile day hike very long, taking perhaps 3 hours, but for a backpacking trip it is about average & could take twice that if the trail is steep and/or ur pack is heavy.

In areas where l can not get water l usually carry 70 ounces of water in a hydration bladder plus another 16 oz in a soda bottle for up to 10 miles of day hiking. That is in temperate climes, not the desert in summer, but perhaps in winter or spring. For backpacking in the desert in winter & spring it is recommended people carry one gallon of water per person per day. l would avoid desert hiking in the summer unless u really know what you're getting into.

5-7 miles isnt that far so do not worry about dying from dehydration.
i would take about 1-2 big bottles of water (2litres) . and keep sipping them every 10 minutes. dont down it all at once tho because youll just need the loo:P.

if your thirsty though then you're already dehydrated so top up on fluids if you can

happy hiking.

Fill up you stomach with water before you start and carry some in a light, aluminum container or canteen. About 20 ounces should last for a 7 miler. As to stream water, NEVER drink it ''RAW always boil it to prevent contracting Giardisis which is highly prevalent in nature.
Sometimes l can go for 8 hours without a drink, but it depends on the air temperature.

Here is the skinny from the Grand Canyon website FAQ's:

In warm months each hiker should carry & drink about a gallon (4 liters) of water per day. Watch ur ''ins & outs''. Drink enough so that urine frequency, clarity, & volume r normal. You r not drinking enough water if ur urine is dark, small in quantity, or non-existent in the course of a day is hiking. In addition, eating adequate amounts of food will help u replace the electrolytes (salts) that u r sweating.

During the summer months, ur fluid/electrolyte loss can exceed two quarts per hour if u hike uphill in direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day. Because the inner canyon air is so dry & hot, sweat evaporates instantly making its loss almost imperceptible. Do not wait until u start feeling thirsty to start replacing lost fluid. By the time u r thirsty, u r already dehydrated! Your body can absorb only about one quart of fluid per hour. Drink one-half to one full quart of water or sports drink each & every hour u r hiking in the heat. Carry ur water bottle in ur hand & drink small amounts often.

l hike in the canyon & take a 70 oz hydration pack. Depending on conditions u might have to refill it. Do not drink any water from a source you're not sure of. Bring tablets or a water filter with u if you're not sure of a reliable source for refills.

Hope this helps.

l find l get very thirsty, so on all-day hikes in the heat uphill l take my two litre hydration bladder (platypus) and usually drink it, and more once i've filled it up again at a stream.
My climbing partner prefers the fast and light approach though, and so only take a one litre bottle..

l do a lot of desert hiking & peak bagging, living in southern Nevada & all.

A 5-7 mile hike is not too bad - depending on the time of year (you would need more water in the middle of summer rather than the cooler fall or spring), l usually take 3 liters. Four in the summer. Sometimes l freeze a bottle or two so they will be cold. l usually take a little extra because l am diabetic & drinking water helps me to control my blood sugar.

l have not made the switch to Camelbaks, however. l still use wide mouth water bottles. l do this for two reasons - l like to know how much water l have left & it is easier to monitor it when l can see it & the water can freeze in the little tube coming from the bladder. l know that they have insulation for the tubes, but sometimes l am out in below freezing weather & the valve seems to freeze up. That is just a personal preference.

l usually carry a bottle on a caribiner attached to the bottom of one of my pack is shoulder straps so l have ready access to liquid.

That is about a 1/2 day hike, and depending on how steep / strenous it is between 1 to 2 quarts (litres) minimum - 2 quarts / day normal walking, 4 quarts per day steep terrain or very hot. If you know your route, you can usually refill one bottle when you pass water sources but you will need a water filter or you could get sick.

Good Luck