HikeArizona.COM

Hey guys! Im going to do a long section hike this fall.

I'm wondering about the water availability compare to a spring hike?
thanks!

Be sure and check each passage - here on the forum there are water reports available under each passage. Also, from the AZT site, look at the pull-down menu under Trail Resources - go to Water Resources - for water reports. I've just been on Mormon Lake and Happy Jack and there was water just about every where - pretty good for July / August. Hopefully it will hold for all of the fall thru-hikers.

I did a thru hike of the AZT last fall (Sept). Water was pretty good for the whole length of the trail. Might be nasty looking pond scum you have to kick a cow out of but it was water.

This is all promising to hear. I am having concerns about a late fall SoBo I am doing. Start around mid-Oct.

Some sources are better in spring, some in Fall. Its really going to vary from location to location. I was just up doing passages 27 and 28 and some perennial sources were bone dry while other drainages that weren't even mentioned on the water report were flowing nicely. I think this is because some depend more on snowpack than rain water for their springs, while others are only carrying surface runoff from the recent storms.

I found the AZ Trail App to be helpful, paired it with the ATA Water Report and my own good judgement and carried lots of water everytime I left a good source.

writelots wrote:Some sources are better in spring, some in Fall. Its really going to vary from location to location. I was just up doing passages 27 and 28 and some perennial sources were bone dry while other drainages that weren't even mentioned on the water report were flowing nicely. I think this is because some depend more on snowpack than rain water for their springs, while others are only carrying surface runoff from the recent storms.

I found the AZ Trail App to be helpful, paired it with the ATA Water Report and my own good judgement and carried lots of water everytime I left a good source.

Thank you! I am just over a month out so will be following the weather closely too. It's really nice to hear first-hand reports even though the reliability of sources is constantly changing. I also just dl'ed the app tonight and was going through it. Hopefully, some SOBO'ers will update it sooner than later.

I'll be updating water sources as I head south later in the month. It would seem there will still be some hearty water near Utah and down in the some of the southern passages.

I had planned on adding to a few of the caches up north, but I heard they had a good monsoon this year so I cancelled the plans. I'll be putting soul to dirt next Monday and will be updating the app as I go.

See you out there.

I'll be stocking some extra water for thru hikers on passage 42/43 at Govt Resevoir and Orderville TH (not listed as source) when I drive up to start my sobo next week. I'm also open to buying and stocking any special treats like canned coffee or Payday bars or the like for any other thru-hikers. I'll take requests until 9/21!

NoPal wrote:I'll be stocking some extra water for thru hikers on passage 42/43 at Govt Resevoir and Orderville TH (not listed as source) when I drive up to start my sobo next week. I'm also open to buying and stocking any special treats like canned coffee or Payday bars or the like for any other thru-hikers. I'll take requests until 9/21!

Holyyyy the water there would be great. I was planning a huge two day carry to start the whole thang off. I can Paypal you or Venmo or something for the water.

BGL wrote:I had planned on adding to a few of the caches up north, but I heard they had a good monsoon this year so I cancelled the plans. I'll be putting soul to dirt next Monday and will be updating the app as I go.

See you out there.

I'll be behind you all at a pretty moderate pace. If all goes well I'll get out to the border by Oct 15th the latest. Thinking I might be the last thru.

@TheRhinoRoams
It's not a big deal. I'll update the app info after I drop water on 9/22. Just please pack out whatever y'all use

NoPal wrote:Just please pack out whatever y'all use

A huge AMEN to that. Caching is getting to be an issue, have you ever tried picking up the remains of a sun-baked plastic jug after it shatters?

Sredfield wrote:

NoPal wrote:Just please pack out whatever y'all use

A huge AMEN to that. Caching is getting to be an issue, have you ever tried picking up the remains of a sun-baked plastic jug after it shatters?

Noted. Got to respect the trail. Good karma may be helpful over the course of 800 miles.

A friend and I are heading up this weekend; we are planning on parking his RV at/near Jacob Lake and taking his jeep to the TH. We were already planning on caching water at Winter Road and GovRes. I'm happy to add a few additional gallons for y'all. We're already planning on hauling out any trash we see.

BGL wrote:A friend and I are heading up this weekend; we are planning on parking his RV at/near Jacob Lake and taking his jeep to the TH. We were already planning on caching water at Winter Road and GovRes. I'm happy to add a few additional gallons for y'all. We're already planning on hauling out any trash we see.

Excellent! Thank you.

BGL wrote:A friend and I are heading up this weekend; we are planning on parking his RV at/near Jacob Lake and taking his jeep to the TH. We were already planning on caching water at Winter Road and GovRes. I'm happy to add a few additional gallons for y'all. We're already planning on hauling out any trash we see.

Thanks! How much are y'all planning on caching? I'll be up in ten days.

NoPal wrote:

BGL wrote:A friend and I are heading up this weekend; we are planning on parking his RV at/near Jacob Lake and taking his jeep to the TH. We were already planning on caching water at Winter Road and GovRes. I'm happy to add a few additional gallons for y'all. We're already planning on hauling out any trash we see.

Thanks! How much are y'all planning on caching? I'll be up in ten days.

I originally planned on caching a few gallons but after this conversation I'm going to drop off 3-4 gallons at each spot, for public consumption. It sounds as though y'all will be right behind me so it should still be there when you get through.

BGL wrote:

NoPal wrote:

BGL wrote:A friend and I are heading up this weekend; we are planning on parking his RV at/near Jacob Lake and taking his jeep to the TH. We were already planning on caching water at Winter Road and GovRes. I'm happy to add a few additional gallons for y'all. We're already planning on hauling out any trash we see.

Thanks! How much are y'all planning on caching? I'll be up in ten days.

I originally planned on caching a few gallons but after this conversation I'm going to drop off 3-4 gallons at each spot, for public consumption. It sounds as though y'all will be right behind me so it should still be there when you get through.

Thank you thank you. When do you plan on starting?

TheRhinoRoams wrote:

BGL wrote:

NoPal wrote:

BGL wrote:A friend and I are heading up this weekend; we are planning on parking his RV at/near Jacob Lake and taking his jeep to the TH. We were already planning on caching water at Winter Road and GovRes. I'm happy to add a few additional gallons for y'all. We're already planning on hauling out any trash we see.

Thanks! How much are y'all planning on caching? I'll be up in ten days.

I originally planned on caching a few gallons but after this conversation I'm going to drop off 3-4 gallons at each spot, for public consumption. It sounds as though y'all will be right behind me so it should still be there when you get through.

Thank you thank you. When do you plan on starting?

Leaving Phoenix this Saturday, staying overnight in Flagstaff, then heading up to JL on Sunday; from there we'll drive up the dirt roads to the border dropping off water at GovRes and Winter Road. I'm starting on Monday the 19th though.