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TIL I was carrying way too much water weight on the John Muir Trail last year

I used to just wing it with water stops. I'd fill up every liter I could carry at each creek and end up with a 45-pound pack for the first 5 miles. After a gnarly fall crossing a wet log near Lyell Fork in July, I switched to planning my carries by the mile markers in the guidebook. Now I only take 2 liters max between known sources, and my pack dropped to 35 pounds. Has anyone else made a similar switch and noticed their knees feel better?
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2 Comments
rowan_hunt8
Not really a huge deal, just pack a little less and move on.
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knight.oscar
That Lyell Fork crossing is sketchy even with a light pack (I slipped there myself back in '18). The real game changer for me was switching to a Sawyer Squeeze instead of tablets - lets me filter fast from those silty Sierra creeks without lugging extra weight.
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