[pct-l] PCTA Statement on Water Caches

[Reinhold Metzger]

http://www.pcta.org/2015/problem-water-caches-pct-27677/
IMO, Excellent.
...........................

I agree......Jack hit the nail right on the head.
Water caches, although maintained by people with good intentions of
helping hikers, are actually putting hikers at risk because water caches
are not a reliable source of water.
Without water caches hikers would be forced to carry enough water
to the next water source.

Some years ago I had to haul 12 liter of water on a 3 day primitive and
dry Grand Canyon trail in 100+ degrees in the shade.

Water caches give hikers the false impression that they can fill up at the
water cache and therefore may only carry enough water to the next
water cache and if that cache is dry they may be in trouble.

It seems to me that more and more novice hikers attempt a PCT "thru"
because they read somewhere that the PCT is a piece of cake and
anybody can do it, even "Grandma" can do it and as a result more and
more inexperienced hikers find themselves on the trail unprepared or
unable or unwilling to carry in their pack the gear and water to be fully
prepared and self reliant and the high failure rate and search & rescues
reflect that.

IMO....if hikers are not willing or able to carry a pack with the gear and
water necessary to be prepared and self reliant, then, perhaps, they are
not yet ready for the PCT.

The wilderness is not the place to gamble your safety on support that is
not reliable and may not be there, where expected, or when needed.

JMT Reinhold

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