Backpacking in for Muleys

bowhunter223 · Aug 16, 2005

I'm packing in on foot this year due to some road closures. (It will be better that way anyway) Any stories, hints or suggestions for making it an enjoyable camp without packing alot of crap/weight? Waters my problem....I've backpacked plenty before, but have always had water along the way(Uintahs), but here there's NO WATER for a mile or two. It's 4 days before the hunt. How do I get it all in there in time? Anyone out there Tooele County, UT way that would like to pack me in on their horse? Any takers? Any I'll be camoping right in there with the big boys, and I don't want to spook them. Help me out here.

archeryelkaholic · Aug 16, 2005

If I had more information it would help.
How many people?
How far in?

Well, figure 1/2 gallon of water per person a day is MIN. I would rather have a gallon.

How far in are you? If there is NO water of ANY kind and the hike was less than 5 miles I would be temped to leave one afternoon and haul a%% with 5 gal of water on my back. Go in and drop it where I planned to camp. If you are hunting with somebody make them do the same.

Problem solved.

May also throw in a few HEAVY items (12 pack of beer

for the trip in.

Archer

Drake · Aug 16, 2005

Depending on distance from water source, i would have to agree with what has been said before, hook a 5 gal water jug to your pack and take it in, in the next 2 days good luck to ya. maybe a 5th of some fine whisky weighs less than a 12 pk

easymoney · Aug 16, 2005

Good points all.
There are some easy things you can do to cut alot of weight out. Go with as light a pack, pad, bag, food, stove and equipment as you can. Go to backpacking.net, 24hourcampfire.com, gossamergear.com or backpackinglight.com and they have loads of info on cutting weight. If you are good with your hands you can make your own alcohol stove like I did and save a lot of weight and still have hot water. Go to mogogear..com, permapack.net/backpackstove, or the one I built: csun.edu/~mjurey/stove.html(mark is a very cool guy and his stove is the best).I pack in every year and water is always a dillema. You can only carry so much, but you need at least 1/2-3/4 gal per day per person, per day(just for drinking and food).
I am packing into eastern Oregon to an area with very little water and am in the same situation. I would get a filter/pump and fill up as many camelback bladders as you could, hump them in as a cache. Or get a packer to haul in all your gear.
I have not been drawn for Utah before, but when I was there earlier this summer I saw loads of nice bucks...
Good luck

Bev42 · Aug 17, 2005

If you guys are drinking 1/2 to a full gallon of water per day then I'm a freakin' camel. I take one 32 oz gatorade and a 12 oz bottle of water per day when I backpack into an area. That's worked fine for me and keeps my pack light.

muzzle · Aug 17, 2005

Which mountain range are you going to be in?

easymoney · Aug 17, 2005

My point was directed to someone backpacking in away from easy sources of water, such as the original poster. That is where the pump/filter or iodine pills come in. And the volume of water is based on drinking and cooking. 44 ounces will go very quickly, especilly if it's hot and dry...

mmwb · Aug 17, 2005

If I am hunting sun up to sun down, without returning to vehicle or camp, I'll drink 96 ounces of water by 2 or 3 in the afternoon. If I know I'm going back to vehicle or camp, I'll drink it all by 11 or noon. I'll then refill and drink at least half as much again by dark. Can get by with less, but find I have significantly more energy and that I'm much more alert to the environment around me when I drink alot.

bowhunter223 · Aug 18, 2005

I'll be in the Stansbury Mnts. I'm just going to pack a 5 gal. in th emain compartment of my pack and pack everything else around it.

txhunter58 · Aug 19, 2005

Just remember that 5 gallons of water will weigh in a little over 40 lbs. Don't know that I could carry much more due to the weight and bulk. Could tie on a lot of light stuff (clothes, sleeping bag, etc) but will probably have to make two trips that way, if it were me.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)