Snow into usable water....

[Wiszard]

If you are low on water and there's snow around, what is the best way to turn snow into usable water? How much snow does it take to yield 2 cups of water?

 

[grosventrehunter]

Put it in a pot, add heat....water....?

I think it depends on the moisture content of the snow on hand. You might have to melt a few pots, but 2 cups are very doable.

 

[LIK2HNT]

If backpacking a fire to melt the snow then boil with your backpacking stove. Using your stove for the whole process uses to much fuel.

 

[elkassassin]

Don't Melt Yellow Snow!

 

[Wiszard]

Thanks....I know it may take lots of snow to make water. I have also read that when you melt said snow, some of it escapes as steam. I was just wondering how the experts do it....if at all. I appreciate the tips.

I 100% get not using the stove unless you can melt LOTS of snow at one time.

 

[Sallaberry]

I’ve herd the best snow holds an inch of water in 7” but I’m on the eastern front of the sierras so we don’t often see 7”. My wife says see ain’t seen 7” since we’ve been together so?

 

[2lumpy]

If you are low on water and there's snow around, what is the best way to turn snow into usable water? How much snow does it take to yield 2 cups of water?

Ya shoulda asked 3 months ago Wiszard…. It’s to far the mountain to get a pot full to test for you. lol.

But what the heck I’ll speculate:

Commonly, the percentage of water to snow is called the “snow ratio”. An old rule of thumb was that for every 10 inches of snow, there would be 1 inch of water (10:1). However, this is far from the norm, and recent studies indicate that a 12:1 ratio might be more representative (on average) for the Upper Midwest.Jan 4, 2022

Base on 12” of snow producing 1” of water. A 6” wide by 6” deep pot of snow will melt down into approximately 4.5 cubic inches of water.

There are approx. 14.5 cubic inches of water in a cup.

Approx. 3 pots 6” by 6” of snow will produce one cup of water.

Therefore, according to my approximation, melting 6 pots ( that measure 6” x 6” ) to get 2 cups of water.

So, cut the top off 6 plastic milk jugs, fill’em with snow, set them on your pick up dashboard and turn on the defrost. ?

 

[Wiszard]

DC.....it seems as though one would need quite a bit of snow to melt to make it worth it. I have always wondered about this. I watch hunting vid's where guys have to walk half a mile to the spring to get water and I wondered why they just didn't melt some snow??!! I now know.

Was busy with work today......call you manana.

 

[2lumpy]

Maybe a milk pail full of snow, on the wood stove, over night, would get you enough for a cup of coffee, in the morning…… but……don’t forget to add some more wood while you’re up to pee, at 3.

Hope you closed a big one today……….

Call anytime W……

 

[elkassassin]

Acid Rain/Acid Snow!

Probably Not Much Difference in the Two!

 

[Bluehair]

Thank God for the internet.

 

[eshunt]

One thing to remember when melting snow for water is start with a little bit of water in the pot. Heat it up and slowly add snow to melt. If you just throw a pot of snow on the stove or over the fire you can actually "char" the snow and get a burned taste in your water.

When setting up a large basecamp with a woodstove in a wall tent, you can keep a pot or kettle of water on the stove and just keep adding snow to maintain plenty of water.

If melting snow in the springtime, watch out for the snow that has the red/pink tint to it. That is some sort of bacteria that grows on the surface of the snow and can make you sick if you drink it without boiling. But in the Fall/winter time, with fresh snow I usually don't boil, just melt and drink.

 

[middlefork]

Filling a big black garbage sack with snow and placing it in the sun works remarkably well in a lot of cases.

 

[OutdoorWriter]

If melting snow in the springtime, watch out for the snow that has the red/pink tint to it. That is some sort of bacteria that grows on the surface of the snow and can make you sick if you drink it without boiling.

A different sort of red...

When we had our resort at Vallecito Lake in Colo., the snowfall totaled more than 400" per year. One year after a significant storm, I started to shovel out the front door area. When I sliced downward with the shovel, there was a quite noticeable reddish layer about 4'" thick. Found out later, it was the result of huge windstorm on the Navajo reservation to the southwest.

 

[JPickett]

If using a jet boil I’ve heard that melting lots of snow in it can damage the pit/fins. No personal experience with this happening but figured I’d mention it so you don’t ruin your stove