Well, I suppose that Marc asked me to participate in authoring this last article in the Ten Essentials series because I'm "uniquely qualified" to discuss hydration, or more accurately, dehydration. In 2002 I experienced pretty significant dehydration while camping in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. Many of the details about that trip are here. It's not pretty, and we made a couple of very poor decisions that nearly cost us more than a "wasted trip." The thought of an airlift was not out of the question on that particular adventure.

Before we get too much further, Marc felt some obligation to point out that the circumstances leading to my condition were a result of decisions made by both of us. As we break down the hydration tips below, we'll try to explain how these all came together to create the end result of severe dehydration and a close call with heat stroke in the middle of nowhere.

Tip: Superhydrate

This was one area where we both made a valiant effort. Before the trip, we each drank as much water as we could. Personally, I drank more than I could stand for a week preceeding the trip, and started out extremely well-hydrated. This might not work perfectly for everyone who is planning a long hike, but it can cut down on the water that you consume during the first part of a hike, and make the total "packed in" water last a bit longer. I credit the effort to helping make our water last as long as it did.

Tip: Take more water than you need.

In the course of "normal" activity a typical person uses about 2.5 liters of water per day. This can vary based on current weather conditions, altidude, level of activity, and the person's health conditions. Sweat, urine, and even breathing all remove water from your system. Because of this, you have to replace it. When planning for a trip, estimate the amount of water you will need, and whether it will be available during the trip. If not, take it with you.

Decision One: Poor Planning

Perhaps the first mistake was planning a hike through the slot canyons of Southern Utah in the middle of the summer. That certainly impacted the environmental conditions, as my watch logged a high of around 115 degrees on the first day of our hiking. It also meant that, when we logged in at the ranger station, they told us that nobody had been in this particular slot canyon for over a year, but that in other canyons, hikers returning told them there was absolutely no water available. Even in spots that normally hold water year round. So, we grabbed every bottle, can, jar, hydration reservoir, etc. that we could carry and filled it up. Marc has a Lowe Alpine backpack with an expansion collar that holds over 5500 cubic inches. I had it completely full, mostly with water. I had a similar amount. While this seems like it would be sufficient, we were surprised that it did not last long.

Tip: Even if you don't think water will be available, carry a water filter (or some other method of purification, like a SteriPEN, tablets, etc.).

Decision Two: Leaving the filter behind.

After realizing we were not making the time we had planned, we tried to do the smart thing. We decided to leave the large packs, cut down to smaller daypacks and set a hard turn around time. We still were not close to the second slot canyon (our goal), and needed to pick up the pace. We silently set to packing our individual day packs, not conferring with one another. Both of us were trying to keep the loads as light as possible and, because we had not seen water and heard that it was probably non-existent, decided to take every drop of water we had, but leave our water filters behind. Huge mistake. There ended up being tons of great, clear, cool, water that, instead of providing much needed sustenance, merely mocked us with its tantalizing potential for thirst quenching. While we were in the midst of the rushing water, we were cool, and still had water left in our day-packs. While we did discuss just filling up some of our water bottles with the unfiltered water, we did not foresee the dire predicament we would be in within the next 24 hours. There were several animal carcasses caught in the water as well, so drinking directly from the stream did not strike either of us as a good idea.

This decision had two detrimental consequences. First, the increased pace served to increase our water loss through sweat and heavier breathing (trust me, it was labored!). This was something I don't think either of us took into consideration for its longer term consequences or for purposes of planning. Second, it left us without water! We should have compared what each of us was leaving behind. While we each did not need our own filter (although, a back-up plan is always good if one breaks!), we should have taken at least one. We could have split up gear better between us to make sure we could meet the needs of both of us. Filling up some of our water bottles would have been a good choice too, since we could have filtered the water once we got back to our base.

Tip: Be alert for the signs of dehydration in yourself and those you're hiking with.

The second sign of dehydration (right behind the obvious one of feeling thirsty) is usually that you are not urinating enough. This should be an easy one to spot. Instead of the long, clear stream of pee that we're mostly accustomed to, breaks are shorter and less frequent. The urine itself becomes dark yellow or even orange. Other signs include thirst, loss of appetite, inability to sweat, fatigue, chills, and head rushes.

If nothing is done to replenish the water, the second stage of dehydration kicks in, which may include an increased heart rate and respiration, Zero urination, extreme fatigue, muscle cramps, headaches, nausea, and tingling of the limbs.

When your body reaches 10% fluid loss, the cramps turn to muscle spasms, there may be vomiting, dim vision, confusion, seizures, chest and abdominal pain, and eventually unconsciousness. At this point, you should seek emergency attention.

It's important to note that not every person will exhibit all, or even the same, symptoms. If you are hiking with a partner, familiarize yourself with the symptoms, and be alert for their presence.

On the trip, I am pretty sure that I made it into the third stage. Our last night in the canyon was agonizing. I slept very little, nursing what little water I had left in my hydration pack. Cramps wracked my body, and I am pretty sure that every muscle joined in the fun. As soon as one cramp let up, another would start.

Decision Three: Take it easy

The next day, we actually made a good decision. We woke up early and leveraged the shadow of the canyon to keep ourselves cool as much as possible. We took frequent breaks, and conserved our strength for getting out of the canyon. The climb out was brutal. I remember little of this part, only that we got off the path at one point (a big no-no due to the cryptobiotic soil), and that my primary focus was to just put one foot in front of the other. We did eventually hike back to the top of the canyon wall, where we both knew there was more water and even some Poweraid. The water was hot -- probably well over 100°F, but it was the best drink I have had in my entire life.

Tip: Sports drinks such as Gatorade and Poweraid

In addition to contributing to your body's hydration needs, these drinks also help you replace electrolytes (ions of minerals used by your body which facilitate muscular and nervous system function). If you're going to be out for an extended period and you're going to put your body through strenuous activity, packing in some sports drinks may be a wise choice. You can also carry them in powdered form and add them to your drinking water.

Wrap-up

We both made it out safely, and without any lasting effects. So, what lessons did we learn? Plan to drink a lot more water, be smart, and communicate with your hiking crew. I still carry water in my car, and don't go on a hike without more water than I plan to drink, often carrying extra for others. We were both super-conscious of our hydration needs for months after this trip, and it really did leave a lasting impression. My water filter goes on every trip I take now, even if someone else says that they're planning to bring theirs.