My water filter gave out halfway through a trip on the Appalachian Trail

I was on a 5 day section hike in Virginia last month, maybe 20 miles from the nearest road. On day 3, I went to pump some water from a stream and my Sawyer Squeeze just would not flow. I mean, I tried backflushing it like 5 times and barely got a trickle. Turns out I left it in my pack overnight and it froze, which cracked the hollow fibers. I had no backup because I got cheap and figured it would be fine. Ended up having to boil all my water for the next 2 days using my little titanium pot, which took forever and made me drink way less. Has anyone else had a filter fail on them in the middle of nowhere and what did you do?

2 comments

2 Comments

joel_mason2227d ago

Left it in my pack overnight and it froze" - rookie move, but honestly I've done dumber stuff (like forgetting my stove fuel once). At least you had a backup plan, even if it meant playing camp chef for two days.

hall.emma26d ago

The fuel thing is funny because I did basically the same thing but with my lighter. Showed up to a three day trip, went to start the campfire, and the stupid thing wouldn't spark. Turns out I left it in my jacket pocket and the flint got all damp from rain the night before. Had to spend an hour trying to start a fire with wet matches and a magnifying glass like some kind of wilderness survival show. My buddy just sat there eating granola bars watching me fail. So yeah, I feel your pain on the backup plan turning into a whole cooking adventure. Makes you appreciate the simple stuff like a working stove or a dry lighter.