Pro tip: check your water filtration before you leave, learned this the hard way on the JMT last summer

Day 3 on the John Muir Trail near Muir Trail Ranch, I go to pump water and my filter is completely clogged. I'd used it maybe 5 times before and thought it was fine. Ended up drinking straight from a creek because I was so dehydrated. Got giardia symptoms by day 5 and had to hitch out of Yosemite Valley. Cost me $400 in bus tickets and a ruined trip. Now I always test my Sawyer squeeze at home with a bucket of water before any long hike. Anyone else ever skip checking gear and regret it?

2 comments

2 Comments

victorhernandez9d ago

That Sawyer squeeze is notorious for clogging if you don't backflush it right. I now bring a clean water bottle specifically for backflushing every time I stop, which has saved me on three trips since. It only adds a few ounces to my pack but beats drinking straight from a creek any day.

quinn3418d ago

Man, that's a rough story... @victorhernandez is totally right about the backflush thing. I learned that lesson the hard way too, except mine clogged halfway up a canyon with no backup plan. Now I bring a syringe and do a quick backflush at every water stop, even if it's just a few seconds. It seems annoying but it's way better than ending up sick and out a bunch of money. Plus I keep a spare filter in my pack just in case... that clogging is no joke when you're miles from anywhere.