Water in winter

In winter you have to melt snow or ice for water. You also have to carry reasonable amounts of water in order not to get dehydrated during the day. I use a system with one large container and two small ones. The small ones also are very useful for another purpose.

By Jörgen Johansson

Briefly, I store water in the big bottle, enough to last me from breakfast to lunch. I always stop and cook lunch, even in winter. Then I melt water to last me until night camp. The big container is stored in my pack, wrapped in my insulated pants and jacket. This keeps the water from freezing.

I also fill the small containers and carry them in a pocket in my shell jacket. I stop every hour and drink one bottle (330 ml) with some snacks like chocolate and nuts. If I am thirsty I drink more. I replenish the small bottles from the big one every two hours.

The small bottles are yoghurt containers. In the morning I heat water, put it in them and then put the bottles in my usually frozen ski boots. After having breakfast sitting in my sleeping bag the boots are thawed out, nice and soft to put on. I put the bottles, now cool, in my shell jacket and of I go.

More on my winter water system in this article.