That PCT water report map changed my whole planning game

I was scrolling through the Pacific Crest Trail Association page last night and found their interactive water source map with real-time updates from hikers. The thing that got me is how many seasonal creeks are marked as dry by late June, I always assumed the Sierra had running water everywhere. It made me rethink my resupply strategy for the 700 mile stretch between Kennedy Meadows and South Lake Tahoe. Has anyone else used those crowd sourced reports to adjust their carry plans, or do you stick to the old paper guide?

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morgan_jenkins9015d ago

The John Muir Trail section last year taught me the same lesson... I carried an extra liter through Evolution Valley because the map showed a creek dried up that the paper guide still listed as reliable. That call saved me from a rough afternoon of dehydration, but honestly the bigger thing was using those reports to plan my water carries around camp instead of just lunch stops. I still keep the paper guide as backup, but I'm checking the online map every other day when I'm near town now.