Quantity of toiletries to bring

imported
#1

I’m going on a 17 day hike in the Sierras. I will have one resupply in the middle. So I’m trying to figure out how much quantity of toietries and other similar consumables to bring for about 8 days or so. Although I’m sure it varies from person to person I’m looking for a ball park. This spring I’m going to go on some 2-4 day trips and try to estimate based on that but I’m not sure I can extropolate. So I’m looking to see how much people bring so I can see if what I come up with meshes. Here are the items:

Toilet paper
Soap (Dr. Bronners for cleaning body and clothes - all cooking will be in bags)
DEET
Sun Screen (just for face)
Hand cream
Toothpaste
Foot lubricant
Foot powder
AquaMira
Anything I missed?

So how much of each should I bring for 8 days?

Thanks!
Bob

Bob

#2

Dr Bronners - leave it at home

DEET - 2.5 ounce REI Jungle Juice or Ben’s (100% DEET)

Sun Screen - the smallest tube you can find

Toothpaste - a travel-size from WalMart

Foot Lubricant - If you already cary neosporin, use that. If not, take the smallest tube available.

Aqua Mira - one set

Foot Powder and TP - that’s personal to your uses.

yogi

#3

Personally, I’d bring a very small container of bronners and skip the toothpaste. A drop of peppermint bronners on your toothbrush does the trick (it’s actually much more effective than toothpaste at killing germs) and it is important to keep your hands clean to avoid giardia. I wouldn’t plan on washing your clothes on trail, wash them during your mid trek re-supply.

I’d also bring a non deet insect repellent. I’ve tried both deet stuff and natural citranella stuff and they both only work for a while and you need to re-apply. The difference is deet is nasty, both for you and for the sierras.

Oh, and you can skip the Aqua Mira in the Sierras. Recent studies found the risk in sierra water sources to be nill. There’s more giardia in san diego tap water.

Remember that if you bath in the sierras all that bug-spray, soap, lotion, etc ends up in the lakes, and it’s sadly beginning to have an impact.

Have fun, it’s amazing in there!

Toes

#4

Yogi,

Thanks for the feedback. Leave the Dr. Bronner’s at home? Really? I was going to use it to clean my socks and underwear. 2 pair for 17 days is going to need some cleaning. And 2.5 ounces of 100% DEET seems like alot for 8 days (I was going to repackage in 0.5 ounce dropper bottle and put more in resupply for second half.) But if I need it I’m happy to bring it.

Bob

Bob

#5

Just rinse your socks and underwear out with water. Soap is not needed. You’re resupplying halfway through? Wash your clothes in a washing machine then.

If you can repackage the DEET, go for it. I just take the 2.5 ounce bottle because it’s easy to pack. I don’t use it all but I DO use it. If you don’t take the DEET, you will LOSE YOUR MIND. Nothing works against the mosquitos except 100% DEET. With the 2.5 ounce bottle, you won’t have to ration your DEET.

Regarding water, there’s more than just giardia to worry about. There is some sort of pink algae on the snow which made a lot of hikers sick in the past. Treating your water will help prevent that. And don’t forget to take the Purell. Slather your hands with it after pooing. (is slather a word?)

yogi

www.pcthandbook.com

yogi

#6

Just so you don’t think I’m making this crap up, here’s the report on sierra water. :slight_smile:

I know non-deet stuff has a bad rep, but honestly, we ran out half way through the sierras, switched to citronella and found it to have the same effect. They seemed to attack worst over stream crossings so we’d put some on right before crossing and a fresh application seemed to keep em at bay. Was a hassle though.

I remember that ping algae! Was creepy the first time I spoted it, looked like a pool of old blood in a little dip in the snow.

toes

#7

Hey toes - I’ve read that stuff about Sierra giardia vs giardia in SoCal city water. I’m sure those studies are valid.

Many people traverse the Sierra each year without treating water and have no problems. But I’ve also seen people who spent several days spewing it out both ends at VVR after not treating the pink snow water. They went to a doctor in Mammoth who told them they got sick from the pink snow.

In addition, many hikers in 2003 and 2004 had short-term giardia-type symptoms after leaving the Kennedy Meadows area. The only time I’ve been sick on the trail was in the Sierra after KM in 2003. It only lasted a few days, but it drained me and I had to skip Whitney.

I’d rather treat my water just to be sure. Everyone has their own thoughts on this subject.

yogi

www.pcthandbook.com

yogi

#8

Forgot the actual link

www.pcta.org/help/join/magazines/SierraWater.asp

Better safe than sorry though, I guess. Sad though, would be nice to think that at least through that pristine stretch of wilderness, clean water would be one thing we wouldn’t have to worry about.

Moral of the story, don’t eat the yellow or pink snow!

toes

#9

I love Dr B’s soap; & can’t imagine travelling without it. So IMHO take it. BUT I tried it ONCE (as in “I’ll never do this again”) as a tooth paste…Yuck!!! I can still recall exactly what it tasted like. I use it for cleaning me up, & dishes, etc. Cuz of using the pepperment, it seemed to perk up my grungy mood.

leah

#10

good read here on watermelon snow

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mpinksnow.html

leoaloha

#11

sorry I wanted to include these pictures in the above post

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/plaug98.htm

leoaloha

#12

What time of year are you planning your hike? If you are going in the early season – June or July – then by all means, pack DEET (or the bug repellant of your choice, although I haven’t had much luck with most non-DEET varieties). But if you are hiking later in the season – late July, August or September – you probably won’t need it unless you are camped right next to a swamp. There really aren’t many bugs later in the year.

Kanga

#13

I wouldn’t bring any soap. It is really awful to see soap suds in lakes and streams when you are looking for drinking water. Just try to live with the clothes you have till the next time you can get to a coin op laundry machine. You can also just wash with plain water if need be. Wash your pots and pans with sand in a stream.

Pika