Potable Water at Brainard?

[BBOC]

I'm doing a big loop near Brainard this weekend and I want to pick brains to confirm that there is water available for fill up once we get the the main area (after hitting Little Raven). The Forest Service lists water as available at the campsites (see link below), but I want to get independant confirmation before heading out without extra water reserves.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf/recreat...rd/index.shtml

[Nickle]

I can't confirm that there are, but if you're worried about running out of water, you can pick up a good filter for not a lot of money. Mine has been a great investment since I have run out of water on rides before and been able to fill up again.

[ignazjr]

Yep, there's a pump/faucet there. It's right around where the map of the Indian Peaks is.

[ban'd4life]

What he said. By yourself a good filter and take it with you in your camelback, or whatever, and problem solved.

[BBOC]

Thanks!

The filter would be the proverbial kitchen sink since I already overpack for everything. I've been considering getting one for a while.

[jugdish]

Camp Dick/ Peaceful Valley as well. You can also purchase a liter of H2O from the Millsite for a mere $5-7, not quite as friendly as the Raymond store though.

[lidarman]

Besides the filter, Iodine tabs are virtually zero weight and space. I always pack em.

But like Dave said. There is water there.

I just did a sourdough/Raven/St St vrain loop last week that was outstanding.

[BBOC]

Iodine is probably a really good idea for emergency situations, I'll add that to my pack list.

Did a similar figure 8 on saturday, just dodged a big storm, and the water fill up at the map was welcome before hitting the long SSV downhill. I'm always amazed how fine the riding is in this area and overjoyed that it is practically deserted.

Besides the filter, Iodine tabs are virtually zero weight and space. I always pack em.

But like Dave said. There is water there.

I just did a sourdough/Raven/St St vrain loop last week that was outstanding.

[davec113]

I'm always amazed how fine the riding is in this area and overjoyed that it is practically deserted.

Its really not that good. Its rocky, which hurts your hands, and the loose rock is too hard to climb on. I can't believe people ride bikes on those trails.

[Renegade]

Its really not that good. Its rocky, which hurts your hands, and the loose rock is too hard to climb on. I can't believe people ride bikes on those trails.

I hate riding there; I hate it soooo much, late saturday afternoon I forced myself to ride a big figure 8 loop involving the climbing the sourdough, traversing the little raven, and descending the SSV back to my beer-filled cooler in my car. I hate it so much. I especially hate riding the staircase. hate it.yup.

[fattirefreak]

I can't confirm that there are, but if you're worried about running out of water, you can pick up a good filter for not a lot of money. Mine has been a great investment since I have run out of water on rides before and been able to fill up again.

I heard one respondent to the filter question once ask: why use one, while they never used to years ago? Sounds maybe a little ignorant of current environmental conditions -- animal sh** aside, but how serious is it, for real? Just curious what others thoughts are on that.

[BBOC]

Whatever floats your boat. I guess it really wasn't any good and I was just fooling myself.

Its really not that good. Its rocky, which hurts your hands, and the loose rock is too hard to climb on. I can't believe people ride bikes on those trails.

[daveM]

Camp Dick/ Peaceful Valley as well. You can also purchase a liter of H2O from the Millsite for a mere $5-7,

Is cheaper...

[icegeek]

I hate riding there; I hate it soooo much, late saturday afternoon I forced myself to ride a big figure 8 loop involving the climbing the sourdough, traversing the little raven, and descending the SSV back to my beer-filled cooler in my car. I hate it so much. I especially hate riding the staircase. hate it.yup.

sounds like the little figure 8 loop to me.

[daveM]

sounds like the little figure 8 loop to me.

Coney/Buchanan?...Sheesh, MORTALS...

[onbelaydave]

I heard one respondent to the filter question once ask: why use one, while they never used to years ago? Sounds maybe a little ignorant of current environmental conditions -- animal sh** aside, but how serious is it, for real? Just curious what others thoughts are on that.

I never carried a filter or tablets when I moved here in '73. I drank out of any high alpine water source I could find and never even bothered to fill a water bottle to take hiking since streams are so prevalent.

But like so many things, the times have changed. Giardia is about the only thing you need to worry about in the backcountry water of the US. It usually won't kill you, but its dam uncomfortable to "catch".

The good thing is, that in a "survival" situation, it takes the Giardia cysts 10-20 days to hatch in your gut and let you know you have a "Hitch Hiker". So, if you HAVE to drink unfiltered water, its not going to kill you and you'll still get to ride out even a week later if need be.

I changed my thinking about the need of a filter 25+ yrs ago when one of my friends was working for Public Health on the West Slope and was trapping beavers/muskrats, one of the principle transmitters of Giardia , and couldn't find a "negative" sample from any of his specimens.

Other mammals that ingest the cysts, such as deer or elk will just transmit it higher to the point where all are infected. Whether their cyst filled droppings can filter down to your drinking source is a roulette game I don't choice to play.

I'd have to take my socks off to count the number of my friends who've had Giardia here in the Front Range.

[lidarman]

I hate riding there; I hate it soooo much, late saturday afternoon I forced myself to ride a big figure 8 loop involving the climbing the sourdough, traversing the little raven, and descending the SSV back to my beer-filled cooler in my car. I hate it so much. I especially hate riding the staircase. hate it.yup.

Hey, I did sorta that the week before.....

Except I didn't have a cooler in my car.

[davec113]

Coney/Buchanan?...Sheesh, MORTALS...

Yeah, I usually start at camp Dick, out-and-back BPT for a warm up, climb up SD>Waldrop, do LR as an out and back 3 or 4 times, than head back down SSV, then down to Jamestown, and back up to the car on my 43 lb bike...

[Renegade]

sounds like the little figure 8 loop to me.

it felt like a big figure 8 to me! I had to leave some time to drink all my beer. And I rode buchanon the next day.

[jugdish]

Is cheaper...

I think the Bud is flatter than the H2O as well!!

[R steve]

Never drink " wild " water up in the mtns. If you've never had Giardia it's really bad. You would be better off dehydrated and a little dry than to risk it. I got it from the " safe " tube that flows just down from Ward. People will tell you it's good to go but anything with algae growing from it IS NOT.

[Renegade]

finding something to drink around Brainard has never been a problem for me. There are allways dozens of unattended picnic baskets to be found there.