The Three Water Rules That Keep Us Alive in the Desert

Most desert hiking advice you read is too vague to act on. Here are the three rules our team will not break, period.

Rule 1 — One liter per hour above 70°F

Not "stay hydrated." A liter per moving hour minimum once the temp passes 70°F. For a 6-hour Joshua Tree day in March, that's 6L on the trail. Pack 7. We've cached water mid-route on routes longer than that.

Rule 2 — Turn around at the half-water mark, not the half-distance mark

If you hit a panoramic ridge two-thirds in but you're already past half your water, you turn around. Distance lies; water doesn't. Jake learned this on a Cottonwood Canyon scramble in 2019 — got back to the car with a dry mouth and a real fear that he'd misjudged it.

Rule 3 — A satellite messenger isn't optional

Cell coverage in Southwestern desert is essentially zero. The Garmin inReach Mini 2 (we use it; tested:true) is $400 + a subscription and has saved someone we know personally. The cost-of-not-having-it is unacceptable.

Bonus rule — Cotton kills

Old advice but true. Cotton holds sweat, weighs you down when wet, doesn't insulate. Sun hoody + synthetic / merino wool everywhere else.