Pro tip: stop relying on paper maps for water sources in the desert

I used to just follow my old NatGeo maps for water on the Hayduke Trail, but after a dry spring in 2023, I almost ran out two days from Lake Powell. Now I check satellite imagery from the last month and call the local ranger station the morning I leave. Anyone else had a near miss from outdated info?

2 comments

2 Comments

andrew_kelly10d ago

Heard a veteran Grand Canyon backpacker mention they use the Sentinel satellite data on Google Earth Engine to check recent vegetation green-up around springs. Tells you if something was actually flowing recently instead of just relying on a dot on a map. I started doing that after hearing his story and it saved my ass twice in the Escalante drainage last fall. Pairing that with your ranger call sounds like a solid system.

jade3210d ago

Did you call the ranger station the same morning you left or the day before? Most ranger stations in the Southwest don't open until 8 or 9 am and you're usually already on trail by then. Also a lot of them have limited hours or are closed on weekends. I tried calling the BLM office in Moose and they didn't pick up until noon. Might be better to call the afternoon before and ask about any recent updates on water sources. That way you have the info before you head out. Just a heads up from someone who learned the hard way.