Winter in the Colorado Rockies is breathtakingly beautiful, until dehydration sneaks up on you like an avalanche. Whether you’re snowboarding down Breckenridge, snowshoeing through Rocky Mountain National Park, or taking Instagram-worthy shots while hiking icy trails, staying hydrated is key to your adventure’s success.
In this fifth part of our nine-part Winter Survival series, we’ll focus on sourcing and purifying water in snowy conditions. This isn’t just a skill for grizzled bushcrafters; it’s practical knowledge every mountain visitor should have, especially if you’re the confident type who thinks your CamelBak can last for three days or if you’re a newbie wondering if you can eat icicles for hydration (spoiler: you shouldn’t).
First things first: dehydration doesn’t take a winter break. In fact, it can hit harder during winter activities because cold air often tricks your body into thinking you’re less thirsty. Add in the physical effort of skiing, hiking, or just tromping through deep snow, and you’re sweating more than you realize.
When you're out in the Colorado Rockies, water sources aren’t always obvious. Rivers and streams might be frozen, and snow—while abundant—requires careful handling to make it drinkable.
Even in pristine-looking wilderness, snow and ice can harbor bacteria, viruses, or pollutants. Think of it this way: just because it’s frozen doesn’t mean it’s pure.
It’s easy to underestimate your water needs in cold weather, but staying proactive can make all the difference.
Plan Ahead
Drink Regularly
Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol
Forgot your tea bags but still craving a hot drink with a bit of flavor? Look no further than the trees! If you’re in a pine forest, like the ones we’re surrounded by in Colorado, you’ve got the perfect ingredient for a refreshing and nutrient-rich tea.
Pine needles not only add flavor to your water, but they’re also packed with vitamin C. However, avoid Ponderosa Pine. These are the pine trees with needles that are 3-5 inches long. While not poisonous, they’ve been linked to causing premature births in cattle, so it’s better to steer clear just to be safe. Stick to other pine varieties for your tea-making. Blue Spruce is safe to use too!
Here’s how to turn those pine needles into a warm, comforting beverage:
And there you have it, warm, flavorful pine needle tea that not only soothes but also gives you a little vitamin boost. Perfect for a chilly day in the wild!
Snow, despite being cold itself, can actually help keep your water from freezing all the way through. Sounds backwards, right? Let’s dig in, pun intended.
Believe it or not, snow is more than just nature’s glitter. It’s actually a fantastic insulator. Snow traps pockets of air between its flakes, making it a poor conductor of heat (or in this case, cold). This means that while the outside air might feel like something out of an Arctic nightmare, the temperature within a snowbank is relatively stable and much warmer than the ambient air.
When you bury your water bottle in snow, you’re essentially tucking it into nature’s version of a cozy sleeping bag. This insulating effect helps keep the water bottle's temperature higher than the frigid air above ground, reducing the likelihood of it freezing solid overnight.
When you're out in the wilderness during winter, finding drinkable water can be a real challenge. Sure, snow is everywhere, but eating it directly will lower your body temperature, a big no-no when you're already trying to stay warm. Enter the "Water Generator," a simple setup that lets you turn snow into liquid gold (a.k.a. water) with minimal effort. Here's how to build one and keep the hydration flowing:
Step 1: Build a Campfire
Start with a solid campfire—hot, steady, and capable of producing enough heat to melt snow without direct contact. The fire is the engine of this operation, so make sure it’s strong and well-fed.
Step 2: Set Up the Tripod
Next, construct a sturdy tripod using three long sticks or poles. Tie them together securely at the top, then spread the legs evenly to form a stable frame. This tripod will hold your "snow bowl" in place.
Step 3: Create a Hanging Snow Bowl
Take a scarf, t-shirt, or any piece of durable fabric you have on hand and tie the corners to the legs of the tripod. The result should look like a hanging bowl (or hammock-like sling) that can hold a decent amount of snow. Make sure it's securely fastened, as the fabric will get heavier when loaded with snow.
Step 4: Position the Tripod Near the Fire
Place the tripod near the campfire, close enough for the heat to reach the snow-filled fabric but not so close that it risks catching fire or scorching. This positioning is key—too close, and you'll ruin your setup; too far, and the snow won’t melt efficiently.
Step 5: Place a Container Beneath the Fabric
Now, set a pot, canteen, or any container you have directly underneath the scarf to catch the melted snow as it drips through. If you’re resourceful enough to build a water generator, you probably have something handy for collecting water.
Step 6: Load with Snow and Refill Regularly
Pile snow into the fabric bowl, and let the heat from the fire do its magic. As the snow melts, water will drip through the fabric and into your container below. Keep adding fresh snow to the bowl to ensure a constant supply of water.
Why This Method Works
The Water Generator is brilliant in its simplicity. The fire provides consistent heat to melt the snow, the fabric acts as a filter, and gravity does the rest by directing the water into your container. It’s efficient, easy to set up, and doesn’t require fancy gear. Plus, it keeps you hydrated without risking hypothermia by eating snow directly.
Whether you're camping, hiking, or in a survival situation, this technique is a reliable way to stay hydrated in winter’s harsh embrace. Just think of it as your backcountry hydration station, powered by fire and ingenuity.
You're deep in the backcountry, temperatures are plummeting, and the icy grip of winter threatens to turn your precious water supply into a solid block of frustration. Staying hydrated is hard enough without having to chip away at frozen water bottles. But what if I told you that snow, yes, the very thing responsible for the bitter cold, could actually help prevent your water from freezing? It’s a simple yet genius trick, and it might just save you from an icy morning struggle. Here's how to use snow to keep your water in liquid form when the mercury drops.
Pro Tip: If you can boil water, fill a non-insulated water bottle with the hot water. This won’t work with insulated bottles since they’re designed to keep heat in. Once the water is in, seal the lid tightly, then wrap the bottle in a sock, t-shirt, scarf, or whatever you have on hand.
Now, here’s the good part, take it with you while you rest or cuddle it in your sleeping bag. It’ll act like a mini-radiator, helping to warm your body while you relax. If you’re using it overnight, you’ll wake up to water that’s still warm or at least body temperature. That means you can sip warm water to start your day or get straight to brewing hot chocolate, coffee, or tea without waiting forever to heat up ice-cold water. Efficient and cozy, what’s not to love?
Why This Works (and Why It Matters)
The key here is the temperature difference. If you leave your water bottle exposed to the open air, it’s at the mercy of the biting cold. Depending on the conditions, it could freeze solid in just a few hours. By insulating it with snow, you’re creating a barrier that slows the freezing process. It’s not magic, it’s thermodynamics.
This trick isn’t just for keeping your water bottles in good shape—it can also inspire solutions for staying warm yourself. Need a place to sleep? You can build a snow cave! If you haven’t checked it out yet, be sure to read Part 3 in this series: Building a Winter Shelter for a step-by-step guide.
It’s a common myth in survival situations that you should ration your water supply, sipping sparingly to make it last longer. The logic might seem sound—stretch out your resources, right? But in reality, rationing water does more harm than good. Here’s why you should drink as much water as your body needs when you need it, and how to do it wisely.
Hydration Isn’t Optional
Your body depends on water to function, especially in stressful situations. Dehydration affects everything—your energy levels, decision-making, physical endurance, and even your ability to regulate body temperature. If you’re rationing water and drinking too little, you’re essentially forcing your body into shutdown mode. Dehydration leads to headaches, confusion, dizziness, and in extreme cases, death.
Think of it this way: water is fuel, and your body is the engine. Starving your engine of fuel when it’s already running on empty doesn’t make sense—it just accelerates the breakdown.
Drink What You Have
When you have water, drink it. Don’t hoard it in the hopes that it’ll last you longer. Dehydration doesn’t care how much water you have; it only cares how much water you drink. If your body isn’t hydrated enough to keep your vital systems running, you won’t have the energy or clarity to find more water.
Instead of rationing, focus on prioritizing finding or purifying more water as soon as possible. Your body’s performance will be far better if it’s hydrated enough to work efficiently, even if that means drinking all your current supply.
The Right Way to Hydrate
That said, chugging your entire water supply in one go isn’t the solution either. Your body can only absorb about 1 cup of water every 15 minutes, so drinking more than that at once won’t do you any favors, it’ll just end up as wasted trips to the bathroom or even worsen dehydration if you’re sweating excessively.
The goal is to drink consistently and in amounts your body can use. Pay attention to your thirst cues, and don’t hold back when you’re thirsty. A steady intake is far more effective than rationing or binge-drinking your water.
What Happens When You Drink Too Little or Too Much
Focus on Finding Water, Not Stretching It
The takeaway? Don’t ration water. Drink what you need when you need it, and make finding or purifying more water a top priority. Whether it’s melting snow, collecting rainwater, or filtering from a natural source, actively seeking water is far more effective for survival than trying to nurse a half-empty bottle for days.
Hydration is survival. Give your body what it needs, and it’ll repay you with the strength and clarity to keep going.
Since we’re already on the topic of water, it’s time to address something people don’t often talk about in survival situations: pee. Yup, we’re going there.
First things first, should you drink your own urine if water is scarce? The answer is a resounding no. Despite what you might have seen on certain shock-and-awe survival shows (looking at you, Bear Grylls), drinking urine is a terrible idea. Here’s why:
In short, leave the urine-drinking antics to reality TV. It’s not real survival, it’s a ratings gimmick.
Why You Shouldn’t Hold It
Now that we’ve ruled out drinking your pee, let’s talk about what to do when nature calls. If you have to go, don’t hold it in, especially when you’re trying to sleep.
Here’s the deal: your body has to keep your bladder warm, which means expending precious energy to maintain the temperature of the urine inside you. This process saps heat from the rest of your body, leaving you colder and less comfortable.
Yes, it’s annoying to drag yourself out of your warm sleeping bag and brave the elements, but trust me, it’s worth it. Once you empty your bladder, your body has less work to do, allowing you to conserve heat and sleep more comfortably.
Monitor Urine Color and Frequency: Regularly check the color and volume of your urine. Dark yellow or infrequent urination can indicate dehydration. Aim for light-colored urine as a sign of adequate hydration.
The Bottom Line
Pee may not be the most glamorous survival topic, but it’s an important one.
Taking care of these basic needs keeps your body functioning efficiently; helping you stay warmer, healthier, and better equipped to handle the challenges of the wild. So the next time nature calls, answer it! It’s just good survival.
Reaching for a flask in freezing temperatures might seem like a good idea, it’s warming, right? Not exactly. Alcohol creates the illusion of warmth, but in reality, it’s doing more harm than good when it comes to surviving the cold.
When you drink alcohol, it dilates the blood vessels near the surface of your skin, sending warm blood outward. This gives you that fleeting, cozy sensation of heat. However, this process actually robs your core of critical warmth, making you lose heat faster and putting you at risk for hypothermia. Essentially, alcohol tricks your body into thinking it’s warmer than it really is, a dangerous illusion in survival situations.
On top of that, alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it increases urine production and speeds up dehydration. Dehydration can already sneak up on you in cold weather, so adding alcohol into the mix only makes it worse.
Instead of alcohol, stick to warm, non-caffeinated drinks like herbal teas or plain water heated over a fire or stove. A hot beverage not only helps hydrate you but also genuinely warms your core, boosting morale and keeping you focused. Save the celebratory drink for when you're safely out of the cold, your body will thank you.
In survival situations, your best ally is clear thinking and careful planning, not false warmth from a shot of whiskey. Stay sharp, stay hydrated, and save the spirits for toasts, not tactics.
For the seasoned adventurers out there: remember that overconfidence can lead to trouble. Just because you’ve tackled summer hikes or backpacked in the desert doesn’t mean winter hydration is a walk in the park. Arrogance has a funny way of turning small mistakes into big problems.
And for the newcomers: ignorance isn’t bliss when it comes to hydration. You don’t have to be a wilderness expert, but learning these basics can keep your winter adventure fun and safe.
Winter survival in the Rockies is as much about preparation as it is about enjoying the adventure. Staying hydrated might not seem as glamorous as carving down a powdery slope or snapping photos of snow-covered peaks, but it’s the backbone of any successful winter outing. From melting snow to brewing pine needle tea, and even monitoring your body's hydration signals, these small efforts can make a big difference.
So, as you pack your gear and plan your route, don’t let hydration fall to the bottom of your checklist. Make it part of your routine, and treat it with the same care as your layers and safety gear. Hydration isn’t just about surviving, it’s about staying strong and energized in the cold, so you can fully embrace everything the Colorado wilderness has to offer.
Stay warm, stay hydrated, and as always, adventure wisely. Got a winter hydration hack you swear by? Share it in the comments we’re all learning from the wild and each other!
Part 1: Winter Survival in the Colorado Rockies — Introduction and Pre-Trip Planning
Part 2: Winter Survival in the Colorado Rockies — Must-Have Gear and Clothing
Part 3: Winter Survival in the Colorado Rockies — Building and Maintaining a Shelter
Part 4: Winter Survival in the Colorado Rockies — Starting Fires in Snowy Conditions
Part 5: Winter Survival in the Colorado Rockies — Staying Hydrated in the Winter Wilderness
Part 6: Winter Survival in the Colorado Rockies — Navigating and Avoiding Avalanche Danger