UKC

Planning on running the w3k on Friday unsupported and carrying all my food and water and topping up from streams.

Turns out that's a helluva lot of gels (and flapjack and sweets)... 

Ordinarily I carry 2ltrs of water and I was expecting to top that up a couple of times in streams with a filter. But contemplating setting off with only 1ltr of water and then topping up / drinking from the BeFree filter water bottle I've got whilst going around... so the question is are the following streams likely to be flowing on Friday:

1) Anything on the Pyg track 

2) the stream going down Cwn Glas Mawr (after coming down from Crib Goch)

3) the stream as I'm going up Elidir Fawr (Afon Dudodyn?) 

This one particularly important because then a bit of a dry patch until the pond between Y Garn and Gylder Fawr, which I expect could be a bit stagnant?

4) the stream going up the East side of Pen yr Ole Wen < Again this is an important one because probably the last water before the end, so would top up 2ltrs here fully.

If all of these are wet then I could probably carry half as much water at the start, then by the time I'm half way I'll have eaten half my food so can carry more water for the drier end sections. That's the theory!

Looks like you have the perfect day for your run, not too sunny or hot. If Wales has had similar weather to Wasdale over the last month then the streams you mention will be flowing (not sure about PYG track sources, don't remember any, but too soon anyway). 

If it was me, 2 litres would last the whole thing but I would resent carrying it from the start - can you park a bottle in the Pass to pick up after Crib Goch?

I did legs 3 & 4 of the Joss Naylor Lakes challenge as a recce a couple of weeks ago, out for 12 hours & 24 miles, over 10,000 ft vertical, and my Garmin estimated 5.7 litres of sweat loss! I actually drank about 500ml and did not end up twelve pounds lighter. It was not a hot day, though..

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply, I'm planning very risk-aversely, so on a normal training run of about half this distance I usually drink about 1 to 1.5 litres. All my food and drink planning for this I'm saying it could take me up to 12 hours (but I'm hoping it will be a lot less). 

I don't want to plant any supplies because I'm trying to carry everything with me (for no particular reason).

I'll try to start very hydrated as well. 

I can't tell you how excited I am for this. 😂

Don’t think there’s anything on the PyG but loads on the Miners as an option? If you did that you could actually start with no water. 

Cwm glas mawr will have water options and the stream at the bottom of Elidir Fawr is fine. Easy access at the bridge over it. 

The water at the bottom of y Garn is ok- I’ve used it recently.

Not sure about the stream on Pen yr Ole Wen but obviously there are options in Ogwen.

Personally I’d filter and drop in some purification tabs as well just to be sure. 
 

Hope that helps

Thanks really helpful. I'm not to worried about the PyG track bit because I won't be too thirsty at the start, I just remember seeing loads of water trickling across the path when I walked it a couple of months back. The others are the most important!

Yeah pyg is almost certainly dry, was barely anything there on Sunday and doubt it'll change by Friday. But like you say, should be fine at the start - I imagine you'll be up there early when it's nice and cool.

Looking forward to hearing how you got on!

1) There are a few small runoff streams, but I would be careful of drinking anything around the PYG with the number of tourists polluting the water. But it's the start of the day so you should be fine at this point.

2) Loads of water in Cwm Glas Mawr, and further down the hill too

3) Yes. You'll probably be able to find something which is vaguely better than a stagnant pool up there, but certainly filter the water here as again it sees a lot of camping etc.

4) Afon Loer? Yes.

If you're desperate for a drink at the end you can cut down west of Drum and fill up at the Llyn Anafon/Afon Anafon and then walk out on the reservoir track rather than the ridge over Foel Ganol.