Okay, did you *really* purify your water?
I know you're "supposed to" purify your water. But did you actually do it on the CT?
Most running water you cross has run thru a beaver pond, cattle or sheep grazing area. I filtered everything, even the glacier runoff on top of the ten mile range.
Some people don't bother to filter water, but for time it takes and negligible weight carried to filter water it just makes more sense than gambling with Crypto or Giardia, never mind other nasty things.
Yes!!!!
I hiked with someone last year who didn't purify a few times and he got Giardia! Nasty, nasty stuff!
You get Giardia and you will be off the trail and in the hospital in no time!
Purify ALL of your water!
Ron
I will never forget, stepping across a small trickle of water and turning right to head up stream (if you could call it that). Started filling the dirty bag for the Sawyer. Heard something and turned to where I had just crossed and here is a young white tail sipping from that same trickle of water. He was a little suprised when the clean smartwater bottle made and noise and he bolted away. I was happy I was upstream but then thought, that's stupid... the deer had no idea I was there and I have no idea what is upstream (even in a small trickle of water). I think it is wise to treat all water in today's day and age. The few times you are sure it's coming directly from a spring may be an exception; but if you have the filter on you anyway, why not protect yourself. One case of Giardia proves the expression: ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure and also keeps the gram weinnies happy!
"gbolt" on the Trail
I am Third
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Absolutely, much more important IMHO than treating water along most of the AT, for example, where I think the water is clearer and probably safe to drink, though I still treat even that.
FWIW, I've been poking at the CT sections 1-5 the last few days (supporting my wife who is doing these sections), and I've noticed that the water sources are looking a lot less clear than usual, slightly brownish/muddy, I'm sure due to all the epic rains and fresh runoff. I'm usually an Aquamira user, but if I were doing the CT now I'd be using a filter.
Last summer I used Aquamira except for the few times I could get water right from a spring. I never got sick. I met someone who didn't treat his water and had to leave the trail because of GI illness. A surprising number of would-e thru hikers I met on the CT dropped out because of various health problems, mostly musculoskeletal.
Nope, I only treated water selectively. Areas where grazing was prevalent and where beavers were present were the main areas. The rest of the time it was pretty obvious that the watershed was a lower risk area. Know where you are and understand where your water is draining from. And if you don't understand what area is being drained, then precaution might be wise.
I dissent from the majority, as well. I'm selective about what I drink and what I treat. I carry AquaMira and use it occasionally. I used about 1/3 of a set on my AT thru, in pastoral and pond areas. That equates to about 10 gallons treated on the entire hike.
On the CT, I typically get my water from a spring or seep at or near treeline or below a snowfield, where I can see the basin is free of livestock. I do not drink from streams or lakes without treating the water. If passing through a basin, I'll try to wait until I climb back up to treeline to refill my water rather than treat the more plentiful but suspect water below. It's easy enough to do with a little experience and planning.
"Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning
Short answer is: I would have to be dang thirsty not to filter it first... When I was a kid I used to drink from streams in the Smokies and never got sick. I just don't want to risk it on a hike...
I don't like to play Russian roulette with my health, especially when I miles from home.
Guy
Largely, this. On an AT thru I treated with AM drops MAYBE 1/3 of the time. On a CT thru MAYBE 15% of the time. I'm a mutant though. I will not repeat here on WB for the umpteenth time after much research all that I believe what affects lowering my risk factor of contracting a water borne illness in the U.S.Originally Posted by garlic08
If one is asking this question treat yo H2O!
Yeah, pretty safe getting water directly below a snowmelt, nice and cool and fresh and I believe mostly safe. Those bloody Marmots do frequent the high snow, however, and their feces is a major carrier of Giardia and other parasites, but I believe the risk is low getting water right from snowmelt.
That's why I support the Marmot Jerky industry.
"For the finest Jerky, insist on Marmont"
Okay, sounds like I'll be carrying a Sawyer filter and using it except for when I feel really confident that I don't need it. Or maybe I'll just bring coffee filters and iodine drops? Not sure, yet.
Giardia is also known as "Beaver Fever" Yes, I filtered all water on the CT - too many beaver ponds.
All sorts of nasties exist in backcountry water. If you drink unpurified water, you may or may not get sick. If you purify your water properly, it is extremely unlikely that you'll get sick. With the light weight of purification techniques (Aquamira, Sawyer Squeeze, Sawyer Mini, etc.; all @ or under 3 oz), why bother with risking illness & ruining your hike?
Note: The exception for me would be a spring at its source.
2013 AT Thru-hike: 3/21 to 8/19
Schedule: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...t1M/edit#gid=0
Did not filter one time and regretted it for 6 weeks. Tablets generally require 4 hours to disinfect. Carry a filter. It's easier.
What the heck tablets are you talking about with 4 hr disinfection time? The longest I've ever waited using AM drops is 25 mins from start to finish.
Read the instructions.
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