A caution about Lance Creek in GA

[johnspenn]

I get the newsletter from Mountain Crossings in Neel Gap. There was an interesting little blurb in today's edition:

"A Small Update From The Mountain:
There have been a fair amount of people getting sick on the trail. It is suspected that this illness is from a bad water source. We have had several people say that Lance Creek has had toilet paper, and other waste spotted in the creek. A few people have fallen ill while staying here at Mountain Crossings, causing us to close down the hostel. But after a deep cleaning of the hostel, and testing our water, we are back open and a-ok. All the staff here have been fine, so this sickness isn't contagious. If you are in a crowded area, or area of concern, don't just filter your water, boil or treat it with chemicals as well. Take extra precautions to stay clean and away from bad water!"

[Sarcasm the elf]

The new term below was coined as a result of the Lance Creek fecal problem.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...Stream+****ter

(URL will only work if if you turn profanity filter off or replace **** with the obvious word)

[soumodeler]

More importantly, wash your hands with soap and water!

Avoid the shelters, especially the notebooks used as logs, and don't share or touch others food.

Not saying the water isn't contaminated, but noro transmits in many ways.

[Praha4]

lovely image

Walk in the Woods has changed to "Walk in the *****"

[Trailweaver]

Water should always be treated. Just because you don't see the toilet paper doesn't mean it isn't contaminated. Deer and other animals don't use toilet paper, and they really aren't particular about where they "go."

[dervari]

I usually treat unless it's at the mouth of a spring. Feel a little safer wrpith that water.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using Tapatalk

[IslandPete]

We were there Monday night. There were a couple of guys southbound from Neel Gap talking about how many people were sick there. We drank the water after filtering, with no ill effects. I hope it's not a problem with Lance Creek, it's a nice spot. And FYI, the guidebooks say 4 tent pads, but there is room for many more.

[MuddyWaters]

Its almost never the water for a widespread sickness
Most people treat water, especially new hikers in ga with their brand new filters they are eager to use

[Sarcasm the elf]

Its almost never the water for a widespread sickness
Most people treat water, especially new hikers in ga with their brand new filters they are eager to use

The same filters that aren't made to filter out the very viruses that are causing the problem...

You are 100% correct that most norovirus transmission is the result of human to human contact, or contact with contaminated surfaces. In this case, I am seeing reports of very obvious fecal contamination in Lance creek which may be a contributing factor, but I bet everything the infected people touched in the are is spreading the virus just as much as the water.

[MuddyWaters]

The same filters that aren't made to filter out the very viruses that are causing the problem...

You are 100% correct that most norovirus transmission is the result of human to human contact, or contact with contaminated surfaces. In this case, I am seeing reports of very obvious fecal contamination in Lance creek which may be a contributing factor, but I bet everything the infected people touched in the are is spreading the virus just as much as the water.

There are tent pads along lance creek, right off AT.
Anyone who is dumb enough to get surface water right next to tent area is tempting fate in any case. Even though I doubt thats the source. I dont recall getting water there from creek itself, it was fast flowing and steep banks.

[rocketsocks]

There's something gwine around even off the trail, I know several who have a stumoch bug right now.

[globetruck]

Not sure if this is norovirus or not, but it seems that every year brings some sort of bug along with the mass of NOBOs.

[JamesHenryTrotter]

Not sure if this is norovirus or not, but it seems that every year brings some sort of bug along with the mass of NOBOs.

Still a sign up at Rock Spring about the stomach bug