[pct-l] Not treating water on the PCT

[Paul Mitchell]

Sometimes it is what you don't see, indeed.  Last time on the trail we found
out that a couple fire water tanks were missing lids & on close inspection
there was an abundance of floating dead rodents in the water.  If you were
down below at the spigot you wouldn't see this.  

I've got a pretty strong stomach and personally feel it's better to be
exposed regularly to bacteria and bugs to keep the immune system strong - my
understanding is that it's not a single cyst that can cause illness, on the
contrary, we generally have some level in our system at any given time, it's
exposure to a large contaminated dose that causes problems - but that's just
my understanding from some articles I've read.  I'm inclined to not treat
most sources, but will definitely treat any sitting or slow moving water.

Another thing to consider is nutrition and general health and the impact
that may have, rather then it being just a matter of exposure.  Some of us
take better care of our nutritional needs while hiking, maybe that makes a
difference in whether or not exposure to some cysts is something that goes
unnoticed vs. something that knocks us on our ass for a week.  Just a
thought.

- P178


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Scott Bryce
Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 3:15 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Not treating water on the PCT

Steve Clark wrote:
> I attended a trail fest in riverside, ca, back in 2005 and heard a
> lecture by a doctor that said that you did not have to treat your
> water on the PCT.

That is real nice until you stop at a water source where you can see a
cow standing in the stream not 50 feet upstream from you, or where you
get water out of a large concrete tank with who knows what in the tank
along with the water.

Here are two reasons I was glad I was carrying a filter:

http://trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=339370
http://trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=339375

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