[pct-l] Water purification clearification!!

[Gary Schenk]

On 11/15/2010 4:57 PM, Brandon Reed wrote:
> I'm sorry about my last post, I didn't realize water purification was such a
> touchy subject!!! Let me clearify what I am trying to ask you guys. I have never
> hiked Southern California before, at least not more than a few hours at a time.
> Most of my experience is Northern Cali where the water is plentiful and moves
> rapidly. My concern, or fear, is that much of the Southern Cali water is
> stagnant cesspools filled with gunk which would be better filtered than purified
> with iodine. I don't mind the little floaters but nothing serious. So what I am
> asking is, as silly and stupid as it sounds, is the water in the desert stagnant
> or does it flow making it possible for me to just pop a few tabs in there not
> having to worry about gigantic floating infested cesspools of unidentified
> larva. Sorry if that was a stupid question but I better safe than sorry.


The answer is yes. In spring there will be flowing water clean enough to 
drink as-is. There will also be stagnant seeps. And tanks for fighting 
fires with stagnant water and various dead mammals floating around.

Unlike northern California and the Sierra, you'll need to plan your 
water stops, know where the next water is and how much you'll need to 
carry. You'll be making dry camps, and will have to plan accordingly.