[pct-l] Giardia Lamblia and Giardiasis

[Monty Tam]

Similar to you Jeff
I haven't hiked with a filter for a couple or three years.  
I carry bleach to chlorinate water in the few cases where I'm doubtful.
I don't trust warm water sources like the Kern River at Kennedy Meadows,
Deep Creek Hot Springs, or the McCloud River.  Almost ever present
parasites and bacteria multiply faster in warmer conditions.  In all three
of these areas in 04 hikers got a little sick.  In a hurry one morning I
grabbed some McCloud River water without adding a couple drops of bleach. 
Whether that was the cause or not, I got very, very sick in the next(P)
section.  The Etna Clinic, after testing, said it wasn't Giardia.  After
treating my illness with enough cheeseburgers, fries, pie and ice cream, I
was able to hike on.  
In mostly using nothing to treat water for over 4000 miles, I've had one
VERY severe day of illness.  I treat more often in those doubtful areas now
even though the water may or may not have been the cause of my illness..

Warner Springs Monty


> [Original Message]
> From: Jeffrey Olson <jolson at olc.edu>
> Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Date: 8/25/2006 9:51:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Giardia Lamblia and Giardiasis
>
> On my six week section hike last summer from Canada into central Oregon, 
> and then from Burney FAlls to the McCloud River, and then from Kennedy 
> Meadows to Kearsage Pass, and then again for a week in the Sawtooths in 
> Idaho a month ago, I didn't use any water treatment.  I carried iodine 
> tablets, but didn't use them.  I'll still carry them in case the only 
> water has cow or sheep or horse poop next to it, or is obviously not 
> flowing and/or stagnant. 
>
> I think it is a combination of forest service information used by filter 
> manufacturers that had a whole generation of hikers grow up scared of 
> the water in the wilderness.  I never even heard of a filter prior to 
> the late 80s.  Having hiked since the sierra cup hung off every hiker's 
> waistbelt, I never met anyone that got sick until this summer, when I 
> met a guy doing a long section hike who told his giardia story - he 
> doesn't know how he got it, but surmised it was from bad hygiene, either 
> his own or hiking partners.  None of his friends got it. 
>
> I know that I did treat water based on "what I'd heard" - that cysts 
> hung out in water year after year, little malevolent organisms waiting 
> to infect me.  When I read this article, or one like it a couple years 
> ago, and realized that they die, and that there has to be certain 
> concentration, I lost a lot of that manufactured fear.  Of course, this 
> is probably an example of hike your own hike - whatever feels safe... 
>
> Jeff, just Jeff...
>
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