[pct-l] Not treating water on the PCT

[Eric Lee]

Scott wrote:
>
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.
>

There are many places on the PCT where you don't need to treat the water,
but there are also some places where you'd be insane not to, IMHO.  It's not
an either/or proposition.

I've section-hiked virtually all of Oregon and Washington and don't usually
treat water from clean springs or from high-country streams.  I do treat
water from low-country streams, anywhere where I'm close to a large human
presence like a campground, and anywhere where there's livestock in the
area.  

I also try to keep my hands relatively clean, I use hand sanitizer after
pooping, and I avoid accepting food out of open packages from other hikers
(i.e. grabbing a handful of gorp or whatever).

I've never gotten sick during or immediately after any section hike.  Could
be my technique, could be my immune system, or could be sheer dumb luck.
Who knows?  But I feel comfortable with my system and as Iron Chef pointed
out, that's the most important thing.

Eric