[pct-l] Not treating water on the PCT

[Austin Williams]

Thanks for the info.  I've actually hiked the PCT (southbound) in 2008.  I
also used Aqua Mira (and *loved* it).  I'm not worried about weight (my pack
wieght is basically zilch as it is, you know?).  But I ran into Scott
Williamson on the PCT that summer and he told me he didn't treat his
water...

... then I started thinking.... people have been going without treating
their water for millions of years.... here I am being careful to treat every
drop with chemicals before I cautiously sip it down.... and then I envision
Scott, freely and fearlessly scooping up bottle-fulls of pristine
back-country water (the stuff the water bottle companies wish they were
bottling) and drinking heartily from Mother Earth's bountiful springs
without a care in the world.  Whistling - in fact - as he casually strolls
by us pitiful, fearful, sorry little water-treating creatures.

Okay, I'm being mellow-dramatic  :D  But I think you get the point.  It just
blows my mind that I can be so fearful of water.  *Water!*
So I just had to check if anyone actual *has* gotten sick from drinking the
water along the PCT.  Now I know people have...

I think I've decided that I'll bring Aqua Mira with me, but only use it when
my eyes and nose tell me I should.  The rest of the time I'm going to stick
my face in and drink from the rivers and streams like a moose.  If I get
sick, I'll let ya know.  :)

Thanks again for the info.

-Austin


On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 4:40 PM, <jeff.singewald at comcast.net> wrote:

> Austin,
>
>
>
> You should read trail journals from previous years.  Every year there are
> folks that are treated for Giardia and some have been forced off the trail
> for good.  The question is whether this is from the water or simply bad
> hygiene.
>
>
>
> Frankly, in my opinion, you would be a fool not to treat your water for
> large portions of the trail. In 2006 I treated water from Campo to Chicken
> Springs Lake (just south of Whitney) and from the Oregon border to Canada.
> I did not treat in the Sierra as it was a very heavy snow year and I was
> able to identify good sources of water.
>
>
>
> How you treat your water is your choice, but I personally used Auqa Mira
> and had no affects whatsoever.  Two folks that I hiked with for the first
> 1000 miles had Giardia on 3 different occassions and they did not always
> treat their water and they frequently shared food.
>
>
>
> What is the downside to treating water?  Weight?  Not an issue.  Time?  Not
> an issue; I was hiking 30-40 miles a day from Chester north and I treated
> water the whole way.  It doesn't impact your hiking day.
>
>
>
> You are spending a great deal of time planning this hike based on the
> number of questions you have asked, so why take a risk of any sort re: water
> treatment and chance screwing your entire hike?
>
>
>
> Elevator
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Austin Williams" <austinwilliams123 at gmail.com>
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 11:26:49 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
> Subject: [pct-l] Not treating water on the PCT
>
> Hello,
>
> Scott Williamson doesn't treat his water on the PCT.  I understand the
> dangers of  not treating water (read about it a gazillion times).  I'm
> familiar with all the disclaimer advice.  I just want to know: has anyone
> here ever caught any 'bugs' by drinking untreated water *on the PCT*? (I'm
> not concerned about other trails).
>
> If so, what part of the trail did you catch it in?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Austin
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