[pct-l] Sign at Joshua Springs

[jdrows at attbi.com (JD Schaefer)]

A harrowing tale to be sure.  Your son sounds like mine, a faster hiker but
caring enough to leave a note.  I'm glad it all worked out.

While I don't doubt the truthfulness of the sources you cite, I'm confused
what the incorrectly worded sign from a Federal agency (BLM) had to do with
Erin Brockovich or any other "deep pocket environmentalist".

Best wishes,
JD


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Lonetrail@aol.com>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2003 5:20 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Sign at Joshua Springs


> JD
>
> Well, JD sorry it took me so long to answer your comments about my post on
> Joshua Springs. I had to do some research.
>
> First let me explain why I am concerns about the sign posted by BLM at
Joshua
> Springs which reads "WATER NOT SAFE FOR DRINKING"
>
> My son and I were backpacking from Walker Pass to Whitney. The temperature
> was 115 degrees. We arranged to meet at 12 noon to have lunch together. He
is
> much younger then I and usually several miles ahead. At lunch he was
nearly out
> of water. We arranged to meet again at Joshua Springs four miles ahead.
When I
> arrived at Joshua Springs he left a note after he read the sign saying
"WATER
> IS UNSAFE FOR DRINKING" The note read, "Dad water unsafe for drinking will
go
> to next water hole about 15 miles ahead." Remember temperature is 115
> degrees. I knew I would find him straddled across the trail. I walked the
1/4 mile
> down to spring and filled up two quarts of water. I found my son four
miles from
> Joshua Springs as I suspected collapsed across the trail.  His first words
> were "Dad I'm dying." I was able to give him (The unsafe water) which
saved his
> life. We double back to Joshua Springs and spend the might there, loader
> ourselves up with the "Unsafe Water"
> In your statement you wrote ."Let's keep this to the Trail and leave our
> resentments out of it" I believe I am right on the trail. If you want to
call it
> resentment find. I am trying to save some backpacker's life. Several other
> backpackers has also passed the springs after reading the Illegal sign and
had
> similar problems.
>
> Now after some research I can now back up my claim that the sign should
not
> be there. It is illegal and should be taken down. I wrote to BLM and got
this
> response. Please read the email from BLM.
>
> Email from BLM
>
> The sign should say that the water is not tested for safe drinking which
> would require testing at least quarterly for various substances and we are
> not currently set up for such testing. (A variety of Federal and State
> regulations apply related to water.) Also, the springs at Chimney Creek
> Campground and Joshua Tree Spring may not be safe for drinking because
they
> exceed maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for naturally occurring URANIUM.
> The MCL for uranium is 20 picocuries per liter (pCi/l) and the water for
> Chimney Creek usually tests at about 50 pCi/l. Joshua Tree Spring is
> usually just above the MCL for uranium. Therefore, the water is not
> recommended for drinking or food preparation. On the other hand, hikers on
> the PCT are often in desperate need of water and these two sources present
> a minimum hazard for casual use since PCT hikers treat or filter their own
> water. (Understand, of course, that filtering or treating removes most
> contaminants, but not uranium.) Let me know if you need additional
> information: Michael Ayers, 661-391-6120.
>                       Michael Ayers/CASO/CA/BLM/DOI@BLM
>
>
> My email to BLM
>
> I am trying to get information on why at Joshua Tree Springs located at
> mile marker 569.3 along the Pacific Crest Trail located north of Walker
Pass
> has
> a sign water is unsafe for drinking. The same with Chimney Creek Camp
Ground.
> I
> understand that Indians, early Settler and Outfitters used the water for
> hundreds of years.
>
> Email from JD
>
> Lonetrail
>
> If you make political and/or snide comments "[Thanks to Erin Brokovich
> thedeep pocket environmentalist.)", you should back it up with facts or
many of
> your future statements could have less of a positive impact.Let's keep
this to
> the Trail and leave our resentments out of it.
> JD-----
>
> Original email to Richard
>
>   Richard>> If you are speaking about Grizzly Bill the caretaker at
Chimney
> Creek take> anything he says with a grain of salt. I have stopped there
several
> times and> find Grizzly Bill to be a typical back country character,
sometime
> funny. sometime bullish He spends a lot of time alone and set in his ways
but
> has a kind heart and will go out of his way to help you. Talk about his
> pickup or his dogs. Buy some cold pop from him since the water is supposed
to be
> poison. (Thanks to Erin Brokovich the deep pocket environmentalist.)  He
loves
> the Internet and is most likely reading these posts. So Hi Bill.
> lonetrail
>
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