[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

[pct-l] Sierra runs



At 02:16 PM 11/6/2003 -0600, yogi yogi wrote:
>I agree with Tangent.  A lot of hikers get the runs in the Sierra (notice 
>my correct usage of "sierra").  In 2002, Goof and Stroller had it 
>bad.  They went to a doctor who told them it was from the pink snow.  Some 
>sort of algae.  The snow melts and the pink stuff gets in the 
>water.  Giardia isn't the only bad thing out there.

That's interesting. Mark Heine (Savage) took sick in the Sierra saw a nurse 
practioner in Mammoth Lakes who told him, "There's something in the early 
snow melt causing hikers to get sick."

The pink snow is snow algae. I've heard it's toxic, but have no idea if 
accidental consumption would cause diarrhea. It could be the pink snow 
and/or all the melting snow collecting the previous season's marmot, deer, 
bear and hiker scat into the otherwise pristine water sources.

Regardless, the effect is the same. I can name a dozen hikers form the 
class of '02 who got it bad in the Sierra. Before the Sierra, I can think 
of only one person who got the runs.

Tangent