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[pct-l] Sierra runs



At 01:50 PM 11/6/03, Brian Bowlsby wrote:
>According to a researcher from U.C. Berkley who I came across along the
>JMT this summer, who was conducting water sample tests of the Sierra
>lakes and streams, he said the Sierra water is virtually giardia free!
>When asked if I should treat my water along the trail he said it's
>probably not necessary. Common sense is the best approach he said.

Once again we rehash the water issue.

You will probably find this article on Giardia in the Sierra interesting: 
http://www.yosemite.org/naturenotes/Giardia.htm
"So drink freely and confidently: Proper personal hygiene is far more 
important in avoiding giardiasis than treating the water."

As far as pink snow, the first time I saw this was in New Zealand, It is 
caused by algae "Chlamydomonas nivalis", and is known to have  laxative 
effects. When I first saw it, I was told if I needed to fill a water 
bottle, to dig beneath the surface to get white snow.

In my experience, the stuff "blooms" for days or weeks in an area, so I 
assume it reacts to conditions such as sunlight and nutrients on the 
surface of the snow. I've seen it come an go in the same area over a period 
of several weeks, so last year's class may have been through an area during 
a bloom, where other classes have missed it and have not been effected

This is not really a water issue, but come from scooping snow into your 
water bottle, though I assume you could have problems drinking right below 
the slopes.

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mpinksnow.html
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/plaug98.htm
http://www.spiralroad.com/sr/sandford/halfway8.html

Here is a good photo
http://www.visualsunlimited.com/browse/vu306/vu306762.html