Anybody not religiously purifying their water?

[3forks]

I was just reading a trip report from a guy who hiked the whole Colorado Trail in a single effort.

The guy mentioned his philosophy on water treatment is to only purify if the water seems sketchy. He also claimed he hasn't gotten sick from a waterborne illness since 1999.

When I was a kid, we used to drink straight out creeks and rivers. My mom used to warn us about beaver fever (and rightfully so, since there was everything from elk to beavers pissing in the streams) but we never got sick.

I can say I now purify all my water regardless of how pristine it looks, but how strict are you guys about purifying your water? The comment from the guy who hiked the CDT trail, and my never getting sick as a kid isn't going to make me change my thoughts about purifying water, but it does make me wonder what a person's chance of getting giardia really are.

Anyway, are any of you guys rolling the dice and not religiously purifying your water?

 

[magnum44270]

I do when I drink on the trail. After hearing a story about my friend drinking straight fron the "bubble up" of a high mountain spring above tree line and coming down with Giardia at 10.5k

 

[Nick Muche]

Depends where I am, but an overwhelming amount of the time the answer is No, I do not purify my water. I carry Aquamira drops in my pack just in case I feel the need but typically I can find good clean water. I've been sick once and it was due to piss poor judgement.

 

[oldgoat]

I do! I have a buddy at work that caught Giardia, a few years later he had to have half his large intestine removed, doctors aren't sure the two are connected, but it's but one more reason I don't play around with it. Filtering or purifying is too easy to do these days!

 

[dirtytough]

I have only filtered water on one hunt. While guiding in Alaska we drank out of stuff that I for sure thought we would be sick but everyone was fine. I used to backpack/scout all summer long and not once did I filter. In 2016 I had a good tag and since it takes a week or so to get sick I figured if I got sick I might miss the end of the hunt so I filtered my water.

After killing a buck closer to the trailhead then camp was I packed the buck back to the vehicle while my brother and buddy grabbed my camp and theirs. I had left my filter in my tent. The last mile of the pack out I had to gain 500-800' of elevation (can't remember exactly) and I was out of water. It was hot. I probably passed 10 beaver damns on the way down. And 100 cattle standing in the creek. I said screw it hunts over and drank my fill. Then filled up my bottle for the last mile. Made it to the truck and never had any ill effects.

I read a book by Henry Shires on thru hiking. He doesn't filter either. He looks for clean running water. He wrote in the book he believes more people get giardia from bad hygiene then from bad water.

Branden

 

[go4thegusto]

I do! I have a buddy at work that caught Giardia, a few years later he had to have half his large intestine removed, doctors aren't sure the two are connected, but it's but one more reason I don't play around with it. Filtering or purifying is too easy to do these days!

Now you are freaking me out! A couple of years ago I got Giardia. It did not manifest itself in a typical fashion. After much doctoring and distress including losing 13 lbs on my 165 frame they figured it out on my prompting. Took 3 months and I looked like I just walked out of a concentration camp. No fun guys....don't take any risks with water.

 

[5MilesBack]

The last time I drank unfiltered water in the high country was 15 years ago.......the bad memories seem like yesterday. That won't happen again anytime soon.

 

[rileybassman]

My question is why risk it when it is preventable...

 

[kickemall]

If I'm in an area, mostly out of state, that I'm not familiar with then I will filter. Most places I never do, just drink up.

 

[sodaksooner]

Shoot I even filtered water running directly out of a snowbank hiking in Grand Teton. i am pretty picky about water.

 

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

I don't want to deal with giardia while at home in a house and I certainly don't want to deal with it out in the mountains.

It's so easy to make water safe.

 

[Huntindog45]

I never purify my water when I am in the high country. I swear 90% of the fear of waterborne pathogens is delivered by companies trying to sell you a water filter. I get to spend more days than most in the high country and if a creek looks ok (flowing and cold) I drink from it. giahrdia is actually very rare. IF it is present in Lakes you can get it just from swimming in lake. Hell you can even get it from a pool. It is funny everyone who does get it immediately blames it on the creek they drank out of and they don’t even think of the five lakes they jumped in or the public pool they swim in every day, or the water park they were just at.
... I own a water filter...and I think it may be somewhere in my hunting supplies...almost unused. That being said....the steri pens seems like a nice lightweight option


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[dtrkyman]

I’ve drank straight from a spring in Co. High country, ran out of water half way through the day in Az. In Jan. That creek was good looking running water but too much cattle sign around so I boiled with jet boil, I carry a life straw in my pack for emergencies and see no reason not to use something like that at least.


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[Justin Crossley]

I rarely filter water in the WA Cascades.

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[juan trueno]

No one in my circles is adequately or properly credentialed to religiously purify water, but I went to catholic high school which featured an exclusively clerrgical administration and teachers. All monks from the monastery that founded the school and a couple bussed in nuns- and they could get it done.


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[Yellowknife]

It depends....

I'm fairly religious about treating it if there is human activity in the area. In Alaska though, I can often find seep springs or snow fed trickles in the mountains, and can and do go days without filtering.

If it seems at all sketchy though, I do treat somehow. Several people in my family have contracted giardia over the years and it's an ugly thing. Pills can kill it pretty quick, but your digestive system might be messed up for years.

 

[Scoony]

In my army days, we always had iodine tablets. Drank so much iodine treated water, that I actually started to like it. The only water I could not drink was from the Chagres river in Panama. That water was just pain nasty and nothing we tried made it drinkable.
I would rather not get sick at 10,000' and become a burden for others so I don't take chances.

 

[MallardSX2]

I got giardia. Felt like someone was driving a spike straight up through me heading for my chin in between my nuts and my o-ring. I had to crap in a dish at a doctors office....

I put if off and put it off. Then finally went to the doctor. The doctor told me that I was about 2 months away from dying.

Use a reputable filter. Trust me.

 

[yeti14]

Every time. I have never been in a car accident, but I wear my seat belt every time. Why? Because it's easy insurance.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

No one in my circles is adequately or properly credentialed to religiously purify water, but I went to catholic high school which featured an exclusively clerrgical administration and teachers. All monks from the monastery that founded the school and a couple bussed in nuns- and they could get it done.


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Haha. I always filter it.