Giardia in Wet Beaver Creek!!!

[pfredricks]

I know that sounded alarmist subject title, but it really is not. It seems like I keep ....well.....regurgitating information that I run accross.
THis month Backpacker magazine had a terrific article on water qualities and reviewed the whole filter/ not to filter thing.
Basically, it said that overall, water is generally safe from making you sick from Giardia/Crypto bacause they are rare, most people are not very susceptible, and you would generally have to drink a fair amt of it.
Great article though and you should check it out if that kind of thing interests you. They tested water around the country and in fact, did find Giardia in Wet Beaver, which really should be of no suprise since, cattle graze at its' headwaters.

Reminded me of DoFear's "Ugly Observation" topic and made me wonder if he's doing any better.
http://www.hikearizona.com/dex2/viewtop ... sc&start=0

That brings me to the next point of the article that stated,
"Cleaning eating utensils and washing hands regularly with soap and water proved more effective at reducing the risk of diarrea than treating water."

Jaret, Peter Backpacker, "What's in the Water?", December 2003 pp45-65

[Dschur]

I had it back in 1991. It takes exactly 2 weeks from the time that you drink the water. That is how long it takes for the eggs to hatch as the doctor told me. I had treated water from the spring on Mt. Wrightson. (don't remember the name now) Less than one canteen full. And a handfull of snow. (I think this is were it came from myself). And the doctor had asked me if I had been water skiing. He said he saw a lot of cases of it in Payson from people who had been and fallen in. All it takes is a spoonful. It isn't fun either....

[Lizard]

Now that's mighty strange, given that both times I've done the full loop hike through Wet Beaver, I drank the creek water w/o treating it in any way. Didn't get sick at all.

I know that some people are immune to Giardia, and that a sizable percentage who take in enough of the cysts to get sick never actually show any symptoms. Maybe I got lucky (or perhaps it's wishful thinking).

[te_wa]

I also subscribe, of course, and the article in Backpacker was informative yey not very specific to our region. SAVE for Beaver Creek, which is probably due to wild stock as Pfredricks touched on earlier. I learned in this article that the testing was done in independent labs, and some giardia and crypto was found in many of the municipal water ways!! (a.k.a. tap water) it was an interesting write-up for anyone to read. Seems that most water does not contain enough bugs to do harm, and in Beaver Creek, for instance, one would have to drink several gallons within minutes to even threaten their health. I find it hard to believe that one teaspoon of lake water could make a person sick, but then again maybe I am immune. My thoery; drink lots of good beer and the buggers wont know what to do! they will just swim around in your stomach bumping into each other. Good luck to ya's mike

[pfredricks]

well, the whole thing is that it is likely that one would need to drink gallons to get the bug. It is still possible to drink a minimal amount and get sick. It depends on a number of factors, virulence of the pest, susceptablility of the host, immune system, blah blah blah. To consider oneself immune, I think would be a little precipitous. It still boils (water pun) down to a personal risk/benefit analysis. You can get sick-very likely not. What's it worth it to you? I dont want to be sick no matter what on the trail-but that's me.
The article failed to mention pesticides/lead / mercury/ e coli, animal feces.
I know drinking from a stream is robust and all and has a certain appeal, but, if I dont know what's upstream......I dunno to me at least, seems risky.
I actually found a pair of underwear upstream where I had just filtered once. One could imagine animal poop, dead carcasses, toxic waste dump, people peeing in the stream(which is usually sterile however) Thinking of that makes the purist notion much less appealing to me.
Thanks
-Pete
I dont drink from the pool either

[woopitup]

hmm, all this reading has made me quite thirsty... I filter or bring enough for the trip. I like the romantic concept of taking from nature in the form of a refreshing, cool, trickling spring. . . unfortunately, I am also too aware of the impurities that lurk in our streams and rivers... however, I like Pete's colorful description of the possible desserts that may be awaiting us in the water. . ! :pois:

Pete you should write for Hallmark

woopitup

[pfredricks]

funny story-
When I lived in Kansas City, i ran into a friend of mine from High School in Iowa. Anyway, as it turns out, Hallmark's main operations are in Kansas City and he was working for them as a photographer. I guess, one day he was talking with a friend of his in the card writing dept-which was a rather large office area. They were apparently having a fairly loud discussion about the previous weeks deer hunt back in Iowa. They were talking about the shots they took, deer they got, etc. Well, my friend said that about mid conversation, he noticed a strange silence, he looked around and saw nary a dry eye in the place and a few looks of hatred.
I guess it broke the mood for writing the drippy stuff.
It was like those commercials--"wanna get away for awhile?"
-Pete