Drinking Filtered water out of springs & creeks

[Smithbros.1]

Do all you elk hunters carry a filter? I will be at 10,000 feet and was wondering if anybody has any bad stories about filtered water. I have a Katadyn pump microfilter. I was planning a drop camp 2.5 miles in and can't haul that much water. There is alot of small creeks & springs here in the draws. Trying to boil drinking water over a small stove is allfully time consuming. Any info would be great!
Thanks Jason

[stinkbelly]

I am filtering for the first time this year. I have a PUR backpacking filter. I will also add the tablets. I figure overkill is better than getting sick at 10000 feet. If nothing else, we will be sick together.

[Antler Eater]

I have drank filtered water from creeks in the mountains a number of times and have not had any ill effects.

[bigbulls]

I have never filtered any of my water from the mountains and have never been sick. I drink straight from the streams, rivers, and springs.

Maybe I have been very lucky, or got an iron stomach or whatever but it has never bothered me one bit.

[Jeff Ovington]

I've never gotten sick, but I know people who have.......I don't know where theydrank from but probably drink straight from PONDS, PUDDLES ,and didn't bother boiling or adding a tablet..
I just drink straight from the faster moving creeks........
I do bring along tablets incase but prefer not to use them ....
I just don't know how healthy those tablets really are....

[charlie brown]

I have an MSR filter (the larger one, can't remember the name right now). I have filtered water from high mountain lakes and streams with no problems at all. This filter is supposed to get out all contaminants, including Giardia. $80 for the filter, but a good investment IMO. I currently have a set-up in my daypack that allows me to pump water directly from the filter into my Camel Back without taking the Camel Back out of my day pack. I just bring out the filter, hook upa hose, and start filtering.

[bowedark]

I use filters because don't like gettingsick, I had use small mountain creeks for over20 year withno problem. Not in the last five years I started using water filters.

[txhunter58]

You should be fine drinking filtered creek water with a microfilter. I have have always been too cautious to try drinking it strainght. I have seen several people who did get sick without filters. I have a MSR pump filter and it has served us well. You should be fine with what you have.

[muley69]

I drank straight from a high altitude creek........once. You absolutely do not want to do this. I was sick as a dog for a week, and in day three passed out from convulsions while puking. I was so sore after a week I could hardly sit down if you know what I mean. I never, ever, want to feel that way again. I get a mild cold maybe once every 5 years, but that stream wiped me out. The hell of it was after I finished my drink, my evil buddy replied: "oh look, I did bring 2 extra bottles of water." To top it off, the next morning my evil buddys brother drove back in a state truck and dropped of 2 five gallon containers of fresh water, all planned and known about in advance and without my knowledge.[:@]

[gotlost]

I've had griardia and it's no fun! Buy a filter that states it will filter it out and use it! I got it from a spring at the top of Bridger Peak (11,000 ft). it was clear and running.