I always use a water filtration system when I am away from tap water for more than a day. I have had Giardesis and it is not fun. I imagine few people die from it, but it is very unpleasant. I recall vomiting and experiencing diahrea at the same moment in time, which is awkward. I also recall having an unquenchable thirst. My energy level dropped way down, which can be problematic when you are either hunting or just trying to crawl down to your truck to call it quits.

Go to a backpacking supply store and look at the inexpensive, lightweight water filtration systems they have. REI is one such source that has a web presence. There are probably others also. Take a personal water bottle or two for each member of the party. Draw water for all water bottles in the morning and drink from them all day long. I usually just take a quart bottle for drinking along the trail in the high mountains, but the books advise you to drink more fluids than this to prevent dehydration at altitude and also avoid altitude sickness. At night, the same drill, draw enough water to cook with, to drink, and to clean the pots up afterwards. Don't let raw stream water get on anything.

It sounds like several people have gotten away with just drinking out of very high streams, but based on my experience I would rather undergo the minor hassle of pumping water twice a day to avoid any chance of having Giardesisi again.

I've been hiking, camping hunting and fishing in the Washington Cascades since 1957, and I contracted giardiasis wheh I was about 17. Sick as a dog for three months until it was diagnosed. Antibiotics put it down in about four more weeks.

I now either filter or boil any water I drink. At altitudes over 3000 feet water doesn't get quite as hot, so I always boil water for about five minutes, longer simply wastes fuel. A good filter works better, but is slow. I use a siphon system that filters about 1/2 gallon an hour.

Giardia Lamblia cysts are too small to see and quite comfortably survive freezing for very long periods (500 years and more) but succumb to boiling in minutes. Clarity and speed of water flow are irrelevant, as is aeration. Gamble if you will, but if you ever get the real thing expect to be very ill for a long time.

Diagnosis is tricky and treatment slow. The symptoms are like having severe stomach flu for weeks on end, with fever, severe muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and bad stomach cramping. It is not fun, trust me.

Nordicthug

always carry mine just as important as toilet paper. I use a sweetwater pump filter works great for about 200 gallons. I've pumped crystal cool water out of stuff I wouldn't step in. super light. if you get "beaver fever' you'll wish you had taken our advise. Don't go in the hills without it......

About 3 weeks ago, I bought an MSR Miniworks Water Purifier. I used it in the mountains two Sundays ago, and it seemed to work just fine. I took water from a lake and after I filtered the water (at about 1 litre a minute), I noticed that there were fish guts only feet from where I had collected my water. I drank that water with no ill effects that I know of. I am still alive, and figured that if I didn't get sick from drinking that water, I have no doubts that this filter will clean about any water I encounter. When I cleaned the filter out, I could see all of the junk that it filtered out. It was Amazing!!!

A good friend of mine used to say, "If you're not using a filter, you are one". Good advice in my book.

no, and yes.
I don't se a water system in the high mountains, above 8000' in Idaho. I have gotten sick from low valley water but never in the high country. Mostly drink from spring fed only, or lakes. the larger creeks can be a little warm and can have over bearing nutrients on the water from the higher temps.
But if you are not wanting to get sick, do use one. I use water from lakes or springs in camp. Coffee water gets boiled anyway.

I always filter/purify my water. I watched a work mate who got giardia while elk hunting in Colorado. He was not worth shooting for a month and a half. It raised hell with his work productivity and cost him financially as well. Water purification is cheap insurance in my opine.

I use a PUR water purifier (filter and chemical treatment) with a secondary charcoal filter on the discharge end to take out the "chemical" taste and coloration. I've filtered some pretty sleazy water and have had it come out tasting better than some tap water I've drank.

EKM

Try out the First Need filter set up. They have them at REI in the retail stores or online www.rei.com I've tried a number of different filter systems and like this the best. Unlike most of them, there isn't any idodine taste with the First Need (they use a different technology than most). Makes a big difference in the taste of that morning cup of coffee !

HERE IN ALASKA I USE A FILTER ALL THE TIME I HAVE HAD A "SWEET WATER" PUMP FOR PROBABLY 10 YEARS I REPLACED THE FILTER THIS YEAR. GIARDIA WILL HIT YOU IN 2-3 WEEKS IF NOT MORE SO YOU WILL BE HOME....MOST LIKELY BUT THE OTHER BACTERIA IS WHAT CAN CAUSE YOU TROUBLE WITHIN A FEW HRS. LAST THING YOU NEED IN A REMOTE AREA IS NON STOP HERSHEY SQUIRTS. [:'(][:@][]ALSO EVEN THOU GIARDIA IS DELAYED SOME FOLKS HAVE SPENT DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL AND THAT CAN BE EXPENSIVE AND CAN MEAN LOST TIME FROM WORK. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE PUMP. GET A TYPE OF PUMP THAT PUMPS IN BOTH DIRECTION OF THE PUMP STROKE.

I totally agree with Nimrod... I always use boiling, filtering or iodine tablets and neutralizer. If I am going to be in a stationary camp for a few days I just get a 5 gallon bucket full of water as soon as I arrive..drop in the iodine tablets and while they work I set up camp. 5 gallons is more than enough water for two guys and cooking water. When I'm on the move I carry a small pump filter.

I got a case of giardia from a high mountain stream. It was the only non filtered or city water I had drank in a month so that had to be it.