Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Running creek or lake outlet for purist water?

I never worried about mountain water 30 years ago,but now I do..Which is the best water choice,a running creek over sand and gravel or a lake outlet where the sun does it's work with UV......

Lately on the net I have heard the lake outlet is best contrary to the old running water...

Which is it in your opinion?

Jayco

Never thought about it.... Just pumped it in with a filter. Be curious to see how this turns out.

He's read an Outdoor Life article.......
Now he wants to show us all how much he knows.

I'm a purist, and like my water to be the purest.

I filter it, whatever it is. Watched my mom deal with giardia. I'd a lot rather not experience that.

Tom

Growing up we were taught to get water from the middle of a lake but I have never seen any evidence or reasoning to support this. I do know I drank water from the clearest, babbling mountain stream running down the mountainside in the wilds of Alaska only to hike up the mountain to the snow patch feeding the stream and discover it covered in Caribou seeking shelter from the heat and bugs. The caribou [bleep] was everywhere in the snow. Since this and learning how dangerous dehydration from diarrhia is I filter my water also.

That's kinda what I heard, that the sun itself and the UV rays kill the bacteria in the top water of lakes.Makes sense I guess but goes against everything I have heard elswhere..

Thanks for the post on what you were taught growing up in Alaska.

Jayco

I use what's available and filter it. Running over and through gravel and sand may filter out particulate matter somewhat but doesn't remove bacteria, giardia and the other "nasties" we all fear...you know, the stuff that makes you sick.

If lake water is all that is available I'd use that, again filtered. As far as UV killing stuff in lakes. Am I the only one that remembers Junior High science class when we dipped water from a lake then observed under a microscope all the little critters swimming around in it? I don't think they gave UV a second thought!

With the quality filters and chemicals available to backpackers these days, I cannot imagine needing to risk drinking unfiltered water regardless its source.

I've always used running water. I was always under the impression that still water grew more stuff. Either way I filter though so hopefully it does not matter.

If the thought of going through a colonoscopy prep regime lasting two weeks does not phase you than ,by all means, drink unfiltered water.

Those of us who have either been visited by the Cascade Two Step or have been witness to the process will continue to put a bit of effort into avoiding a repeat engagement.

It ain't pretty.

Filter, Tabs, drink...I have experienced the "bug"...NEVER again!