Probably a different symptom, but I read something about snow getting a red tint on its surface which was some type of growth or something that would make you sick. I am guessing it had to be at least a few days old???
I am also wondering if a back country hiker/hunter could carry a prescription or some medicine to begin treating the sympons immediately. Might speed the recovery if you could begin taking it as soon as it started.
I've heard tales of people getting sick from
"watermelon snow." Apparently it can have a laxative effect but a quick google search isn't turning up much else about related illness.
Long distance hikers sometimes carry a dose of Flagyl or tinidazole. I am leery of people self-diagnosing and treating, however. Most stomach upsets are not giardia and these are fairly powerful drugs.
I prefer tinidazole because it is a single dose treatment.
Giardia symptoms according to Mayo Clinic (not all may be present)
*Watery, sometimes foul-smelling diarrhea that may alternate with soft, greasy [floating] stools
*Fatigue or malaise
*Abdominal cramps and bloating
*Belching gas with a bad taste [often "sulfur burps"]
*Nausea
*Weight loss[symptoms often nearly disappear, then return a few days later]
Symptoms usually take at least 3 days to develop, more commonly 7-10 days.
