Believe it or not, I remember a time I drank straight out of a stream in the Rockies. Southern Colorado. Or was it northern New Mexico? I don't remember. Late '70's, high altitude -- above 9000'. I didn't die. These days? I dunno. I just don't know.
Come to think of it, no I haven't. But I'm sure it's possible. If I'm winter camping, I tend to keep a few items, incl. water filters, in a stuff sack in the bottom of my sleeping bag at night.
Re the topic of the thread -- equipment/process -- I use a Pur backpacking filter that's at least 12 years old. I fill my collapsible 2 gal camp bucket at the falls, carry it back to camp, and pump the s**t out of it into my canteens. If I do that every other day, but bath down in the falls, it seems to meet my needs.
I still do, for the most part. If I'm on the last day of the trip or a day outing I usually drink it straight up and I haven't (knock on wood) gotten sick yet
I typically pack all my water. I’ve only ran out one time while camping a few days longer than I had planned. In that situation I boiled it, tasted like fish water though. I have a MSR pump filter now that I’ve only used once. It didn’t really effect the taste very much. It was also clean water so I didn’t have to worry about clogging the filter. I always have water tabs in my kit though. I’ve only used the older water purification tablets as a kid and not the new fancy ones. I thought it tasted like pool water. I’ve also played around making solar stills but never got a lot of water. From what I’ve read that’s pretty typical. The water up north is pretty clear though. The wind was blowing and causing ripples so it’s hard to tell how clear the lake is.
My grandparents have a farm with spring heads all over it. I grew up running the woods and hunting every square inch of it. When I'd get hot I never gave a second thought to drinking the water straight out of the ground and rarely carried a canteen because I knew where some of the strongest springs were. But after spending time in a lab identifying a litany of GI parasites, I'm perhaps a little overly cautious. @mtngoat or @Klynesquatch which SS Nalgene bottles did you say went with your Stanley pot? Do you happen to have a pic if it's not too much trouble? Thanks a million if you do.
A millbank Bag, don't really need it here in the PNW. The water here is usually OK to hit with a filter, but for real skank water I pre-filter it with one of these. Old pic from my trip to Az to take a Desert Class with Tony Nester.
It’s the backpacker model 32oz https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001GSQOCS/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1
Thanks man, for the pic and link. That bottle wasn't the same style I had in mind. You saved me some searching.
Hahahaha! Nice setup, though. I'm going to try that with my tarp. I have a 5x7 that I use to protect extra gear, so if I configure it like that, I can catch water and save a trip to the falls (maybe use it for dish rinsing, foot washing, etc.)
I grew up drinking out of little creeks (two foot wide and six inches deep) when out with a couple of my Great Uncles who were stockmen. Occasionally we would ride further upstream to find the dead cow/roo/sheep/wombat in the water. I still often drink flowing water here. I was shocked when in the US everyone was telling me not to drink that beautiful clear flowing water !!!! I always clean standing water in dams/tanks (a tank is just a dam but i the west) or rockpools. many places here still pump to the house straight from the creek.
Earlier in the year I replaced the Katy Combi with a MSR Mini, lighter-smaller as when it's 98f @ 90% humidity ounces count. So far my results with it are the same as the Katy, app 3 qts and take it down for cleaning. It's 1/2 the size and weight so performance being equal... I'm happy with it. We do have some funk nasty black brackish water here, snakes and gator poo included free.
Once again, these are not new, so no points please. Pic 1 is from March, 17. A 400 + lb drowned feral pig we passed by (day 2 in a 5 on the Neches River in Tx) Pic 2 is from a couple of years back, also on the Neches (day 5 in a 7). Standing in over ankle deep mud while trying to get potable water will make a believer of you. Don't take chances with your water/ health fellas, the results can be...unpleasant. . It's just not worth it.
Don't know if this qualifies, here is a trick I learned from the thru-hikers on the PCT and the Sawyer Filter. They toss the bladders and use Smart Water Bottles. They just dip the bottle in a water source and screw the filter on. They then drink right from the Filter. Also take your Sawyer to the hardware store and pick up the correct Hose Washer for it, sucks to lose you washer......... Edit to add; Some of the pop up tops on Smart Water Bottles can be used to back flush in a pinch, if you don't want to hump the syringe....
Y'all got some muddy water down there. That was also the name of a Miss'ippi blues player a few decades ago.
I posted (on Instagram) a day hiking gear list of what I pack while walking the desert during the summer months. As most could guess, water made the list. I carry lots of clean water, in multiple containers. Then I carry a sawyer mini, as well as two 32oz dirty water bags (empty). A small rubber tube is also not amiss to bring along. Often if I don't know the area I'll bring a longer aquarium tube to use for hard to get to water sources. (As recommended by Tony Nester)
Tony is my go to guy for Desert Survival, I would like to go back for some more training with him...........