Met a hiker on the JMT who refused to filter water from a stream, said he never had issues in 20 years

Kai Gibson · 2026-09-05T05:55:06.025687+00:00

Last August near Rae Lakes, I shared a campsite with a guy in his 50s doing the whole John Muir Trail. He bragged about drinking straight from every creek and lake without a filter, claiming his gut was immune after decades of trips. Two days later I crossed paths with him south of Glen Pass, shaky and pale, trying to make it to a ranger station with bad cramps and fever. He admitted he'd been sick since the first unfiltered sip and finally asked me for electrolyte tabs. Has anyone else run into veteran hikers who ignore Giardia risks, and did they ever change their stance after a bad experience?

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Met a hiker on the JMT who refused to filter water from a stream, said he never had issues in 20 years | Backpacking Routes - Free To Speak