High Sierra Topix

even if you filter, the water tastes the same. still recommend filtering.

The taste of water is a function of pH, mineral content and disolved organics, even though you have limited this post to "subjective" criteria. I rarely filter or treat water in the High Serria. I like my water very cold so rather dip water out of streams on the way than carry it around in a plastic bottle. My only bad experinece was at Evolution Lake. Collected water. Went back to wash off and stepped on a rock and up floated a dead decomposed rat. I went back to camp, dumped the water, walked back up the trail half a mile to a side stream to get water. I just could not handle the "yuk" factor of drining water out of the lake.

I used to filter, then broke a filter and had to continue without, which worked fine for many years. In 2010 then, I learned first hand what it means to "have giardia" - never figured out where exactly I got it (best guess is Sunrise Creek in Yosemite). Perhaps you only know the Sierra really well when you experience first hand what these critters can do to your body.

I still won't filter everything, but I will always bring a filter with me and use it when not sure about the quality of the water I am about to drink. The lower the elevation and the later the season, the more I filter (giardia dies in winter, needs to get re-introduced)

rlown wrote:even if you filter, the water tastes the same. still recommend filtering.

Not to me. Another reason not to filter is the taste. Run it through a filter and it tastes different.
If you don't filter, it is common sense as some have pointed out. There are just times, places and elevations that makes sense to filter. Most of the time in the high country above 8000 feet, you just don't need it and a filter is just dead weight.

The weirdest water I have tasted in recent years was my second trip (of three) that ran through Ottoway Lake. Above the iron trail sign there is a great spacious camp with a narrow stream running through it. I went up stream a ways and got water, and it tasted a bit like brimstone or sulfur. Didn't drink it. The next trip I tried it again and it was fine. Strange. All were late season trips.

I drink from just about anything that's not standing and gross and I don't treat it unless I'm in a cow pasture like in the Emigrant. I have never been sick. I prefer springs and snow melt. I like the spring on the Cathedral Lakes trail and always take a ceremonious drink out of the one on the JMT near Happy Isles. I provide treatment options for clients but like having nothing between me and my communion cup full of Sierra water.

My favorite is ice cold water from a little trickling stream coming out from under a permanent snowfield at something like 13000 feet.

Least favorite would be some popular lake on a hot, still afternoon in the middle of the summer.

In the "olden days" people used to go and stay near Springs and Spas to "take the water" in Europe, as a medicinal treatment... The rushing pure water of Sierra streams, creeks and clear rivers feels alive and pure and is magnificent to soak self in and to drink. Some lakes last year (low snow year) late season had slimy algae green stuff, but running water seemed to be fine. We use steripen as it does not affect the taste.