E. Coli in the Zion Narrows

Nick

Nick

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Anybody catch this article? :eek:

E. Coli contamination is 'off the chart' in Zion National park's Narrows

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...tion-a-hidden-danger-in-the-Virgin-River.html

Makes me think twice about all the swimming we did in The Narrows this past June. Below photo by neiloro.
index.php
 
nick said:
Anybody catch this article? :eek:

E. Coli contamination is 'off the chart' in Zion National park's Narrows

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...tion-a-hidden-danger-in-the-Virgin-River.html

Makes me think twice about all the swimming we did in The Narrows this past June. Below photo by neiloro.
Click to expand...

Reading the article and the causes - the human element in particular is worrisome. I would have thought fellow hikers a bit more responsible. The book, "How to S*** in the Woods" should be required reading for anyone venturing outdoors.
 
Fellow avid hikers know better, your typical tourist family with kids and such, they don't know the carry it out rule.
 
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Yikes! I just spent a whole day in the Narrows three weeks ago. I had my first pack it out experience, but there were a few corners where you could tell by the smell that others had not.:cautious:
 
you could tell by the smell that others had not.:cautious:
Click to expand...
It ain't even just the smell. I came out of Pine Creek on Saturday and was greeted with 3 wonderful piles. It's disgusting!
 
nick said:
Actually, it can take several days or longer before you'd feel the effects. I don't think I got sick or anything, it just sucks to know I'm swimming in sh*t.
Click to expand...

anyway, just the thought of it give me chills, it's just disgusting.
And even tourist families should know about it, the etiquette of pack it out is written in every park newspaper, in the popular parks even in several languages. That's no excuse.
 
Yeah... I grew up in India. The thought of a bit of e-Coli floating around is just 2nd nature.
 
neiloro said:
Yeah... I grew up in India. The thought of a bit of e-Coli floating around is just 2nd nature.
Click to expand...

What's funny to read is that even giardia was all but unknown in most US lakes and waterways prior to about 1970. Now one should filter the water from even the purest appearing high mountain waters.

I can recall as a boy scout in the mid 70's at summer camp in the High Sierras, we would fill a 40-gallon tank directly from the lake where we were camping, and add three capfulls of Clorox to the water. Nobody ever got sick. Today, if I cannot carry the needed water for my outing from home, my MSR filter goes with me.
 
I do not recommend reading this article while eating dinner.
 
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