I picked up a case of Giardiasis from stream water up in the Rawah wilderness area in Northern Colorado. Trust me, this is NOT something you want to get. At the time, Flagyl was the stuff used to treat it, and it had unpleasant side effects of its own, including the fact that you couldn't drink alcohol while on it
- don't know if there're better things out there now or not.
Yep, things change, and the purity of water in the high country is, unfortunately, one of those things. I'm pretty laid back when it comes to "don't do that, it's dangerous", risk vs reward stuff, but when it comes to not drinking untreated mountain water, well - I'm a believer now. Pick up a case of this stuff and you will be too.
Scott