So there's been this lost hiker in Whatcom County up in Washington, Mary Wingfield. She's been lost since Sunday. OK -- anyone can get lost -- I was lost once in the Superstition Mountains in Arizona, on a late January day, and it was a little scary. But I got out alright.
But this person is leaving notes around saying she has no water, when all around the Cascades there are plenty of streams and waterfalls for her to fall into. What she means is she has no treated water, but really, if you've been lost for four days, and you really going to leave notes that you're short on water, when really you're refusing to drink from the many, many streams that flow your way? I mean, even if they're not treated? Of course not -- you suck them up, and if you get giardia you deal with it later. Your chances are pretty small to begin with -- I've been drinking from streams my entire life, and I have yet to ingest any giardia. Better you die from giardia than you die from dehydration -- it will take a lot longer (though might be just as ugly).
Come on -- how can you die from lack of water in the autumnal Cascades?
Uh yeah, I think she meant potable water. She drank from the creek afterall, apparently not so stupid as you suggest.
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