Forum Index » GEAR » Water filters and Alaska glacial Silt?


Display Avatars Sort By:
christopher smead
(hamsterfish) - MLife

Locale: hamsterfish
Water filters and Alaska glacial Silt? on 05/23/2011 15:52:40 MDT Print View

Heya,
In early July I'm going to Alaska for a week to hike the crow pass trail.
I'm bringing an MSR gravity works filter. Do any of you know if the glacial silt will plug it up too quickly? I noticed the water up there looks pretty milky.

Also, any other tips you may have on backpacking that area are appreciated.

Thanks!!
jerry adams
(retiredjerry) - MLife

Locale: Oregon and Washington
 		Re: Water filters and Alaska glacial Silt? on 05/23/2011 16:06:59 MDT Print View

If you let the water settle for a few hours or overnight it helps
Al Nichols
(everready) - F

Locale: Sh!^^% Ohio
Water on 05/23/2011 16:11:04 MDT Print View

I've heard of folks using plastic gallon milk jugs to let the water settle. Just cut out a big hole opposite of the handle.

Edited by everready on 05/23/2011 16:11:39 MDT.
Randy Martin
(randalmartin) - M

Locale: Colorado
Use a Coffee Filter as a prefilter on 05/23/2011 17:03:51 MDT Print View

not sure what sized particles would make it through a Coffee filter but it would seem that using as a pre-filter would significantly reduce the load on your main filter.
robert mckay
(rahstin) - F

Locale: The Great Land
crow pass on 05/23/2011 18:50:07 MDT Print View

the only glacial silt comes from the eagle river.
if you filter from the multitude of side streams you wont have any problems.
start from the girdwood side of things, it is uphill to crow pass for a couple of miles then (pretty much) all downhill from there.
there is an AWESOME new cabin at crow pass, but it must be reserved in advance.
there are a LOT of bears on the eagle river side. Make sure to make a lot of noise.
soon after the ford of the river, go left as the trail follows the river bank and isn't marked well.