You generally should not drink raw glacier water in Alaska without treating it first. It often looks clean, but it can carry parasites, microbes, and other contaminants that can make you sick.
Main safety concern
Glacier melt and surface pools can contain parasites like Giardia and Cryptosporidium, as well as bacteria, viruses, and fine sediment picked up as the ice grinds over rock and animal waste. These organisms can cause severe diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and dehydration, which is dangerous when you are out in the backcountry.
Official recommendations
Alaska health and environmental agencies advise against drinking any untreated surface water, including glacier melt, even if it appears pristine. Recommended methods are boiling, using a backpacking filter rated for protozoa and bacteria, or chemical treatment (chlorine or iodine) before drinking.
When people do drink it
Some locals and visitors occasionally sip directly from remote glacier streams or pools and do not get sick, but this is a calculated risk, not a guarantee of safety. Pathogen levels vary by location and time, so one person’s “I was fine” experience does not mean it is safe in general.
Practical advice for trips
- Treat all glacier and stream water before drinking, especially if you are not used to local microbes.
- Carry a reliable filter or purification tablets, and know how long they need to work.
- If you must drink untreated water in an emergency, choose fast-flowing, cold sources far from human or animal activity, understanding there is still some risk.
