Not a dumb question at all.
There is definitely a risk factor related to Dip & Sip. I wish I could be more precise, but I believe there was a study where water downstream from a decomposing carcass was sampled, and only small amounts of bacteria were detected.
The good thing is that piles like that will indeed decompose over time, and likely a pretty short time. With the regular rains and UV action from sunlight, the normal decomposition process likely only takes a few months. By next spring, especially after the winter snowfall and runoff, there will be no trace of that mess.
Granted, that is really a disgusting thing to find. It breaks all the rules and recommendations of wilderness waste disposal -- both not buried, and too near water. On top of the fact that WAG bag use is the "only acceptable" waste disposal method in the Whitney Zone. It was probably left by some hiker in the darkness of night.
It is reports like these that cause some of the most avid dippers to treat their water in the Whitney Zone.
