[pct-l] saying no to alcohol

[Sean Nordeen]

The only truely safe method is NO Stove.  But that isn't a realistic expectation to expect everyone to try it.  Many in the UL community have been moving that direrction in their never ending quest to cut ounces.  I've personally done a week long trip without a stove so I know it is certainly doable.

I'm a long time SoCal resident so I have a good idea of fire conditions along the PCT.  I've used Alcohol, Esbit, cannister, and wood burning stoves successfully and safely.  But I know not to use them in the high wind conditions we often get and to maker sure vegetiation is a lot farther away then would be normal in a wetter environment.  In the right conditions, dry vegetation 3 feet away from your stove can light up (and some past PCT hikers have discovered this the hard way).  Unfortunately, too many people from back east don't have a proper appreciation just how easily our dry vegetation burns.  And during certain fire restrictions, only  cannister stoves are legal since alcohol stoves are considered open flame since they have no shut off valve.

That said, banning alcohol stoves isn't going to happen.  So, rather then that, educating people how to safely use them (and when not to) would be better and more realistic goal.  Since a large portion of  hikers do attend the ADZPCTKO, that would be the best place to do it.  Personally, I think the Caldera Cone alcohol stove is the safest of the alcohol stoves in terms of fire safety since it is closer to a closed system then most windscreen/stove setups.  But even its not perfect and there are times when you'd be better off not cooking at all.

-Sean

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with the high fire danger that is persistent throughout southern California
i cant help but think that it is time for the PCT community to take a stand
against the use of alcohol stoves, at least thru the dry sections of
California, All PCT hikers should really think about alternatives that would
reduce the chances of fires starting because of accidents with our alcohol
stoves. comments? opinions?