[pct-l] planning for food on the PCT

[Ned Tibbits]

Planning a menu for such a high-caloric-demand expedition by simply studying 
the typical numbers or even asking previous thrus, like Scott, means you 
don't know yourself well enough and/or haven't taken the time to go out onto 
the trail, itself, and, under the daily mileage and elevation requirements 
you expect, stay out long enough to see what your body's caloric demands 
become.

What works for Scott may not work for you and you don't want to be out on 
the trail rationing food just to make it to the next resupply point.

I realize it's not easy taking the time off work or other obligation just to 
figure this out, but every body has different needs and you need to know 
those of yours, if you want your trip to be fun, safe, and uneventful.

Mtnned

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steel-Eye" <chelin at teleport.com>
To: "Jim & Janet Ake" <jake2003at at sbcglobal.net>; <pct-l at backcountry.net>; 
<walkinba at aol.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 11:20 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] food on the PCT


> Good morning, B.A.
>
> In the "Preparation" pages of my '07 TrailJournal
> http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye  I discussed food options and
> preparation, including cooking.  At that time I intended to begin the hike
> by not cooking at all, eating only cold foods directly from my pack 
> without
> preparation, then decide if I could do so for an extended hike.  As it
> turned out, I adapted quite nicely to the no-cook philosophy and continued
> in that way for my entire trip.  Still pleased today, I intend to continue
> with no-cook methods for my '08 hike.
>
> Much of what I eat is pretty wholesome, things like: homemade granola; 
> GORP
> made with lots of nuts and dried fruits; and homemade beef jerky; with the
> addition of some durable cheese purchased in trail towns.  I eat lots of
> peanut butter, in spite of the fact that last summer I ate little else but
> peanut butter on whole-grain tortillas, three-meals-a-day, for the eight
> days and 160 miles between Kearsarge Pass and Tuolumne Meadows.
>
> Some of what I eat could be classified as "snack-food", either sent from
> home in resupply boxes or purchased locally in some trail town.  A typical
> criticism of  "snack-food" is that it usually has too much fat and salt,
> however distance hikers need a higher intake of fat for Calorie-dense
> energy, and the salt is useful to maintain electrolyte levels when
> perspiring long and hard.  I like snack-crackers and chips, and usually 
> eat
> them with reconstituted cheese sauce, reconstituted refried beans, peanut
> butter, or individual packets of mayonnaise.  I pack hard, durable cookies
> such as Ginger Snaps and Animal Crackers, and for treats I like Peanut 
> M&Ms,
> Sesame Snaps, and dark chocolate.
>
> Most of the items in the resupply box have been repackaged into small,
> single-serving Ziploc bags.  A serving of peanut butter is measured into a
> snack-size Ziploc, and at lunch I bite off the corner of the bag and 
> squeeze
> it out like toothpaste. The cheese powder and bean powder also get 
> measured
> into snack-size Ziplocs.  At mealtime I add water to the Ziploc and kneed 
> it
> around till it reconstitutes, then bite off a corner and squeeze.  As a
> result there is no mess to clean up, not even a spreading knife.  Usually
> once every 4-6 days I visit a trail town and enjoy whatever fresh "real"
> food I come across.
>
> Steel-Eye
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <walkinba at aol.com>
> To: <jake2003at at sbcglobal.net>; <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 10:36 AM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] food on the PCT
>
>
>>I am also interested in specifics....Exactly what do you eat, Scott??
>>Steel-Eye?
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: jim ake <jake2003at at sbcglobal.net>
>> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
>> Sent: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 9:44 am
>> Subject: [pct-l] food on the PCT
>>
>>
>>
>> Hello All,
>>
>> I'm a newbie here who has been lurking around for a couple of weeks.
>> First
>> I want to say thanks for all the great info I have already picked up. 
>> Lots
>> of good stuff here!  I have also had a great time reading some of the
>> posts
>> from the trail pirate and stinky and others and am looking forward to
>> meeting everyone when I start my hike next year. Sounds like a fun bunch!
>>
>> I recently received Yogi's planning book and noticed a quote by Scott 
>> that
>> he mails all his trail food to himself because he is very picky about 
>> what
>> he eats while hiking.  Since he seems to be very successful at hiking 
>> (!),
>> I
>> thought I would ask if anyone knows what he eats.  Does he have some
>> secret
>> superfood?
>>
>> Janet in Arkansas (who is now retired and loving it!!!)
>>
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