[pct-l] Cooking within...

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning,

For experienced PCT hikers willing to participate, PCT-L is an opportunity
to answer questions.  It is also an opportunity – and often an obligation --
to question answers.  This is such an opportunity.

I don’t believe it is ever advisable to use a stove of any type in an
enclosure such as a tent.  Beyond any possibility of the fire getting out of
control inside the tent, carbon monoxide poisoning is a real threat.  Stoves
that use solid fuel or one-shot alcohol will possibly go out before carbon
monoxide can accumulate to deadly levels, but other stoves contain
considerable fuel and could burn for an hour without attention.

After a hard day’s hike in cold or inclement weather a snug, warm tent
absolutely begs one to close the eyes and have a rest waiting for the water
to boil.  Falling asleep with a well-fueled stove burning creates a very
high risk that the sleeper will never awake.
Steel-Eye
Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965
http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09



On Sun, Dec 6, 2009 at 7:23 PM, <ned at pacificcrestcustombuilders.com> wrote:

> For all of our summer, winter, and international backpacking, we have
> always cooked inside our double-walled tents (even when I was using a
> plastic tube tent from Ca. to Canada), unless the weather and sunrise/sunset
> were ideal, of course.
>
> To us, the benefits are clear and multi-fold. When the body is tired, to
> get out of the wind and cold and have a hot meal, is relaxing, medicinal,
> and fun. When the bugs are thick as rain and you have to run to get away
> from them while setting up your tent, to dive in and close the door brings
> peace at the end of the day's battles. When the weather turns damp, drizzly,
> or torrential, it is so comforting to know that you can find total shelter
> and warmth within the simple confines of a well designed and constructed
> tent. For us, this peace and comfort brings sound sleep, knowing that the
> world outside can rage and we'll be just fine, the candle glowing, stove
> cooking, body restoring, and our dreams looking ahead to the glories of
> tomorrow.
>
> Now, first, let me paint the realistic, daily picture of the conditions
> when and why we choose to cook...
>
> ***
>
> To read the rest, go to http://postholer.com/SnowTravel, "Concern 4"
>
>
> Mtnned
> Mountain Education
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