[pct-l] Going cold

[Paul Magnanti]

Going cold can be easy. Many of the traditional backpacker foods (couc cous, 
rehydrated beans, mashed potatoes, oat meal, instant hummus and so on) 


can be eaten easily cold just by adding water.
 
For myself, I only do one cold meal a day for my long hikes. Switching to no 
cook meals for all my meals was pretty painless.

There is a small weight savings (for me) since I do ‘just-add-water’ type meals 
for breakfast and dinner.
 
More importantly since I am a minimalist first and a lightweight BPer second, is 
that the “no stove” method makes the futz factor little-to-none.

No worries about fuel in town. I don’t have to worry about fire bans. No cooking 
outside my silnylon shelter in inclement weather.
 
This method is not for everyone and all situations. But, that’s why there is *** 
NO *** such thing as the  best gear.  


 
I have several stoves ranging from my homemade alcohol stove, to white gas 
stoves, to  a modern canister stove and even  a 


mini-propane stove or a Coleman two burner stove depending on what I do.  And, 
yes, sometimes no stove at all.
 
Gear is the least important part of backpacking anyway. No matter stove you use, 
the High Sierra will still be awesome. Goat Rocks will be memorable. 


And those desert cactus blooms will be gorgeous.
 
 ----------------------------
Paul "Mags" Magnanti
http://www.pmags.com
http://www.twitter.com/pmagsco
http://www.facebook.com/pmags
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The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust 
caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched
--Thoreau