Pack It Gourmet

Just found this sight that has a lot of food for your back country needs. I have not used their products but backpacker magazine gives them a good review. I like that you can buy individual condiment packs from them. So if you are planing a back country trip check them out.

PackitGourmet.com

Backpacking For Trout

A nice article by Don Moyer in the Sun Post.

There's something about being knee-deep in a high alpine meadow stream with towering peaks all around and wildflowers along the creek. The trout are almost always small, but brightly colored and so plentiful that even a klutz like me can catch and release dozens in an afternoon. That evening, I'll fry up a batch of 8 to 9 inch Rainbows, or Brookies mixed in with wild onions and bacon. I doubt if I'll ever eat better than that. Then, after dinner while sitting around the campfire drinking coffee that would be great paint stripper, I fall asleep to the serenade of a pack of coyotes. Yes sir, it's hard to beat a day backpacking for trout.

This graph reminded me of Rocky Top, one of the few long distance hikers that I have seen carrying a fishing rod. He only carried it in the high Sierra section of th Pacific Crest Trail. When people would ask about his fly rod, He would proclaim "Ain't no catch and release, just catch and hot grease!" And smile.

Food Glorious Food

It always tastes better after 20 miles. A nice article in the Oregonian about food backpacking possibilities. You can have just about anything you want on the first day out.

Tucked between extra socks and moleskin, sunscreen and sleeping bag are the real essentials for Tracie McCall's backpacking trip.

Marcona almonds and a hunk of aged gouda cheese. Red wine for dinner, cream for her morning coffee. And a head of lettuce for her nightly salad.

That's right, you can hoof it above the tree line and still have leafy greens for dinner. At least if you follow McCall's plan for packing and eating on a back-country trip.

Via Slashfood

Trail Mix

It used to be Gorp. Good old raisins and peanuts. Some where along the lines chocolate was added and Trail Mix was born. In 1968, the name Trail Mix was used by Harmony Foods and Hadley Fruit Orchards. Both are California companies.

I make several different versions, depending on money and availability. There really is no right or wrong. I like to keep it fairly simple. Three maybe four ingredients.

Poor Man's Trail Mix

1. 1 pound roasted salted peanuts
2. 1 pound raisins
3. 12 oz package of semi sweet chocolate chips.

Candy Man's Trail Mix

1. 1 pound bag Peanut M&M's
2. 1 pound Raisinettes
3. 1 pound Reece's Pieces

Gourmet Trail Mix

1. 12 oz toasted pecans*
2. 12 oz toasted almonds*
3. 1 pound dried cherries
4. 1 pound dark chocolate chips

These are the three I tend to eat when I am hiking. In really hot weather M&M's are better than chocolate chips they do not melt as fast.

*It is easy to roast your own nuts. Heat a clean well seasoned cast iron skillet over medium to medium high heat add nuts. Stir as needed. Do not burn. It brings out the wonderful sugars.

Hiker Food

When people talk to me about my hikes, they usually ask about food. On most of my hikes, I try to carry no more than six days of food. Ideally three or four days of food. I have found certain things that work for me. They may not work for you. Generally, I am a forager. That means, I go into towns and buy whatever is available. If you are picky you may want to mail more of your food. If I know a town is very small or remote, I will mail a food package to myself. I dislike chasing mail packages.

I eat three larger meals and lots of snacks through out the day. Breakfast and lunch are essentially the same. A bagel with salami, cheese and a mayonnaise package if I can find them in town. Of course, the salami may be summer sausage or pepperoni. In hot months cheese can melt, buy the hardest cheese you can find to cut down on melting.

I like the ritual of cooking a dinner. My dinners are usually pretty simple. A Lipton's noodles and sauce with a ramen and tuna package. A Idahoan mashed potatoes with a ramen and tuna package. I always pour good extra virgin olive oil on the meal after it has been cooked. The oil looses a lot of its nutritional value if cooked. I add dried tomatoes, mushrooms, vegetables or whatever I can find in town to bump up the nutritional value. Parmesan cheese is a good thing to sprinkle on for extra flavor. The first day out of town you can have anything you want within reason of course.

Every two hours or so I have a snack. Snickers bar, Gorp(I have many versions), Frito's scoops,
Gummy bears, Sour Patch candy(high in Vitamin C), beef jerky, are some of my favorites. In most towns Clif bars are just too expensive two to three dollars. A snickers bar sixty five cents.

On the Pacific Crest Trail in 04, I hiked with K-too. He saw a nutritionist before his hike. According to his nutritionist, I do not eat food. I know, I eat a lot of junk food, but I make up for it in town by drinking copious amounts of beer.