Camp Store Food Items and Mail Drop

[Ladyofthewoods]

7 of us are doing the SNP later in June and are wondering exactly what food items we can resupply with at the camp stores, in particular, Lewis Mtn. Campground. We are planning on stopping at Loft Mtn. Campground also. We'll be overnighting at Skyland and know that will be a good one. Apparently, you can't make a reservation at Lewis Mtn Campground so we are just hoping we can walk up and get one of the few left open. Can we count on a meal at a Wayside cafe every day or every other day? Any info is appreciated!

[Red Cinema]

The Lewis Mtn. Camp Store has limited food items, but one can make do. I was just there. Here is a list of things I remember seeing on the several shelves of food and in the one cooler of food items:

Sundry chips
Ramen noodles
one-pack mashed potato (little cups you fill with hot water)
a few canned goods, I think one of them is stew
bread (pretty sure...)
single serving cheese, several types
microwave sandwich/es, for example a breakfast muffin
peanut butter
Ritz crackers
some kind of single-package combo snack thing, crackers/pb? crackers/choc stuff?

I'm sure there were more items. Pretty sure they don't get new items every day, so things could sell out.

I don't _guess_ there will be a problem finding a camping site at Lewis--I was through close to the Memorial Day weekend, and there were plenty spots available at a time one would guess they'd be busy. Yes, Lewis is walk-in.

As for how often you can count on a meal, are you doing the whole SNP? No waysides on the southern end, but depending on how many miles you do a day once you're into the middle section you can definitely score a restaurant meal (and/or wayside store chow) at least once a day. In one 14 mile day I had breakfast at Big Meadows and a slightly early dinner at Skyland. Check out the trail guide of your choice to see the locations. . .and don't forget some close early/have schedule issues.

Enjoy!

[George]

with a group of 7 normal packaging would be fine, but the best item at the campstore/ wayside is single bottle beer

[mattjv89]

Yeah I recall Lewis Mountain as one of the better camp stores in the park. Skyland has better restaurant food than some of the burger stop kind of waysides but almost no resupply aside from packaged sandwiches/salads and bottled drinks, unless I missed something. You can count on a wayside meal pretty frequently. How many days apart depends on your pace of course but I believe I averaged around 20 MPB (Miles Per Burger) throughout the park. +1 to the beer being a great buy where it is sold, some cheaper than soda! 95 cents for a bud light tallboy or $1.95 for a bottle of Pepsi hmmm..:-?

[Ladyofthewoods]

Thanks for the info. Still working on the resupply issues. Some in our group are really concerned about the limited choices.

[Red Cinema]

Thanks for the info. Still working on the resupply issues. Some in our group are really concerned about the limited choices.

The Big Meadows trail store has significantly more selection. Does Lewis do mail drops? :: shrug ::

If anyone in your group dehydrates their own, consider "stretching" these meals with add-ons; during my section there I used half a 4-5 oz. dehydrated meal with one of those single-serving mashed potato cups (cooked in my own pot, not the throwaway cup); the flavor was better than just stuff from the store and the amount was good for a meal.

[Ladyofthewoods]

Great idea, Red Cinema. I do dehydrated meals and really like the mashed potato cups...makes it seem really hearty.

Did you have plenty of water on the trail?

[Red Cinema]

Great idea, Red Cinema. I do dehydrated meals and really like the mashed potato cups...makes it seem really hearty.

Did you have plenty of water on the trail?

I was off trail last week and while the 8 miles from Waynesboro to Calf Mtn were dry as predicted, the 13 miles to the first SNP hut were a little wetter than Guthook shows--and after that water was no problem. Every marginal source in Guthook was running, and every regular source (the full "raindrop" icon) was gushing. After Pinefield Hut, I didn't have to carry more than a liter at a time because I was willing to stop and filter if needed and/or there were picnic stops and waysides with piped water. FWIW,

[Red Cinema]

sorry, below read "Blackrock" in place of "Pinefield"


I was off trail last week and while the 8 miles from Waynesboro to Calf Mtn were dry as predicted, the 13 miles to the first SNP hut were a little wetter than Guthook shows--and after that water was no problem. Every marginal source in Guthook was running, and every regular source (the full "raindrop" icon) was gushing. After Pinefield Hut, I didn't have to carry more than a liter at a time because I was willing to stop and filter if needed and/or there were picnic stops and waysides with piped water. FWIW,