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nicksmith75
07-09-2012, 22:25
Last year I did a section hike from Springer to Neel's Gap. For food I went to an Army Surplus store and purchased MRE's. I am a veteran, but somehow forgot how much I hated those things...

At any rate, I fell in love with the trail, and am heading back in a couple of months. Certainly have planned to make some adjustments from the things I learned last year. First, I have bought a stove so that I could have some hot meals. I have tried Mountain House...and they seem to have a pretty good offering. I have read about Wise but haven't tried any of those. Does anyone have any suggestions? My itinerary is for 6 days or so.

I have read some conflicting reports about the "proper" cleaning of cookware on the trail...What is your experience? I guess, I don't want to upset anyone, so can it/should it be done at shelter sites (responsibly) or is it better to do at a water source down trail away from shelter sites?

Thanks in advance.

-Nick

Spokes
07-09-2012, 22:50
Check out the "Cooking and Food" section. Lots of ideas you can sift through.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?32-Cooking-and-Food

jakedatc
07-09-2012, 22:54
As for cleaning at most shelter sites there is a wash area, there is usually a screen to catch any extra food. wash your stuff there and screen the water so you can put any food in your trash.

nicksmith75
07-09-2012, 22:55
perfect...thanks ;)

FarmerChef
07-10-2012, 16:11
Spokes is pot on about the Cooking and Food section - you should definitely search that a bit for some tips and ideas. Lots of threads about good trail eats there. You can buy premade meals, go the Lipton sides and similar route, dehydrate your own food or buy dehydrated ingredients to make your own meals on the trail.

As for proper cleaning of your pot. I haven't seen the screens of which Jake speaks at the AT shelters on the trail but it doesn't mean they aren't there. Perhaps I'm missing something? One tip here is to avoid getting stuff burnt onto your pot. That takes some practice and is good to try at home. If you do get t burnt on, dip your bandana or sponge or whatever in some ash from the fire or sand (better) if it's available. With some scrubbing it will take that stuff off. Then sump your washwater in a cathole. Please do not dump it into the stream or down the privvy. Same goes for your wash water from your bowl/cup. If you want to take it to another level, you can skip the soap and drink your washwater for the extra calories. I do this as do some others but it's not for everyone. Remember that bears, raccoons and other varmint like the smell of your tasty freeze-dried pot roast leftovers. So sump far enough away from the shelter/your tent that you would feel comfortable if one of those critters came by to check out your sweet-smelling leftovers.

As for what constitutes "sanitary" I think you'll find that your tolerance for this tends to go way up the longer you are on the trail. But for the most part, you can lick or scrape your bowl/mug + rinse to make it sanitary "enough." At least, I've never gotten sick because I didn't use enough Dawn on my spork :D

peakbagger
07-10-2012, 16:43
The entirely acceptable but not policially correct method of clean up is to lick your bowl, if you want to be more correct carrying a flexible spatula head for scraping every off works well. Once the bowl is licked or scraped, then I usually rinse it out with clean water, then pour the water in a cup and add some drink powder. Alternatively if you are coffee drinker or its cold out make a hot drink by heating some water in the pot and swishing it around. I only do boil type meals that dont tend to stick and scorch, if you need an abrasive pad to clean the pot, you really need to figure out another type of meal. Unless you have a lot of fat in the meal, you normally dont need soap or if you do a very minimal amount.

One thing I learned working with boy scouts is that soap is a two edged sword, most tend to use too much and dont rinse well enough and that tends to cause worse intestinal issues than not using it. If you do use soap, use 1/4 of what you think you need and make sure to dispose of it in wash pit or disperse it away from the shelter.

Back in high school in the mid seventies I met my first thru hiker with his dog at the Maine border. He had pared his gear down to the basics. His cooking gear for him and dog was a small pot, big bowl and spoon. He would heat water with the pot , then mixed up and ate his meal in the bowl, then he filled the bowl with dog food and the dog licked it clean. I think he just licked his spoon. That was the sum total of his cleanup routine.

nicksmith75
07-10-2012, 17:30
Thanks for the responses. Very informative.

My chief concern with the sanitation issue is that I don't want to "ignorantly" leave traces or smells that would attract animals--and thus endanger/hinder myself or others.

However, the ideas about using the scraps or residue as a drink are pretty insightful. Thanks!

10-K
07-10-2012, 17:32
Don't worry about the smell thing - you're dragging your smelly hiker-self and a big ol' pack full of stink right on down the trail... what's a dirty dish or 2 gonna do??

:)

rocketsocks
07-10-2012, 17:47
Me thinks some take this s*** way to serious.

Pedaling Fool
07-10-2012, 17:47
I hardly have any food leftover so I just wash and toss away from the shelters/campsites and water sources; that little bit of food debris won't attract anything. Now if every one did this in one spot, then yes it would attract animals, but doing it in the leaf litter won't attract anything. If I do have food left over, I bury in the ground, same as a cat hole, absolutely no need to pack out unused food waste.

verasch
07-10-2012, 18:24
Me thinks some take this s*** way to serious.

Theres always taking 3 stainless steel bowls and a plastic gal. jug of sanitizer so you can wash, sanitize, and rinse.

Or you can just try freezerbag cooking and storing yer trash in an opsack.

fredmugs
07-10-2012, 22:57
As for cleaning at most shelter sites there is a wash area, there is usually a screen to catch any extra food. wash your stuff there and screen the water so you can put any food in your trash.

Really? I can think of one.

jakedatc
07-10-2012, 23:13
Really? I can think of one.

Riga shelter in CT, Imp shelter in NH, Sharon mtn campsite, CT, 13 Falls campsite, NH (non AT)


so maybe i should have removed *most* and said most that i've stayed at :P i figured it was more common but apparently not. i'm guessing they at least have a sump area but i could be wrong there too.

Josh Calhoun
07-13-2012, 10:10
dont forget about mac and cheese, instant mashed taters. trail mix. peanut butter and things like that. this is what i live on out there. and if you can find a good stream i love catching trout and crawfish and cooking them up. hhhmmmmm