Fuel Resupplying

[Acie]

Hey,

I tried to search for similar topics but didn't have much luck, sorry as I'm sure this has been asked before.

How hard is it to get fuel along the trail? I'm planning on heading south in a 3 person group starting in early June, and well likely be using a Jetboil stove. To simplify things we want to have a minimum of mail drops and resupply as much as we can from towns along the way. Will be be able to encounter stores with matching fuel with enough frequency that resupplying won't be an issue? (I assume we wouldn't need to find a place more than once a month or every half month, so it doesn't have to be that frequent.) And if not, then how has everyone else dealt with this? If there's also a more popular type of fuel available along the trail I'd be open to switching stoves.

Thanks, Mike

[WILLIAM HAYES]

there are outfitters along the trail where u can usually get what u need I use an alcohol stove with a caldera cone and have never found an issue with finding alcohol fuel -a listing of outfitters is in the Appalachian Trail Pages which you can buy from the Appalachain Trail Conservancy

[Blissful]

Should be okay with your schedule and outfitters along the way that supply fuel. But you will need several canisters for a month supply. Hope you all have your own gear

[Acie]

Thanks. Were in the process of getting our gear assembled. I've got my own stuff and I've done a few trips (longest being the JMT in CA), my partners are athletic but haven't done much hiking before. So they still need to round up a few items, mostly clothing and other odds and ends. I'll have to see how they take to things, but I have faith in them and figure we'll probably start a bit slow to get into things.

That is the other thing I need to figure out - how long a can of fuel will last us, since my Jetboil is pretty new and hasn't worn through a can of fuel in the week or so of use I've put into it. I put a month above because I figure that's the maximum amount I'd be up for carrying before I went looking for other options.

[just dad]

I'm hiking from Watauga Lake, TN (just north of Kincora) to Daleville, VA this summer with my two kids. I know that I can buy canister fuel in Damascus, but that is only a few days out. The Thru Hikers' Companion says its available in Troutdale, VA at Jerry's Kitchen & Goods 2 miles off the trail and in Pearisburg, VA at the Rendezvous Motel on the Trail. Are those places reliable? Does anyone else sell canister fuel in the southern half of Virginia?

[Dogwood]

I hiked the AT with no mail drops using a Snow Peak Giga stove that uses canister type fuel(isobutane, butane blend). The same type of fuel jet boil users need. BTW, fuel for a Jet Boil DOES NOT need to say Jet Boil on the outside of the canister for it to run your Jet Boil stove perfectly fine. I was able to find canister fuel whenever I needed it on the AT. ADJUST your usage and needs if you start running low. With a minimal amount of planning, I never ran out.

Start acquainting yourself with how much fuel you use per day. You'll begin to understand when you need to start looking ahead on the trail for a fuel resupply pt. After a while you get pretty accurate determining the number of meals left in your fuel tank. You can also get stickers that you place on the sides of the canisters to show you how much fuel is left in the canister. Maybe it's wise to start out with a large 8 oz or 2 4 oz tanks until you get a better feel for how much fuel you use for YOUR cooking needs. Good thing about the Jet Boil stoves is that they burn fuel and bring water to a boil rather efficiently for these types of stoves. You can also do some other things to increase the fuel efficiency.

If you read the fuel contents of canister fuel tanks you will notice the Jet Boil brand tanks contain a little less fuel than the other brand canister fuel tanks. If you want the canister to last three or so extra meals get the non Jet Boil brand fuel tanks made by MSR, Snow Peak, or even Coleman(isobutane, not propane cylinders), etc They are often less expensive. You don't need a special blend of isobutane for the AT or buy Jet Boil brand fuel. This is for the AT during typical thru-hiker season!

[10-K]

I'm hiking from Watauga Lake, TN (just north of Kincora) to Daleville, VA this summer with my two kids. I know that I can buy canister fuel in Damascus, but that is only a few days out. The Thru Hikers' Companion says its available in Troutdale, VA at Jerry's Kitchen & Goods 2 miles off the trail and in Pearisburg, VA at the Rendezvous Motel on the Trail. Are those places reliable? Does anyone else sell canister fuel in the southern half of Virginia?

I've stayed at the Rendevous a few times and never saw any canister fuel for sale there.

Worse case the Wal Mart in Pearisburg probably has the heavy coleman canisters.

[Father Dragon]

I stayed at the Rendezvous a couple of summers ago. They did have fuel canisters under the counter and alcohol for stoves, which I purchased. This was during peak season though and you may want to call to see if they are still selling fuel.

[Dogwood]

I hestitate to mention it after the lengthy discussion about hiker boxes on another recent thread but SOMETIMES hiker boxes can contain partial fuel canisters that can be used to get you to the next known canister fuel resupply pt.

[Blissful]

I'm hiking from Watauga Lake, TN (just north of Kincora) to Daleville, VA this summer with my two kids. I know that I can buy canister fuel in Damascus, but that is only a few days out. The Thru Hikers' Companion says its available in Troutdale, VA at Jerry's Kitchen & Goods 2 miles off the trail and in Pearisburg, VA at the Rendezvous Motel on the Trail. Are those places reliable? Does anyone else sell canister fuel in the southern half of Virginia?

I'm not sure on the reliability of that. But you can mail it to yourself to either of those POs also, to make sure you have it. Must go surface mail only. Get the stick on it that has a no airline symbol on it.

[Blissful]

I hestitate to mention it after the lengthy discussion about hiker boxes on another recent thread but SOMETIMES hiker boxes can contain partial fuel canisters that can be used to get you to the next known canister fuel resupply pt.

Very unreliable though.