10 ms·

I came across three emaciated, bearded men on the continental divide trail in glacier national park. When I asked one of them where he was from he looked at hi

by Dowwie 10y ago

I came across three emaciated, bearded men on the continental divide trail in glacier national park. When I asked one of them where he was from he looked at his buddies and they all replied excitedly, in unison, "Mexico!". It was at that moment that I came to realize that these men were one day away from completing the entire thru-hike. I vividly recall one of their dinners: Dried ramen noodle, straight from the bag. They slept in their bags exposed, beneath a basic light tarp.

M_Grey 10y ago
Your comment made me think of Bill Bryson's accounts of how people change on the trail in 'A Walk In The Woods'. Good book if anyone is considering a thru-hike, and it's just a fun read anyway.
- dmtroyer 10y ago
  Agreed but don't waste your time with the film
  - stevenhubertron 10y ago
    Seconded. Novel is great movie is Meh. Bryson is such a great author.
  - sk5t 10y ago
    Correct. The movie is beyond atrocious. One particular soundstage set is actually insulting.
  - SwellJoe 10y ago
    I'll be the lone dissenting voice with regard to the film. I liked it. It wasn't nearly as funny as the book; it was barely funny, at all, in fact. But, it still contained some of the gentle charm of the book. At the end of it, I said to my girlfriend, "I guess I just really like movies about hiking, even when they're kinda boring." (I also really liked Wild, and liked that book, too...in that case, I think the film held up better against the book, as the book just wasn't in the same league as A Walk In The Woods, so the film had less to live up to).
    - omegaham 10y ago
      > I guess I just really like movies about hiking, even when they're kinda boring. As someone who is willing to tolerate utter dreck as long as it's In Spaaaaaaace, this made me smile. I think it's just the fact that the setting is so compelling and romantic for me, and I can ignore the flaws and enjoy the little redeeming value that is in there.
    - Declanomous 10y ago
      I watched the film with my parents, mostly because they like Robert Redford. I had no expectations going in to the film, and I have never read the book. My view of the film is pretty similar to yours. Most of the people I know who have problems with the movie are really in to hiking, and really liked the book. A fair number haven't watched the movie. I think if you just watch it without any expectations, it's a solid bit of entertainment about being outdoors. It's not the best movie, but it's a good movie to watch with someone.
      - M_Grey 10y ago
        I think you're right. I read the book first and the movie was disappointing, while the friend with me who hadn't read the book was pleasantly surprised. A fun alternative is the unabridged audiobook, read by the author. Now that is great fun on a long drive!
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morgante 10y ago
> I vividly recall one of their dinners: Dried ramen noodle, straight from the bag. I'm embarrassed to admit how many times I've eaten that on hikes. For my next long hike I'm probably going to ditch my stove completely: it's not so much the weight, but personally the last thing I want to do after a day of hiking is cook.
- wingerlang 10y ago
  Where I live eating ramen noodles dry is extremely common. Mainly as a snack, though.
- nether 10y ago
  On the PCT I ate PopTarts every fucking day. Never again...
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- gydfi 10y ago
  I'm embarrassed to admit how many times I've eaten that while not on a hike. "Sure, I could boil some water. Or I could just sprinkle seasoning on the top and eat it now..."
  - douche 10y ago
    Exactly. Ramen, uncooked, crunched up, with the flavor packet sprinkled over it was a great favorite of some of my friends in college... When there aren't any cool ranch Doritos left, what are you going to do?
  - victorhooi 10y ago
    That's an actual food, you know =): Mamee noodles: http://www.mamee.com.au/ http://www.mamee.com.au/ They're very popular in Australian schools - basically dried ramen noodles with a special seasoning you sprinkle on, and eat them dry. (The product originally started in Melaka/Malacca, in Malaysia which is my father's hometown).
  - 10y ago
BarkMore 10y ago
When you carry your gear for a thousands of miles, you reevaluate what you really need. A stove is not needed because food can be consumed raw. A full tent is not needed because a basic tarp and careful site selection are enough to keep a person dry while sleeping. Toilet paper is not needed because smooth rocks, leaves and other material found on the trail can be used to wipe.
- mrfusion 10y ago
  Wouldnt you need a tent for mosquitos spiders and Scorpions?
  - kingbirdy 10y ago
    Depends where you are and the season - bugs are less of a concern in the winter, and harmful spiders/scorpions aren't present everywhere. Plus, a can of insect repellent is still much lighter than a tent
  - BarkMore 10y ago
    Most people will want some sort of netting when there's moderate to heavy pressure from biting insects. I carry a three ounce mosquito net in these situations. A full tent is not required. Insect repellent and site selection (don't sleep next to lake) handle low bug pressure situations. I don't worry about other critters where I hike in the PNW.
    - wapz 10y ago
      How light do you get your pack (minus the starting liquids).
      - BarkMore 10y ago
        Some people get down to six pounds. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHmtdtctzzc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHmtdtctzzc and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LggWPhMv-H4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LggWPhMv-H4.
jon_richards 10y ago
The best foods for backpacking are actually peanut butter, salami (depending on the brand), cheese, and nutella. They all have roughly the same calorie density at about 70% fat. Toblerone actually comes surprisingly close (even compared to other chocolates/candies). Raman noodles or tortillas or something like that are generally used as a carrier for those foods to keep you sane, but they aren't very good from a weight to calories standpoint. M&Ms are also common, as they are easy to eat and keep well. Some people actually just drink cooking oil, but it's rarely worth the tiny bit of extra weight efficiency.
- ceocoder 10y ago
  > Some people actually just drink cooking oil, but it's rarely worth the tiny bit of extra weight efficiency. Is this really a thing? I've read quite a bit about thruhikers and have never encountered this. If you have any more details, mind sharing?
  - GavinMcG 10y ago
    I've encountered it once. He preferred to mix it into foods whenever it made sense to do so, though.
    - mauvehaus 10y ago
      The 2010 AT thru-hiker with the trailname "Butter" was so named because she was eating a stick of butter with a spoon somewhere down south.
  - miguelrochefort 10y ago
    Just make sure it's not vegetable oil (safflower, grapeseed, soybean, sunflower, corn, etc). It's full of Omega-6, which is very inflammatory.
  - hprotagonist 10y ago
    it's more common in extreme environments where your caloric expenditure is very high. antarctic sled teams do this sometimes, because you're burning about 7,000 calories a day just staying warm.
almog 10y ago
The first time I wasn't cooking food on the trail was just a yew months ago, on my 22 days hike in Nepal (Jiri-Namche-EBC and the three passes). People who hike in these areas rarely camp but rather dine in the (very comfortable) tea houses. The food was tasty, filling and cheap, but by 2nd week I started to feel that I miss my evening camping routine of cooking my pre-made meal under a tarp. I love hiking and but I also love cooking. Few years ago, while starting to shift into lighter base camp, I discovered how easy it is to make your own dehydrated meal. Nowadays when I hike, and especially on long multiple day hikes, I prepare myself a diverse food menu (i.e. Hummus, Pad Thai, vegetarian bolognese, curry, lentils with rice and the list goes on). I find that it keeps me motivated on the trail and full of anticipation for dinner rather than just eating to fight the trail hunger. Moreover, the entire (long) process of cooking before heading out to the trail is for me a ceremony that fills me with anticipation.

by Dowwie 10y ago

M_Grey 10y ago

Your comment made me think of Bill Bryson's accounts of how people change on the trail in 'A Walk In The Woods'. Good book if anyone is considering a thru-hike, and it's just a fun read anyway.

dmtroyer 10y ago
Agreed but don't waste your time with the film
- stevenhubertron 10y ago
  Seconded. Novel is great movie is Meh. Bryson is such a great author.
- sk5t 10y ago
  Correct. The movie is beyond atrocious. One particular soundstage set is actually insulting.
- SwellJoe 10y ago
  I'll be the lone dissenting voice with regard to the film. I liked it. It wasn't nearly as funny as the book; it was barely funny, at all, in fact. But, it still contained some of the gentle charm of the book. At the end of it, I said to my girlfriend, "I guess I just really like movies about hiking, even when they're kinda boring." (I also really liked Wild, and liked that book, too...in that case, I think the film held up better against the book, as the book just wasn't in the same league as A Walk In The Woods, so the film had less to live up to).
  - omegaham 10y ago
    > I guess I just really like movies about hiking, even when they're kinda boring. As someone who is willing to tolerate utter dreck as long as it's In Spaaaaaaace, this made me smile. I think it's just the fact that the setting is so compelling and romantic for me, and I can ignore the flaws and enjoy the little redeeming value that is in there.
  - Declanomous 10y ago
    I watched the film with my parents, mostly because they like Robert Redford. I had no expectations going in to the film, and I have never read the book. My view of the film is pretty similar to yours. Most of the people I know who have problems with the movie are really in to hiking, and really liked the book. A fair number haven't watched the movie. I think if you just watch it without any expectations, it's a solid bit of entertainment about being outdoors. It's not the best movie, but it's a good movie to watch with someone.
    - M_Grey 10y ago
      I think you're right. I read the book first and the movie was disappointing, while the friend with me who hadn't read the book was pleasantly surprised. A fun alternative is the unabridged audiobook, read by the author. Now that is great fun on a long drive!
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morgante 10y ago

> I vividly recall one of their dinners: Dried ramen noodle, straight from the bag. I'm embarrassed to admit how many times I've eaten that on hikes. For my next long hike I'm probably going to ditch my stove completely: it's not so much the weight, but personally the last thing I want to do after a day of hiking is cook.

wingerlang 10y ago
Where I live eating ramen noodles dry is extremely common. Mainly as a snack, though.
nether 10y ago
On the PCT I ate PopTarts every fucking day. Never again...
deleted 10y ago
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gydfi 10y ago
I'm embarrassed to admit how many times I've eaten that while not on a hike. "Sure, I could boil some water. Or I could just sprinkle seasoning on the top and eat it now..."
- douche 10y ago
  Exactly. Ramen, uncooked, crunched up, with the flavor packet sprinkled over it was a great favorite of some of my friends in college... When there aren't any cool ranch Doritos left, what are you going to do?
- victorhooi 10y ago
  That's an actual food, you know =): Mamee noodles: http://www.mamee.com.au/ http://www.mamee.com.au/ They're very popular in Australian schools - basically dried ramen noodles with a special seasoning you sprinkle on, and eat them dry. (The product originally started in Melaka/Malacca, in Malaysia which is my father's hometown).
- 10y ago

BarkMore 10y ago

When you carry your gear for a thousands of miles, you reevaluate what you really need. A stove is not needed because food can be consumed raw. A full tent is not needed because a basic tarp and careful site selection are enough to keep a person dry while sleeping. Toilet paper is not needed because smooth rocks, leaves and other material found on the trail can be used to wipe.

mrfusion 10y ago
Wouldnt you need a tent for mosquitos spiders and Scorpions?
- kingbirdy 10y ago
  Depends where you are and the season - bugs are less of a concern in the winter, and harmful spiders/scorpions aren't present everywhere. Plus, a can of insect repellent is still much lighter than a tent
- BarkMore 10y ago
  Most people will want some sort of netting when there's moderate to heavy pressure from biting insects. I carry a three ounce mosquito net in these situations. A full tent is not required. Insect repellent and site selection (don't sleep next to lake) handle low bug pressure situations. I don't worry about other critters where I hike in the PNW.
  - wapz 10y ago
    How light do you get your pack (minus the starting liquids).
    - BarkMore 10y ago
      Some people get down to six pounds. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHmtdtctzzc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHmtdtctzzc and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LggWPhMv-H4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LggWPhMv-H4.

jon_richards 10y ago

The best foods for backpacking are actually peanut butter, salami (depending on the brand), cheese, and nutella. They all have roughly the same calorie density at about 70% fat. Toblerone actually comes surprisingly close (even compared to other chocolates/candies). Raman noodles or tortillas or something like that are generally used as a carrier for those foods to keep you sane, but they aren't very good from a weight to calories standpoint. M&Ms are also common, as they are easy to eat and keep well. Some people actually just drink cooking oil, but it's rarely worth the tiny bit of extra weight efficiency.

ceocoder 10y ago
> Some people actually just drink cooking oil, but it's rarely worth the tiny bit of extra weight efficiency. Is this really a thing? I've read quite a bit about thruhikers and have never encountered this. If you have any more details, mind sharing?
- GavinMcG 10y ago
  I've encountered it once. He preferred to mix it into foods whenever it made sense to do so, though.
  - mauvehaus 10y ago
    The 2010 AT thru-hiker with the trailname "Butter" was so named because she was eating a stick of butter with a spoon somewhere down south.
- miguelrochefort 10y ago
  Just make sure it's not vegetable oil (safflower, grapeseed, soybean, sunflower, corn, etc). It's full of Omega-6, which is very inflammatory.
- hprotagonist 10y ago
  it's more common in extreme environments where your caloric expenditure is very high. antarctic sled teams do this sometimes, because you're burning about 7,000 calories a day just staying warm.

almog 10y ago

The first time I wasn't cooking food on the trail was just a yew months ago, on my 22 days hike in Nepal (Jiri-Namche-EBC and the three passes). People who hike in these areas rarely camp but rather dine in the (very comfortable) tea houses. The food was tasty, filling and cheap, but by 2nd week I started to feel that I miss my evening camping routine of cooking my pre-made meal under a tarp. I love hiking and but I also love cooking. Few years ago, while starting to shift into lighter base camp, I discovered how easy it is to make your own dehydrated meal. Nowadays when I hike, and especially on long multiple day hikes, I prepare myself a diverse food menu (i.e. Hummus, Pad Thai, vegetarian bolognese, curry, lentils with rice and the list goes on). I find that it keeps me motivated on the trail and full of anticipation for dinner rather than just eating to fight the trail hunger. Moreover, the entire (long) process of cooking before heading out to the trail is for me a ceremony that fills me with anticipation.