Food
My Kingdom for a salami!
The first few days on the trail are a bit of a shock to most people. You work strenuously for long periods at very high altitude. As our bodies adapt to these new demands, many hikers initially experience a loss of appetite. My appetite begins to return about the third or fourth day. My digestion and sleep cycle gets to be more stable about then too. After the fifth day on the JMT, I realized that I had quite a bit of food left! Craig, on the other hand, had just the right amount left. Carrying all this "extra" food was annoying!
Determined not to make the same mistake, I did some serious sorting at the Vermilion Valley re-supply. Out went the extra trail bars, and spare dinner! Energy drink powder? I didn't need it! Two salamis? Heck, I could do with half a salami! Oh, how I came to regret that last decision! Shortly after leaving VVR, my appetite became ravenous! I longed for protein! I started thinking and talking about food much more than usual. I constantly checked the clock for the next meal time! Toward the end of the second week, I would have paid serious money for the salami that I so casually discarded a few days before.
Finally we got to Independence and picked up our final resupply. This time, like Goldilocks, I got the food mixture just about right. I suppose it didn't hurt that we got a few good meals at the local café either.
There are lots of ways to handle your food needs, but experienced thru-hikers have learned a bit about this subject, so let's take a few hints from them. Some things to consider when planning food for the JMT:
- Eat enough calories, and balance carbs, fats and proteins.
- Test your food and recipe choices before you go.
- Plan for enough variety to keep it interesting.
- Realize that your appetite and needs will change as you hike!
Calories and Balance:
Food is a hiker's fuel, so we need to get it right. On a weekend or a short hike, just about anything works—basically take whatever you like. On a long hike, food intake is much more important. You have to take in enough calories to fuel your body, and you need the right balance of foods as well. Many hikers experience some weight loss during a long hike, and while this might seem like a good thing, if taken too far, loss of stamina and energy will result. On long hikes like the PCT or the AT, food miscalculations cause some hikers to stop short of their goal. The shorter JMT is a little more forgiving. Even if you don't get it quite right, you'll still probably be able to finish your 2-4 week hike. Still, you'll enjoy your hike more and feel better if you pay close attention to your food.
A general rule of thumb is that you'll need about 2 lbs/day. Experienced hikers warn against skimping on food to reduce pack-weight. Save weight in other places, but not in your food supply! Generally, freeze-dried meals aren't recommended: they're expensive, and other food sources just seem to work better. Try out all your meals at home, preferably making and eating them with the same stove/equipment you'll be using on the trail. Generally avoid meals that are complicated to prepare; after a long day, you really won't feel like it. Most thru-hikers prepare food for one person—themselves. A community kitchen that's fun on a short camping trip doesn't work well on a long hike. It's too much trouble, hygiene can be a problem, and you really can't be sure that everyone who starts the trip will finish it. So unless you're part of a couple (and maybe even then), just be responsible for your own food and cooking.
What the Dr. says...
Food is a very personal item, so people will make different choices. The important thing is that you get enough calories and the right nutritional mix. One of the best articles I've seen on food for hikers was done by Dr. Brenda L. Braaten. She used to have it on her own web-site, but that is no longer up. Fortunately, you can still find this information on AYCE's Thru-hiker site.
Our Menu:
There are lots of sites about camp foods and cooking, so I won't really get into specific recipes. Personally, I opted mostly for dried beans, lentils, split-pea and rice as a dinner base, and mixed in some spices for flavor. I also usually added some sliced dry salami, or foil packed tuna or chicken. Craig is a fan of Tabasco sauce and put some into almost every dinner. My breakfasts were mostly granola, and muesli from the supermarket bulk bins. I pre-mixed single serving portions with raisins, or dried blueberries, and a mixture of powdered milk, and creamer. I added water to this and ate my breakfasts cold. Craig had a little more variety and sometimes cooked his breakfasts. Trail snacks for me were mostly dried apricots, almonds, cashews, raisins, a gorp mix with additional M&Ms, Snickers bars, and jerky. Lunch varied, but was often a flour tortilla with peanut-butter and honey. I carried some tang as an occasional treat drink, and also tea, but drank mostly plain water. Craig carried some energy mixes for his water, but mostly drank this at meal-times.
Food links:
Check out these sites for food ideas:
Ideas for a non-vegetarian hiker.
Several food articles on the Backpacker site. Use their search function.
Prepared trail foods for sale.
Remember, you have lots of food options. You can get almost everything you need from your local grocery store. You might supplement this with some prepared trail meals, or even a few freeze-dried ones. You won't have too many opportunities to get "town" food along the JMT, but you can at Vermilion Valley Resort, and Red's Meadow. Also, you might go out to town to resupply at least once.
Our Food Plan