Our dear friends were recently married in the beautiful mountains of Aspen, CO. We had the privelege of backpacking, hiking and camping during our stay. Yes, we were the only wedding guests to do so. No, we don’t regret even a second of it. To the contrary actually, we wouldn’t dream of spending time in the mountains any other way. Despite the chilly nights, we slept well alongside Maroon Creek and woke early to the breathtaking sun as it peeked over the misty mountains. And despite the daily rains that impeded our attempts at creating hot meals, we ate well-quite well.
Eating on the trail can be an adventure in itself. We’ve found that planning/packing foods high in calories, protein and healthy fats that are lightweight is an essential part of trip preparation. In our opinions, the prepacked spice packs from outdoor adventure stores are not only overpriced, but they lack freshness and variety. This is why we pack our own emergency spice kit. It typically includes any of the following: salt, ground pepper, tumeric, cumin, piquin/cayenne/aleppo pepper,dried parsley/basil/thyme/oregano. Additionally, a small bottle of oil is of great use when preparing just about any meal on the trail.
A few of our favorite foods concocted to last include: homemade granola and nut bars, canned beans/corn/tomatoes (theyre heavy, but worth it for a quick salsa), Fremont’s fermented bean dip,Trevor’s doggy bisquits, peanut butter, tortilla chips and GORP (Good Old Raisins (read “dried fruit”) and Peanuts (read “nuts”)]. This trip, we were fortunate to discover the free bus system of Aspen that allowed us multiple visits to the grocery to enjoy supplements that we would not normally dream of taking on the trail (delicious loaves of bread, fresh berries and bananas, fresh veggies, full fat yogurt, etc).
After returning from Aspen, we promptly purchased a Jetboil camp stove, which stores all components into the 1L reservoir and can boil liquids in rain or shine! With a stove (or access to boiling water), one’s culinary opportunities in the wildnerness are endless. We can now hike up a few hearty (and relatively longevitous) veggies like potatoes, carrots, corn and onions to make stews/soups, hashes, and other heart-warming meals for our weary bones. Also, we can throw dried legumes in our packs: lentils are high in protein as are beans of all kinds! Furthermore, simple grains and hot water allow for an abundance of dishes that meet our carbohydrate needs. An added bonus is, of course, the decreased volume and weight of fresh/dried items as compared to their soaked/canned counterparts. Here’s to fire, heat and hot water!
Other items that one may find useful at a campsite include tin foil, sharp knifes, a can opener, lightweight cookware, handsanitizer, dish soap, reservoirs of varying sizes, etc.
We’ll plan a future post to discuss our favorite foods and beverages during car camping: “Pudgey pies;” Popcorn; Stirfry; Sausage; Stuffed Peppers. (Apparently, we like lots of “S” and “P” words). Ice and insulation are a couples’ 10th best friend when car camping. Dogs, sourdough starters, fire, sunshine, photosynthesis, and many many other things sneak a bit higher on the ranking.
sownandsoured 