What you see here are the remnants of an extreme combination. Open a package of Backpacker’s Pantry cheese cake, prepare, add teenager — stand back!
On all my overnight backcountry trips I use a combination of NOLS style cookery (bulk items) and freeze-dried (FD) meals. I’ve always liked FD because it makes meal planning so easy. Make a few at home to figure out how many people one dinner feeds, then throw in as many dinners as needed. Add breakfast items and snacks till total weight is up to 1.5 lbs per person per day, and you’re good for up to about 10 days if you’re eating fish (after that you may need a bit more food, at about 2 lbs per person per day).
Early days FD frequently tasted bad, and was hard to digest. Backpacker’s Pantry foods are the opposite. Concocted by a certified gourmet chef, each item is seasoned to perfection — all have unique textures and tastes so you don’t feel like you’re eating the same thing every evening. More, these are nutritious foods and we never had any problems with digestion. Check ’em out!
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.