This should be my last pre-trip post so if you have questions, please leave me a comment! Also, we have been on evacuation alert because of a wildfire until yesterday so I’m hoping everything runs smoothly from now on! The smoke from the US wildfires is still thick at times (we are too far south to be impacted by the BC fires west of us) but seems to get better as well. I really wouldn’t want to hike these amazing areas along the GDT and not have any views at all (and having to hike with a mask). Fingers crossed!
This is what Winthrop looked like yesterday (Photo by Byron):
After my gear choices, questions about food are probably the most common. What fuels us, how do you keep it light, where do you get more food? I hope to answer your questions below.
On trail, I eat very plainly and without that much variety. I don’t really cook at home either (yeah I know …) but of course there are more options with fresh foods readily available. But a few select options work for me on trail; most important on any long hike is that you bring foods you can still stomach and eat happily after a while of hiking. I have seen people plan elaborate meals, spend weeks dehydrating them, or packing fancy protein smoothies or backpacker meals – and then those end up in a hiker box quickly because the hikers’ bodies have other plans.
Breakfast
My typical breakfast is one pack of instant coffee mixed with Carnation Breakfast Drink Vanilla or Vega Vanilla powder. The Carnation powder seems to be discontinued in Canada which is a shame. Despite not being strictly vegan, it has served me very well. For this trip, I am bringing the Vega powder which doesn’t taste as good but is nutritious.
Those two get shaken up in one of my luxury items (see gear post), the small Nalgene bottle. Trust me, trying to get this stuff to dissolve in my small pot with a spoon is not worth the hassle (plus then you have to clean the pot, and wait to pack it up – the Nalgene goes into my outside pocket and can be rinsed during the day). So shaking it while hot works well, and on cold mornings I often put that small hot bottle under my shirt while I start packing up. This breakfast gives me some caffeine, vitamins & minerals, and about 150 calories … enough to start the day. At home I don’t eat breakfast until 11am so I’m used to exercising on even an empty stomach.
While I am at “advanced coffee geek” level at home, I don’t really mind the instant coffee on trail. It’s almost weightless and so quick to make. I would not want to deal with packing out coffee grounds or bringing additional tools!
Snacks
Throughout the day I snack when I feel hungry or when the conditions allow. Mainly that means granola bars (Nature Valley, Lära bar etc), peanut butter, maybe some gels. I recently saw the new Nutella Peanut and of course had to grab a small jar to try out! 110 calories per tbsp, that’s really good!
Peanut butter is a staple and I always have it with me. In the US you can get it in squeeze pouches which is even better than a jar! I almost got the trail name “Skippy” on the PCT since I always had Skippy peanut butter in my front pocket 🙂 (it’s my preferred PB).
So snacking when needed gets me through the day until dinner, and since I do not take long breaks during the day either, I don’t really need a dedicated lunch. My snacks are accessible throughout the day without stopping (in my fanny pack) so I’m usually moving all day.
Dinner
I keep it simple here: Knorr Sidekicks, Ramen, and maybe (when packed out from town) wraps with spinach and PB. Those foods are cheaper and less salty than the dehydrated backpacker meals, plus not as spicy (who thought making backpacking meals super spicy was a good idea!).
The Knorr sides are also handy because after boiling the water in my pot, I pour it into the pouch and then set the whole pouch into the (empty) pot … fits perfectly, stays upright while soaking and is much easier to eat than from the soft pouch without support. And the pot stays clean! Ramen packages often get peanut butter added or anything else that might be left from a town resupply (spinach, vegan cheese, chips, etc.). I use just a tiny bit of the seasoning to not overload on sodium.
Dog Food
I used to order freeze dried kibbles to feed the dog on adventures. But looking further into the calorie requirements and different options for kibbles, I realized that dry sports performance and sled dog foods are even lighter for the calories she will need. I did a lot of calculations, and a high calorie sled dog meal gives her what she needs at a lower weight. She has never had any stomach issues and is not a picky eater; on the practice hike this strategy worked fine.
Most of the kibbles are portioned out in odor-proof baggies (they go into bear lockers or the Ursack at night). The Inukshuk food is already in a pouch so I left it as is (and I also ran out of the baggies). When in town, Ksanka will get extra wet food and treats. On trail, she gets fed twice a day with kibbles. We have 7 and 8 days stretches of trail without access to more food so not all the dog food will fit in her backpack. But it also will not add too much weight to my pack, and of course gets lighter each day.
Resupply
For the GDT sections that we will be hiking, we have two resupply points: Coleman and Elk Pass trailhead. I will leave a resupply box with a friend in Coleman while driving through on the way to Waterton. Then, 5 days after starting at the border, I should arrive there for a rest day in Coleman/Blairmore. There is a supermarket but it’s just easier to have these specific items boxed up and ready to go. That includes the dog food, which I wouldn’t be able to find in just any store.
For the Elk Pass trailhead resupply, GDT hikers pay a service who takes our boxes from Calgary to the trailhead, puts them in a locker box and emails the code for the box (you have to mail your box to Calgary or drop it off). Twice a month the food boxes get dropped off there, and will be waiting for hikers when they reach the trailhead. I’m hoping to take a rest day after picking up my box but currently there are some restrictions for tent camping in the area due to bear activity … let’s hope this gets resolved before we get there.
And here is a little trick for the end: If I do need a bit more “pep”, I can add small packets of salt or pepper (from fast food joints) and/or little capsules of taco seasoning. Those capsules can be bought empty, filled with spice and then just thrown into your ramen dinner (they dissolve). Beats having to carry the spices in a ziplock and trying to portion them out with a spoon 🙂
Happy Trails!