[pct-l] Stove fuel

[TOM AND JOANNE BALCOM]

On my 2003 hike, I used my alcohol stove all the way to Canada.  Elevation had nothing to do with the way it operated.  Quite often I would be eating my meal while others were still trying to light their conventional stoves.  I never had any trouble buying denatured alcohol.  One time, I did have to use Heet--the yellow one.  You can buy denatured alcohol in any hardware or paint store and quite often find it in hiker boxes.  I carried my alcohol in a 20-ounce Pepsi bottle marked "denatured alcohol."  To date, I have hiked over 3200 miles and have used my stove every night on the trail, and I think it is just getting broke in.

Stretch
(Tom Balcom, Junction City, Oregon)
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Nathan Miller<mailto:erccmacfitheal at yahoo.com> 
  To: pct-l at backcountry.net<mailto:pct-l at backcountry.net> 
  Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 1:20 PM
  Subject: [pct-l] Stove fuel


  I've pretty much decided on an alcohol stove for
  backpacking.  There's virtually nothing to break
  or become clogged.  There's a saying:  "The more
  you overwork the plumbing, the easier it is to
  stop up the drain."  Alcohol stoves certainly
  seem to be the very antithesis of this.  I do
  have a question or two about them:

  -I've read that alcohol doesn't burn well above
  7000 ft.  How many of you have found this to be a
  severe disadvantage as opposed to a mere
  inconvenience or annoyance?

  -I've read that denatured alcohol can be
  difficult to find in some places.  I'm also aware
  that mailing it might be a bit twitchy.  What
  other fuels can one burn in an alcohol stove?  I
  imagine anything liquid would work (at least in
  theory, although I really wouldn't want to try
  gasoline!).

  -The PCT guide books mention in the introductions
  to at least one section that fires are restricted
  or prohibited.  Does this include stoves and
  specifically alcohol stoves?

  -How much does alcohol weigh (about the same as
  water?)?  What kind of container does one use to
  carry and/or mail it?

  Nathan Miller
  Newberg, OR



   
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