[pct-l] Do the math - Packing a Bear Canister

[stillroaming]

Consider the following:
+ 9 days food needed
+ 4500-6000 calories a day
+ 700 cubic inch canister (large):

If you filled the canister up with processed white sugar, you would would 
get 4150 calories per day

If you filled the canister with 1/3 Canola Oil and 2/3 Sugar, you would get 
6163 calories per day.

Obviously, as thru-hikers have experienced in the past, one canister is not 
enough. It's not what you cram into the canister that counts, it's the 
calories that go in it. "A days worth of food" is highly variable and 
dependent on the type of hiking you do.

I want to see someone cram 40,500 calories (4,500 for 9 days) of power bars 
into a bear can. That's 175 power bars @ 230 calories per bar!

In my opinion, Tom has just highlighted why canisters are not practical for 
most thru-hikers. What you'll find people doing is putting part of their 
food in a canister and keep the rest in a plastic bag or stuff sack. Besides 
showing Mr. Ranger your canister and avoiding a ticket, what have you 
achieved?

If you're going to continue to cram canisters down or throats, you'd better 
make it 2 canisters.

Notes:
1 cup of sugar = 770 calories
1 cup of canola oil = 1927 calories

Scott Parks


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