[pct-l] Wood stoves
Tamsin McMahon
tamsinrm at yahoo.com
Mon Jan 26 13:41:39 CST 2009
On that note, my friend and I have been discussing our stove options. We're thinking of bringing a fuel cannister stove as our main stove and an alcohol stove as backup. Neither of us has used an alcohol stove and being from the northeast (eastern Canada, actually) we don't do a lot of hiking in very arid desert-like environments as we'll find in SoCal. I'd rather not be one of those folks who starts a fire trying to make dinner.
We're splitting a lot of stuff to save weight, so we can probably split two stoves and fuel.
That being said, are there specific points where we will definitely have to mail ourselves fuel cannisters, or switch to the alcohol stove? I'm guessing it might be difficult to get a fuel resully through the Sierra mountains and probably points north.
Has anyone used fuel cannisters exclusively on a PCT thru-hike? Where are the places where a fuel mail drop is essential? Where are the points where we'd be better off just using the alcohol stove to save the hassle of getting off the trail to pick up a mail drop/buy fuel cannisters? I'm hoping we can just use the stove to boil water, rather than simmer a nice pot of stew or something, despite the fact that you can do this with a fuel stove.
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Ken Powers <ken at gottawalk.com>
To: pct-l <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 1:47:47 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Wood stoves
I want to add one more thing to for all stove users to think about. The
climate in the west quite dry. The Forest Service and BLM regularly declare
areas of high fire risk. In these high fire risk areas only stoves with a
shut-ff valve are allowed to be used. Cooking over open campfires, stick
stoves (like the Sierra Stove), and alcohol stoves (Pepsi can, cat can, etc)
is not allowed.
This is supposed to be a dry winter and spring for the PCT. This follows
disastrous fires along the PCT in the last several years. Please, use your
stoves responsibly.
Ken
----- Original Message -----
From: <enyapjr at comcast.net>
To: "pct-l" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 10:16 AM
Subject: [pct-l] Wood stoves
Okay, I can't stay out of this string regarding wood stoves without saying
something regarding the rules/regs...
First - a reminder - please remember you need a CA Campfire Permit; the PCT
Thru-Permit is NOT a campfire permit...
Secondly, it is your responsibility to know the rules, regulations, and
current restrictions for wherever you are on the PCT...
The use of wood stoves is 'illegal' in certain areas no matter what time of
year...
An example that should be obvious is at high altitude in the
subalpine/alpine zones - the fragile 'soil' needs
all those 'twigs' for the replenishment of the already low quantity of
nutrients in the soil...
Burning 'twigs' does NOT return 100% of the original nutrients to the
soil...
The PCT does stay 'high' for very long stretches and the subalpine zone
drops in elevation as one goes North...
I'm NOT saying don't use a wood stove, but rather use it only in appropriate
areas (elevations)...
The government agencies DO consider "tiny sticks" as "firewood", and a stick
stove as a 'campfire', also...
Yosemite has a limit of 9,600' for campfires: see
<http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildregs.htm>...
Please note the FAQ at the very bottom of the page:
> Can I use a Sierra stove above 9,600 feet?
> No, you may not use a Sierra stove (stick stove) above 9,600 feet
in elevation. The small
> twigs used to fuel Sierra stoves are just as valuable a part of the
> ecosystem as is the larger
> wood used in
traditional campfires. Regrowth at higher elevations is extremely slow
and the
> soil is low in nutrients. Removing this wood from the system
further slows growth.
Seki has different elevation restrictions in different regions of the parks
and has added many specific areas below
those 'standard' elevations of each region banning "campfires" (which would
include using wood stoves):
see <http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/kernfire.htm>;
also
<http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/upload/2008FoxtailBulletin.pdf>...
Inyo NF: see
<http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/recreation/wild/sitespecific.shtml>...
So what is "just twigs" to some folks is very similar to "just TP" to
others...
Do what's 'right' in ALL of your actions even if it takes a little extra
effort - if not for yourself and fellow hikers, then for the future
generations...
Happy trails!!!
Jim / PITA
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