[pct-l] Cooking Systems

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

I've noticed a number of people boasting that they don't cook so  
their cooking system weighs nothing. I would point out that you can  
enjoy both ends of the spectrum. You could opt to go no-cook for part  
of the time, perhaps during some of the sections where you are  
worried about canister availability or pack space/weight due to bear  
canisters or long waterless stretches. Just put your jet boil or  
whatever in a box and mail it to yourself up ahead. Let the post  
office do some of the work.

Friends of mine on the CDT this summer were no-cook. They managed to  
rehydrate home-dehydrated potatoes, vegetables, various home-cooked  
grains and beans, and home-dehydrated meats like cooked ground beef  
or chicken. It always looked delicious. No store-bought mashed  
potatoes or cous-cous required. In fact, the two of them were not  
only no-cook but they were no sugar, no wheat and no flour from any  
kind of grains and were feeling strong and healthy. Better than they  
had on the PCT.