[pct-l] No cook meals

[Melissa Knopper]

I tried going no-cook this summer during a section hike of Oregon (which turned out to be way too short due to snow). I don't know if you could sustain a no-cook plan for an entire thru-hike.

I had the hardest time with dinner, which just seemed like another snack. Sometimes, when you don't cook and have nothing to do, the evenings can seem long. On the other hand, you can keep hiking later into the night -- if your feet allow it.

Here's what I typically ate:

Breakfast: Pop Tart or Lara Bar, espresso Hammer gel for caffeine

Lunch/snacks: Akmak crackers and/or dried banana chips and Justin's PB packets, almonds and Cheezit crackers, Peanut M&M's, dried fruit

Dinner: Organic turkey jerky or beef jerky, Builder's bars (20 g protein) or Clif Shot Rocks (kind of disgusting)

When I did California back in 1993, I met a wonderful character named the Gingerbread Man. He ate Fritos, bean dip and dates (for calcium). That's all he ate, but he was the fastest hiker I have ever seen.

Just a few ideas --

Melissa K. from Denver