[pct-l] Alcohol at High Altitude.

[Montedodge at aol.com (Montedodge@xxxxxxx)]

 Last year on Rainier I took along a large alcohol stove of Roy Robinson's 
design to Camp Muir. Stove uses a large Cat Food can in place of the smaller cat 
food can normally used and a large Chicken Can in place of large cat food can 
of the normal cat stove. While weighing 3 times more, the advantage is more 
fuel cap. and a larger chamber which heats and vaporizes the alcohol. ( This is 
why it boils a liter in 5 and a half minutes., but a fuel hog as well using 6 
tablespoons in 15 minutes)
    At Camp Muir eight MSR stoves were boiling away melting snow for the next 
days climb to the summit. The guy next to me had his XGK going and a 3 liter 
pot full of snow . I also had a large 3 liter pot of snow. Bottom line is that 
the large cat stove was winning the " Battle of the Boilers" at 10,000ft. ( 
Though I had to refill once, I still won) After that weekend , alcohol stoves 
had a dozen new converts!!
    Alcohol works great high in the mountains and can be made even better by 
adding Nitro Methro of 15 to 20 % to your fuel supply. Nitro Methane uses half 
the oxygen that alcohol to burn and is like adding air to your fuel.