[pct-l] How much fuel to pack?

[jeffreyn at sonic.net (Jeffrey Zimmerman)]

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 19:23:12 -0800, Singewald <singewald@earthlink.net>  
wrote:

> ... I have recently made the switch to the alcohol coke can stove and I  
> am
> trying to get a feeling for how much fuel to pack (ounces/day?).  ... My  
> JMT
> plan for this summer calls for three re-supplies (TM, Red's Meadows,  
> Muir TR).  I am looking at 7 days between Muir TR and Whitney Portal. ...

Jeff,

I wonder why so many stops.  Your stove and fuel should be light enough  
you can
reduce that list to one, whether it be Red's, VVR or Muir.  What I hear is  
that
an ounce a meal works for most people with the soda can stoves.  Last year  
I was
using one Esbit tab morning (boil 2 cups water) and one in the evening  
(same),
allowing me to have a hot morning meal and a hot evening meal, each with a  
warm
drink included.  YMMV.  Two weeks of two ounces a day is less than a quart  
total,
or about a pint each leg.

Still, I would plan extra.  I learned that the only way to deal with  
adverse
circumstances is to bear it.  If the weather turns bad, you'll hunker down  
and do
zero miles, all while consuming a day's rations (and two ounces of fuel).   
Don't
cut it too close.  Don't assume every day will be 20 miles.


-- 
Jeffrey Neil Zimmerman
Sonoma County, The Left Coast