[pct-l] fuel cannisters

[kdpo at gottawalk.com (Ken Powers)]

On cold mornings (and evenings) canisters that are on the low side seem to 
ice up, especially in the cold. I first noticed that many years ago on a boy 
scout trip. I have used canisters many times above 12,000 feet and not 
experienced any problems. I don't think altitude is the problem.

There are a couple of things you can do to make it work better. I put the 
canister in my sleeping bag to get it warm at night. That helps a lot in 
boiling my morning water. The other solution is to wrap you hands (sans 
gloves) around the iced up canister to warm it. I don't think that works 
very well, besides making my hands freezing cold. My problem is that I can't 
get contact with all the canister and still have icey spots.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Saenz" <msaenz@mve-architects.com>
To: "Jamie Rae Whiteley" <jamierae@letterboxes.org>; 
<pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 8:48 AM
Subject: RE: [pct-l] fuel cannisters


Just got back from Fobes/Saddle Junction (Sect B. Pics and report to
follow!)
I used a pocket rocket on this trip and I wish I hadn't....

The fuel canister had about 20-30 minutes of burn left in it. I was at
8k and the temps were somewhere between the low 40s and the mid 30's (it
never got to freezing).
The pocket rocket, with it's low fuel level, didn't boil 3 cups of water
after burning at full blast for about 20-30 minutes! It burner out
before the water boiled and I had to use less-than-boiling water fro my
chicken noodle soup dinner.

I've heard that canisters didn't perform well at high altitudes or low
temps. I have a white gas stove for my high elevation hikes. But this
was the first time my pocket rocket didn't perform well. I don't think
it was altitude, being only 8k (I've used my pocket rocket at 10k+), or
the temps (it was cold, but not freezing). I think maybe it was the low
level of fuel and maybe less than adequate pressure inside the canister.


Michael Saenz ,  Associate Partner
McLarand    Vasquez    Emsiek   &   Partners,   Inc.
A r c h i t e c t u r e  |  P l a n n i n g  |  I n t e r i o r s
MVE          MVE    Institutional         MVE    S t u d i o
w  w  w   .   m  v  e   -   a  r  c  h  i  t  e  c  t  s   .   c  o m

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Jamie Rae
Whiteley
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 7:04 PM
To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] fuel cannisters

We're fixin' to take a little walk in a couple of months and were
wondering about the availability of isopropane fuel for the pocket
rocket. I'm the cook and I'm kind of partial to this stove, but am
willing to be flexible if need be. For all you PCT alum out there-can we
do it with the pocket rocket or will fuel just be too scarce?

jamierae/shawn
--
  Jamie Rae Whiteley
  jamierae@letterboxes.org

--
http://www.fastmail.fm - Same, same, but different...

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