Food list for backpack hunt.

[TransplantHunter]

Personally, I would ditch some of those sugary things and get something salty. It could just be me, but when I am backpacking for multiple days, salty snacks are something that I am willing to eat. Sure, I keep some sweet things around, but salty snacks keep me from cramping and just are more palatable for me (especially if you are up high - over the years of mountaineering and backpack hunting, I can tell you that things that you might like down low, sometimes taste like garbage up high).

 

[Deleted member 18333]

I’ve been doing some hikes around home, not the same as 11,000 feet elevation I’m sure, but some steep and nasty country. My first trip out with a 60 lb pack showed some weak areas, so I’ve upgraded some items (boots were the first, lol), so I’m trying to cut weight from food, but I’m not a small guy and at 270, 6’2”, the best weight to cut is fat, I’m working on that. Thanks for the help, I may have to change some more items, keep the replies coming.
What is your opinions on carrying water, I’ve been taking a 3 liter bladder, but I drink 2 of those easily while hiking, would going smaller and stopping more often to refill it be better?

Longest back pack hunts I have been on was 14 days in AK and 14 days in NWT. On both hunts this was the food list. Breakfast- Instant coffee packet, poptart. Lunch - beef stick or hunk of cheese. Dinner - Mountain House. Snack - 1 candy bar.

Same menu every day. Both guides were the same except add a bunch of Fireball.

When I do BP hunts at home they are usually only a couple of days so I might add a bagel or two but the menu is largely the same. Sticking to this menu on a 5 day BP hunt and you will be fine. On the plus side you will come back looking like nothing but ribs and d*&k. Wife appreciates that the older I get.

 

[Eastkybowhunter]

Longest back pack hunts I have been on was 14 days in AK and 14 days in NWT. On both hunts this was the food list. Breakfast- Instant coffee packet, poptart. Lunch - beef stick or hunk of cheese. Dinner - Mountain House. Snack - 1 candy bar.

Same menu every day. Both guides were the same except add a bunch of Fireball.

When I do BP hunts at home they are usually only a couple of days so I might add a bagel or two but the menu is largely the same. Sticking to this menu on a 5 day BP hunt and you will be fine. On the plus side you will come back looking like nothing but ribs and d*&k. Wife appreciates that the older I get.

Did you have any problems from that low of calories after several days? Or did you still have plenty of energy on less than 1500 calories a day?

 

[Irrelevant]

1. Electrolytes, none of that crappy foofy drink shit
2. As a noob I'd error on more food than less. You can cut it down once you know you better.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I'm going to be the contrarian here, you aren't sitting in a stand, this isn't your daily routine, poor on the sugar.

When I'm elk hunting I'm hiking my butt off, in those situations eating sugar is exactly what you want to do, under those circumstance it doesn't produce a big insulin dump and then crash in fact you are way more likely to bonk feeding yourself fats.

People can google all they want.

Anyway I basically take what you have minus the coco/cider/oatmeal because I don't have time to boil water then add some pre sliced cheese and some summer sausage. I do the honey stingers for breakfast, everything else during the day, and the the MT house for dinner. I also go whole snickers bars, instead of baby ones, and then typically bring a huge box of sour patch kids or gummies bears in Gatorade powder, I eat those while actively hiking. I'm not eating sour patch kids sitting glassing but if I'm trying to push up a mountain quickly I'm snagging a handful half way up.

All that being said my cousin eats full burritos during his century races and the thought of that makes me want to puke, I on the other hand love the goo/bars/shot blocks and he can't stand those. Every one's body is different.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

Did you have any problems from that low of calories after several days? Or did you still have plenty of energy on less than 1500 calories a day?

No I did not. Trust me you will be tired but it wont be from lack of food. At 270 you have extra energy sources on your body. You will be just fine. IMO, the mental aspect of 5 days out of a BP is a much greater hurdle than a lack of food. I think people use being hungry as an excuse to come off the mountain more so than they are just depleted.

And, a hungry dog hunts better.

 

[ccc23454]

I am your size and eat like horse normally but on backpack hunts i have to force myself to eat. If i day hunt from my truck my lunch weighs more than a backpack trips entire day worth of food! Simple not processed foods, lots nuts/dry meat, mountain house perday, piece of candy perday, couple dental flossers, couple drink packs and as much plain water as you want to drink. Vacuum seal each days food except MH in a qt bag with some sh@tpaper. 3l camelbak in pack, single wall metal bottle and a empty milk jug for camp water to fill on mountain.

 

[Irrelevant]

I on the other hand love the goo/bars/shot blocks and he can't stand those. Every one's body is different.

I have never bonked as hard as I did when I used goos. F those things.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I have never bonked as hard as I did when I used goos. F those things.

You should never get medical or health advice from the internet.


Sour Worms are the official fuel of mountain warriors.

 

[Rzrbck918]

I’ve been doing some hikes around home, not the same as 11,000 feet elevation I’m sure, but some steep and nasty country. My first trip out with a 60 lb pack showed some weak areas, so I’ve upgraded some items (boots were the first, lol), so I’m trying to cut weight from food, but I’m not a small guy and at 270, 6’2”, the best weight to cut is fat, I’m working on that. Thanks for the help, I may have to change some more items, keep the replies coming.
What is your opinions on carrying water, I’ve been taking a 3 liter bladder, but I drink 2 of those easily while hiking, would going smaller and stopping more often to refill it be better?

Couple things, I agree with ditching the drink packets unless you really like them. I use the Nuun Tablets for electrolytes. They aren't sweet but they really help me above 9500 feet. Everyone will have something they like better but I keep the Nuun Tabs around all the time for running anyway.

Secondly, if I read your post correctly, you drink a ton of water. I would not swap out capacity at this point and honestly you may need to add capacity depending on the area you are hunting.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

You should never get medical or health advice from the internet.


Sour Worms are the official fuel of mountain warriors.
View attachment 228005

Funny but true. Newcomers to this backpacking stuff watch all sorts of YT videos on how to prepare and what to eat on an extended BP hunt. I know I did. I watched a video seminar by Jason Hairston about how to plan your meals for a Dall Sheep hunt. He was calculating things out to cals/gr and bringing all his own prepared meals and snacks. Then you get there and your guide will be eating skittles, kipper snacks, potted meat, ramen bullion packets on every meal, canned chicken, sardines, etc. He will be drinking Fireball, vodka, water straight from the creek and coffee as much as possible. Even had one that smoked all day long. Then he will proceed to walk your ass into the ground while you are rationing your Energy and Focus packets and nibbling on your honey stinger.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Funny but true. Newcomers to this backpacking stuff watch all sorts of YT videos on how to prepare and what to eat on an extended BP hunt. I know I did. I watched a video seminar by Jason Hairston about how to plan your meals for a Dall Sheep hunt. He was calculating things out to cals/gr and bringing all his own prepared meals and snacks. Then you get there and your guide will be eating skittles, kipper snacks, potted meat, ramen bullion packets on every meal, canned chicken, sardines, etc. He will be drinking Fireball, vodka, water straight from the creek and coffee as much as possible. Even had one that smoked all day long. Then he will proceed to walk your ass into the ground while you are rationing your Energy and Focus packets and nibbling on your honey stinger.

I have a buddy that probably spends I DK.... 80 to 100 days a year backpack camping, skiing/packrafting/hunt etc.

Going to the grocery store for a trip with him really highlights the bull pucky of youtube personalities.

 

[brocksw]

On several occasions I've packed a double bacon cheeseburgers into the mountains. In 2017, I packed in two triple bacon cheeseburgers. Best two dinners I had all week.

Go ahead, judge me.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

If you drink a lot of water normally, plan for even more on the mountain.

Not sure the exact spot you're headed to, but keep in mind it may be some distance to a water area to fill up. There is nothing more tiresome then hiking all day, and then hiking an extra 2 miles round trip to get water... I would plan on brining up extra water, you can always leave it in camp for day hikes, You'll be able to make to longer between filling the camel hump that way.


I drink a lot of water, and at elevation I was up 4L plus a day. Dehydration, altitude, plus hiking means I needed to drink a ton to avoid dehydration headaches. Also, don't forget those MH meals require water as well, so factor that in.

 

[Nate Mode]

I always pack sardines. As an added bonus if you're a bearded mtn warrior you can use the leftover oil as beard tamer for those hardcore selfies.

 

[matt24073]

cant go wrong with peak refuel pesto chicken!

 

[Lilhowie83]

On several occasions I've packed a double bacon cheeseburgers into the mountains. In 2017, I packed in two triple bacon cheeseburgers. Best two dinners I had all week.

Go ahead, judge me.


View attachment 228025

You are my new hero!

 

[Eastkybowhunter]

cant go wrong with peak refuel pesto chicken!

I’ve been trying several of the peak meals, usually on the border of too much to eat, but by the end of my last hike, I wolfed down a Peak Chili Mac and was searching for something else to eat! Think I would have tore open the biscuit and gravy and ate it, but was about out of water, lol.
Haven’t tried the pesto chicken yet, saving it for the trip.

 

[matt24073]

I’ve been trying several of the peak meals, usually on the border of too much to eat, but by the end of my last hike, I wolfed down a Peak Chili Mac and was searching for something else to eat! Think I would have tore open the biscuit and gravy and ate it, but was about out of water, lol.
Haven’t tried the pesto chicken yet, saving it for the trip.

That chili mac is on fire too. But the pesto is probably my favorite. And i think it only uses like a quarter cup of water.

 

[Scott85]

So the picture was pretty close to the final minus 2 bags of hot and spicy jerky and dinners. I love sweets so I go heavy on the sweets and less on the savory. This was for 10 days worth of food and it was too much food at a pound a day. I hate the fbombs and wouldn’t pack them again. I love the honey singers but I don’t think they would make their way back into my pack anytime soon. The Wild Zora I’m still not sold on so maybe one more trip. This was for a colder MT general Season hunt. I’m also planning a less cooking intensive meal plan.