Hmm, since someone else already got to my pemmican suggestion, I will offer an alternative:

In really cold weather, I like sausage meats, like pepperoni, slim jims, salami, along with good cheese like gouda or cheddar or paremesan. Something peppery helps heat up the body along with regular applied heat. I often pack a small Hickory Farms summer sausage and a few babybel cheese rounds or some string cheese.

Peanut butter is always a good staple.

i would suggest you read--"paradise below zero" by
Calvin Rutstrum..the main crux of the book is wilderness
wintering--he did all this in the 30-40's and lived in
the far north year round so this is no slapdash pick-up
info tossed together to make a book--one of his best food
tricks was to make up a big pot of stew with lots of meat
and lard--pour it into a square cake pan and set it outside
to freeze--while it was still "setting up" he would mark
off squares with his knife and when it was solid break off
the hunks ---which were one meal worth--and wrap in wax
paper..meal time came and one would go in the pot..anyone
who has winter camped will tell you than butter is like
candy and gets put in and on everything--

All good thoughts.

Presuming you have some way of melting snow and boiling water, dehydrated food might be the way to go.

Personally, I always like crackers and PB or pate - I can get little tins and spread on a cracker it gives me carbs, fat and protein.

Key point - if you are looking for a little boost at the end of a long day, make sure you pack what YOU like - nothing worse than getting to the end of a hard day and having to eat something you don't like.

The only thing that comes to mind is a can of Mini-Ravioli's. Mmmm, so yummy even cold.

I'm considering making my own Pemmican starting with lean hamburger and beef fat and adding dried fruit to taste. Apparently it will last years if made correctly.

I like the jetboil stove for dead simple, very fast heating. A bit bigger than a Nalgene bottle, it has its own 'pot.' No idea about its low temperature performance.

tro

jetboil company home page

user review #1

user review #2

Thanks everyone, good ideas, I am in Hailey. Love this site all very helpful, and gets one to thinking...

If you're looking for a lightweight, compact, and durable stove, you could do worse than a soda-can stove. There are instructions online, but you'll probably be happier with some of the very inexpensive ones available online. I've made a few of my own and I prefer the ones on this page:

http://www.minibulldesign.com/fs2.htm

With the stove, pot made from an insulated Heineken can, and a small bottle of alcohol; you can cook three meals a day for several days and all of the gear packs down to a ridiculously small size (basically, a 24oz Heineken can). The stove maker likes methanol, but it's toxic to get on your skin, so I spend a little more on denatured ethanol from the local hardware store.

No affiliation with Tinny or MBD, just an impressed customer.

"...C-Rats like a can of chili, beef stew, chicken & dumplings, etc...


That my friend, is NOT a C-Rat. Nothing you can find in a store today comes close to being as lousy as a real C-Rat...

jay,

In stocking food, it might be a good idea to go with the carbs, etc that you're used to.

Experimenting with foods that your gut ain't seen yet out in the woods could be "uncomfortable".

I've bought new pack meals that 1) tasted nasty as all get out (one unbearabley so and was wasted), and 2) tore my tummy up (nuff said on that except that the wildlife was probably happy to see me leave).

Just a thought.

Have fun man!!!!