Summit Food

[peakbetty]

Once I get past 8,000 feet, my stomach feels like exploding. Does anyone have any suggestions for food that won't sit in my stomach like a rock at altitude?

[Dru]

PowerGel, GU, ClifShot etc.

[underworld]

sour patch kids!!!!

[cook]

I agree with underworld, eat anything that you can tolerate. Sometimes when I feel like crap, I'll still be able to throw down something like skittles even if a energy bar or block of cheese makes me gag.

[peakbetty]

Yes, definitely candy and gu but what about for a warm tasty gourmet dinner at Camp Muir?

[ogre]

Try some instant Oatmeal,jerky,soups,hard boiled eggs,pre-cooked shrimp from home. Try instant co-coa to wash it down.

If none of that type stuff works call Dominoes and promise them a handsome tip for delivery

[Squid]

salty stuff goes down well, too. I recommend Doritos, Cheese Nips, Goldfish, & Cheetos.

[sobo]

Smoked & salted almonds, salted cashews, honey-roasted peanuts, chocolate covered raisins, yogurt covered raisins, M&Ms, etc.

[Squid]

I've also tried a special recipe of deep-fried mayonnaise encapsulated in lime jello, but that didn'twork so well. It was only one time, though, so it doesn't mean much. I need a larger sample size.

[peakbetty]

Thanks, y'all! I'll give you the trip report/menu after this weekend!

[cook]

Hopefully the menu will have consisted of deep fried mayonaise. I really want to see this one in action.

[Blake]

Cinnamon Rolls

[peakbetty]

Menu: Yes, Gus are so delicious. Too many power bars as usual. Zone and Luna are my faves. Beef jerky, dried mangos, pistachios, Mounds bar. I just took the usual.

 

Sorry, my climbing partners wouldn’t let me put cooking oil in the pot to fry the mayonnaise.

 

That is the LAST time I am ever climbing the DC or Emmons route on that mountain! About the time I hit the Ingraham Glacier, I thought, ya know, for entertainment, I could spend $20 and go see Batman Begins.

[selkirk]

About the time I hit the Ingraham Glacier, I thought, ya know, for entertainment, I could spend $20 and go see Batman Begins.

 

Such route recommendation!

[SemoreJugs]

Salt is SUPER important. Try using an enegry drink mix for summit day. Potassium: found in nuts

 

TRy chewing minty gum! One of the best discoveries I have made. The mint settles your stomach, esp at altitude and the gum keeps your mouth from drying out. Whenever I get above 8,000 my mouth, eyes, and nose dry out big time. I bring saline spray, aloe to coat my nasal passages, and eye drops. I've also found this to help on long alpine rock routes!!!

 

Also, chewing gum is rythmic and helps you establish a good pace, at least for me.

 

Again, gu is good, but I find that if you dont back it up with something more solid you are going to likely bonk unless you have enough gu to pop every 20-30 minutes. That would be like 10-15 gu packets for a summit climb like rainier.

 

I find honey to be a cheap alternative to gu, plus its natural. You can stick it in one of those GU filler flasks. Even better, spike your honey with a dash of rum and mint (to be done at home)

 

Peakbetty I agree! dried mangos, luna bars, and a good nut mix (TRADER JOES HAS THE BEST AND CHEAPEST BY FAR)

 

Campfood: CHEESE AND CHOCOLATE! IN LARGE QUANTITITES. SOFT CHEESE like FONTINA is easier on the stomach. Chocolate just makes you feel good in general. Teas can help big time in settling and soothing stomach, nerves, etc. Chai is great for breakfast.

 

I have to say I am lucky. I have never lost my apetite at altitude. May get a little light headed or queasy around 13,000 but I can still get stuff down. Usually, I just need to belch and fart more and I'm fine. TOO much CO2 in the blood I guess.

[thelawgoddess]

hey peakbetty, i brought/ate the usual trail food up to camp muir and for while i was there (bars, jerky, candy). late afternoon/early evening i downed a 500 calorie chili mac meal (the only mountain house pro pak they had left at the alderwood rei the day i went). i tried to eat it close enough to the climb to still have time for it to digest. while on the climb i didn't feel like eating much of anything. not even my yummy snickers bar! luckily i had taken a couple of gu and a power shot. the gu were fabulous. the power shot not quite so much but still better than trying to get down something more solid. next time i will bring more gu. they say you should pop them every 45 minutes or so, but i'm not as big as the average guy so i can generally do with half a pack as often. i also drank water laced with gookinaid erg - just a drink or two (or three) every so often. the two gu and powergel got me to the top and i still felt energetic (all things considered). i don't think i ate anything on the way back to camp; just drank more gookinaid.

[aarond]

I concur on the Gu recommendation - it can certainly be overdone, but a packet or two is nice to have along. When I take newbies up easy routes, I usually tell them to 'take food you like. If you don't enjoy it at sea level, you REALLY won't want to eat it at altitude.' For me it's often Twix bars - they just seem to hit the spot.

 

For the approach and munching in camp, I like a can of Pringles. Carbs, fats and salt - what more could you want? And they fit nicely in the water bottle holster on my pack for crush-free easy access.

 

Other big hits:

--Dried strawberries (topping the list for a reason)

--Dried pears (a close second)

--Mountain House Pasta Primavera (Freeze-dried vegetarian meal)

--Almonds (smoked or honey-roasted)

--A small bar of swiss dark chocolate for a summit celebration

 

And a few losers

--Freeze-dried brownie mixes - tried a couple. Won't try another.

--Mountain House Seafood Chowder

--Taco Bell bean burritos before heading to altitude with a partner or two...

--Power Bars - If it doesn't taste good down low, why would I want to bite into it when frozen?

 

Just my taste and opinions. Good luck as you develop your own list of menu staples.

[thelawgoddess]

pringles. i'll have to remember that one. a bit bulky, though, no?

[espirita]

Other big hits:

--Almonds (smoked or honey-roasted)

 

I can't find honey-roasted almonds anywhere!! I swear they used to be at just the regular old grocery store, but now they seem to have vanished. HELP!

[thelawgoddess]

trader joe's has some fancy flavored nuts. like coconut cashews ... YUM!

[sobo]

try the bulk foods bins at your local grocer

[aarond]

sobo's right - I think my wife gets almonds in the bulk foods dept at Winco.

[sobo]

Yup, Winco!

 

And all of the other tasty treats I mentioned above.

[TeleRoss]

Trader Joes has these stuffed olives in garlicy olive oil all in a little pouch for $.60....super yummy.

The only problem is I think Sky bought them all, cause the last time I was in there there weren't any left.

[thelawgoddess]

i'll have to look for those. probably 75% of the time i go to get the dried un-sugared un-sulphured mangoes they are out of those.