Stop Obsession Now

One of the first questions I'd hear upon entering a trail shelter, setting up camp, or even going into a chat room is:

What's your base weight?

another version of this is

How much does your pack weigh? or Whats your big three weigh?

Some people know how annoying this can be. Or, they don't have a light pack, just hike monstrous miles, so they'll ask

How many miles did you do today?

Now, I am an ultra lighter. I love paring grams and minimizing baggage. I'm five foot two, weigh about 115 . So, I'm trying to keep it down for my health and safety. I can hike away from trouble, get into town when needed, not suffer stress fractures in feet, prevent knee damage, and have more room for food in the pack.
And I understand why older folks would want to be ultralight. It feels good.
Plus I'm fascinated with alternative gear and methods. I've done my big mile days: Getting into a cruise mode and just keep going.

But I'm sick of the obsession: numbers that just don't belong in the wilderness experience.
I don't care what some one is carrying. Just have enough so you don't have to beg borrow or steal from someone else.

I'd like to suggest a totally ridiculous idea. How about we ask, with real concern for the answer:

What did you see today?

How was your hike today?

Then, how about we listen to the amazing description, the descriptions that light up the eyes, spark the enthusiasm, and restore the passion for our land?

Sounds crazy, I know. A low carbon way of hiking. Peaceful and sharing.

How about anyone talking stupid numbers gets thrown into a lake, yes a real, bona fide lake.

One of my favorite quotes, found in a trail register at a water cache on the Pacific Crest Trail:
In the end you find, no one wins, and the race was only with yourself.

and this I started adding to it. I don't even know where it came from:

So, take the path of your own chosing, and be not dismayed if no one leads, or follows.

Thru Hiking Pages

A group of hikers met Cobweb and Me near Muir Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail and took this photo. They recognized my trail name, Brawny. I had my packless system, complete with ice ax strapped to the outside. This stretch was 192 miles without a resupply because I left Kennedy Meadows, summitted Mt. Whitney, returned to Crab Tree Meadows, and lived off the supplies in my pack until I reached Vermilion Valley Resort.

Trudging through snow, cooking on a soda can stove, and layering all my clothing, I learned many things. My journal can be read at

http://trailquest.net/BRindex.html

I've been writing a lot about planning a long trail lately at my

http://brawnyview.blogspot.com

January is the month many hikers start getting serious about gear, itineraries, money and partners.

I've spent many months living out of a backpack, learning stuff from others, keeping my eyes and ears open. Mostly keeping my mind open to new ideas.

With every thing you see, with every story you hear, there are potential lessons to be learned.

Many things I've learned the hard way, sometimes creating personal hardships that next time around, I could avoid.

Writing about long distance hiking allows me to share these lessons.

My purpose is to share with those who can read with an open mind and file away useful information. The greatest piece of gear is your brain. It will hold gigabytes of useful information, but it must be loaded onto your hard drive first.

Happy Trails.

Size of Blades or Knives in Survival Situations

My Razor knife, shown above, is the only blade I've used on my long distance backpacking trips, including the Pacific Crest Trail, and thru hike of the Appalachian Trail.

Read my journals at http://trailquest.net/BRindex.html

I built this and other shelters without any tools. The bow saw shown in this photo was brought on this trip to clear blow downs on the trail leading up to this mountain hideaway so my camera man could do some filming.
It was not used to cut any limbs or branches for this debris shelter which is large enough for two.

I took a survival quiz and one of the questions I got "wrong" dealt with the size of the blade.

As a minimalist, I've learned many techniques which do not require any blade. I've analyzed my packing/hiking/shelter building skills and realized I've never used a large blade. What is the ideal length and weight of the Ideal Blade?

Its the one you have with you. Regardless.

It must be sharp. A heavy dull blade is worse ( having little value and is actually dangerous) than a razor sharp two inch knife. Whatever length you normally have with you is the one you will work with in a survival situation.

The longest outdoor knife I've ever owned has a 4 inch blade. It fits my hand. I seldom bring it because it's heavy by ultralighter's standards. I've made stoves using a small blade, cut and sewn gear using a razor knife.

When building a camp fire, don't waste time cutting firewood into lengths with a knife or blade. Two ways to deal with long logs is feed them in, or build the fire with the middle of the logs in the center of the fire.

As far as hunting and skinning animals, or self defense, the best knife is one that feels comfortable in your hand, which can not be wrested from your grasp. For me, that's a small blade. I have learned to identify edible plants which are bountiful, knowing that actual hunting in survival situations can be time and calorie consuming. More on that later.

As a chef, I use significant knives while in the kitchen. I leave them there. My minimalist ultra lighting tendencies cause me to carry a small, razor sharp tool. My skills are built knowing that's what I will have with me.

So the bottom line is to get used to carrying the knife you want to have in a survival situation.

Preparing the Peanut Butter Jar for Trail

I heated water in my coffee pot just to pour into these two plastic jars. Once the near boiling water was in the container, I screwed on the lids so that they would maintain their shapes.

The plastic will shrink, and deform if the lid is not used in this process.

I allow the water to completely cool before dumping it.

This plastic container is very useful in an ultralight cook set. The lid can become a spoon holder, the plastic a mixer, coffee cup, or solar cooker.

I used a plastic peanut butter jar extensively when I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail.

In the desert, I discovered solar cooking with my empty peanut butter jar. Ramen noodles were broken into bite size pieces, placed in the jar and covered with water. This filled jar was placed in the sun for about an hour, and became the perfect afternoon lunch. Many days when the temperatures soared over 100 degrees, resting during the heat of the day, and hiking til near sunset became the method of operation, allowing us to make good miles while carrying only 5 quarts of water for the long stretches. During this resting and waiting period a person could solar cook and take a nap.

Later in the Sierras, a couple friends and I crested a snow covered Forester Pass. At 13,000 plus-feet it is the highest point on the PCT. As we began our decent down its slope, we stopped in the snow for a home made ice cream break. We each pulled out our trusty empty peanut butter jars and each a package of hot coco powder mix. We filled our containers with snow, each emptied a package of hot coco mix into it. Stirring with the trail spoon, our ice cream was complete.

This larger plastic container is from instant coffee. Either one could be used in a hobo cook set. Because they contained dry goods, not liquids, they can't be considered leak proof, but will make a great powdered pudding shaker, too.

Packless Conversion-Day Two

Today we take measurements and analyze our assortment of stuff sacks and gear. My pack is 14 inches wide. The stuff sacks need to be close to that length to cinch on. If you don't have them, you can make them, buy them, or modify existing gear.

Check out my video on how to make stuff sacks at my channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/brawny03

or view it at my Alternative Gear page at this blog.

I have several sleeping pads to choose from. Even if I take the thermarest in its stuff sack, it will fit. My tents are all in stuff sacks that can easily be strapped on via your common cinch strap.

Several stuff sacks would work if they had loops sewn in the bottom, but my main need is for a large central stuff sack. As long as I am making it, I will add a few perks.

Stuff sacks can be oriented either horizontally or vertically. My main bag for this system I've decided to make horizontal, so that I can add a pocket for water bottles.

See http://www.brawnyview.blogspot.com/

for more information on the Packless System Project.

Tomorrow we will make the Main Bag because I do not have a stuff sack large enough for the central bag. If you have a bag on hand which only needs modifying, we will show you how tomorrow.

Packless System Conversion-Day One

Taking an external frame to an ultralight backpacking mode is very easy.

External frames last forever, even though the packs bound to them with Clevis pins may be worn out. Many times a pack has zippers, heavy pack cloth with holes, or simply way too much outdated metal hardware which is extremely heavy. The simple procedure of stripping all the old worn out equipment from the pack takes just a few minutes.

Once stripped, the external frame with shoulder straps and cushy hip belt weigh just under two pounds. The silnylon stuff sacks with gear are sacks normally used inside the pack. The method we will employ cinches these sacks directly to the frame. All can be covered with an ultralight silnylon pack cover, if desired, for rain protection.

My pack has a modern custom silnylon pack which I made to accommodate a Garcia Bear Canister for a long distance hike in Montana, grizzly country. Now I am in Appalachian Mountains and will use this pack for other adventures so a packless system is in order.

This week we'll be blogging about that process. Tomorrow, taking measurements and analyzing our stash of stuff sack, we'll begin assembling the system.

Check out http://www.brawnyview.blogspot.com/ for more details.

Packless Systems Explained

My Packless System was first tested and streamline for my Pacific Crest Trail hike in 2001. Testing, results and conclusions can be read at the link above.

My homepage at http://trailquest.net/BRindex.html

is full of trail journals, gear designs, links and stuff.

Hard to describe it all.

Starting next week, I will show you how to strip your external frame pack and create a packless system. All you need is an external frame, fabric, and sewing machine. If you want to use some larger stuff sacks you have on hand, and a few hand sewing moves, that will work too.

I posted this information at http://www.brawnyview.blogspot.com/

Included at Brawnyview are links where to get fabric, hardware and ideas where to find inexpensive, used external frames.

It should be a fun project and very cost effective.

People have asked me for years to demonstrate this. Our end goal is a workable system for my readers as well as a complete How To video for YouTube .

An external frame pack can be updated, modified and customized to fit the specific needs of the owner. Because external frames last forever, you can share your pack with family and friends, adapting it to each trail as needed.

Each day next week we'll post until the video is completed and uploaded. Join me here next week as we delve into this project.

Glossary of Terms

I wrote a new page for this blog, called Glossary of Terms, because it occurred to me that I use words in ways many people may not be used to. I take it for granted that everyone knows what "stealth camping" means, or what the difference between a stuff sack, compression sack, or ditty bag is.

Well, no more. Check out the page attached to this blog. The link is on the right, in the list of pages under HOME.

If you'd like me to cover something, please leave a comment, or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure.

This short clip is part of a longer video I did for youtube.

It demonstrates why chosing colors for gear is important. Blending into our environment is a safety issue as well as an astetic one. If backpackers chose colors that blend, even on a crowded trail like the John Muir Trail in California, a level of wilderness can still be felt. When groups are camped in bright colored tents the human presence is unavoidable and detracts from the natural setting.

I first learned about the idea of stealth camping from Ray Jardine's books over ten years ago. He felt the easiest way to avoid unwanted bear encounters at night was to pick a place just before dark with no signs of human presence: no campfire rings, no traces of garbage, no cut down vegetation. Bears which are acustomed to the backpacker's food sack will revist areas where these smells may linger. A bear with these habits is not afraid of humans, and therefore much more dangerous.

I used these tactics on all my trails. One afternoon, hiking alone just north of Glen Alden Campground in Yosemite National Park, on the Pacific Trail, I left the trail in the grassy field, with a stream running through it. I climbed a hill, checked around to be sure there were no signs any human had ever been there. After setting up camp and arranging all my ultralight gear inside the tent, I noticed another backpacker come into view and sit down on a log near the stream. I waited. I knew him as Patch.

My tent was gray, and most of my other colors black or green. He ate a snack, and relaxed as the sun began to set. I carefully made my way down behind him, and tapped him on the back. He'd never seen me. Thats stealth.

Backpacker Magazine published a study which showed how bears would stop what they were doing to investigate strange colors, especially bright blue, in their environment and that bear bells were perceived as birds.

Having something bright in your pack comes in handy when hunters are out. Then, I strap my blue pad outside my pack for visibility. A bright bandana can be used as well.

Thinking about colors before buying gear is a sensible thing to do.

Make a Gear Loft or Survival Cabin

Today I hiked up to my new survival shelter on top of what locals call "clear cut mountain". Years ago the trees were all logged leaving just a few trees on steep slopes. Now, all the trees are small and spaced close enough together so I could chose a grouping to create a cabin style shelter. I saw an old Appalachian Trail Shelter similar to this: no floor and open on one side. I decided not to sleep in it on my thru hike, prefering to use my tent.

To build my survival shelter, I found long dead branches and layered them log cabin style. This fall I'll continue to visit my shelter utilizing the fallen leaves for bedding and insulation.

I made this gear loft from an onion sack. The directions are posted on my other blog Brawnyview. It only weighs 6 grams, less than 1/4 ounce. Easy to make, and inexpensive, this alternative gear project is simple enough for anyone to tackle with success.

With a blog, its easy to miss something logged here. Please use the search button to the right to surf this site.

Thanks for reading.

Product Review-Sticky Back Velcro

I've been shopping for Velcro to sew onto silnylon for a tent project. Seems all I find around here locally is the sticky back variety. Sure, I can and have ordered stuff from fabric -hardware outfitters (Quest in Florida, Noah Lamport in Los Angeles, Outdoor Wilderness in Nampa Idaho). But by the time I pay shipping and handling on 5 yards, and wait a couple days, then drive into town again to pick it up, buying locally just made more sense. And I was in the mood to get this tent project done for the next expedition.

So, picking up a 20 foot package of black sticky-back brand name Velcro at Walmarts I headed home to put it to the test.

I sewed a sample onto silnylon. In no way did it want to stick on its own. It sticks to no-see-um netting, but only on a short term basis.

It looked like the machine would handle it. Sadly, I did not know the glue would build up until only gasoline would remove it from the needle. The thread breaks with the glue buildup as well, making the process of sewing by hand even laborious.

Bottom line, this is not a product to use on your backpacking gear.

I was able to place small staples through the fabric and Velcro as a temporary stitch, and will continue to sew it, dealing with the stickiness.

Lesson learned: the sticky back Velcro can be used with paper products, or perhaps to hold decorations on shelves. Next time, I will order regular Velcro, and wait for the shipping process.

Solstis Rugged Outerwear-Gear Review

I love these wonderful fleece pants. They have zippered hand pockets using a nylon lining which keeps them from being bulky. Pockets are just great for trail and sleepwear, allowing you to put tissues, gloves, or a LED light in easily accessible place.

I love the length on these pants as well. Nothing scrimpy about them. The ankles stay toasty even when you're sitting cross legged at the fire. The pant leg narrows to the ankle making an elastic cuff unnecessary.

They are a little bulky for packability, but sleeping warm is worth it.
100% Polyester Fleece is an excellent fabric for both warmth and staying dry. It will not hold water, so that even if they get wet, body heat will cause it to evaporate quite readily.

Weight is 12.5 ounces. I am able to use a lighter sleeping bag when I bring these fleece to sleep in.

Alternative Gear-Cooking

I made this hobo stove for fun and well, for frugality. It takes just a few pine cones, some twigs, tiny pieces of wood to actually cook on.

But, the practical side of me just had to know what it would be like under real circumstances.

How easy would it be to pack? Would it be messy, cumbersome, unreliable?

I posted a video on YouTube showing the results.

http://www.youtube.com/user/brawny03

I found it was really nice to boil water without worrying about fuel. I really liked the campfire aspect in the evening. A regular fire takes a lot of firewood, but this one was cute and sweet with out placing high demands on fuel gathering.

Dead branches in trees, twigs and dry bark are all easy to find and break into pieces without heavy equipment like saws, hatchets and bowie knives.

By concentrating the fuel into this small area a person can cook in a relatively short period of time, make coffee and relax.

I also used this same stove on a three day trial run on the Foothills Trail. It rained, but I was able to cook in the light drizzle. It is unpredictable enough to not cook too near the tent.

An easy way to pack this stove is wait for it to completely cool. Then, shake out all the ashes. Now, using a large plastic bag (like a walmart bag) place your hand on the bottom of the outside of the bag. Reach up and into the bag and grab the stove pulling it into the bag without actually touching it with your bare hand. This way, all the soot stays on the inside of the bag.

Notice how I use my shoe as a cup holder while relaxing near the stove. It insulates the simple plastic cup and keeps it from falling over, too. Just a simple ultralight trick I use while minimizing the pack load.

Marmot Hydrogen Goose Down Bag

Some gear choices I love can be seen in the above video. One is my Hydrogen Marmot 800 fill goose down Sleeping Bag.

I bought it in May 2002 to hike the Appalachian Trail. I bought it in Damascus, Virgina. Its a 30 degree bag, and weighs just 24 ounces. At the time I was trying to stuff a synthetic 20 degree bag into my 9 ounce ultralight pack, which ended up taking too much space. My down bag takes up only half the space. It cost $269 plus tax. I never regretted spending the money .

After much trail wear, including the Appalachian Trail, Colorado Trail, Bartram Trail, Foothills Trail, and Montana section of the Continental Divide Trail, it sorta lost its loft and wasn't keeping me warm. The feathers were shifting to the bottom and I had about given up on it. The fabric is ultralight and so soft that I even thought of re-stuffing it.

In my quest for another goose down bag the sales person who has also done the AT suggested I wash this bag, and the oils would be removed from the feathers . Sure enough, it was reborn. I look forward to spending many more nights in this quality bag.

See yesterday's blog for ways to preserve the life of your sleeping bag.

An Ultralight Pancake Flipper

I never thought I'd use an ice scraper backpacking, but turns out it makes a great ultralight kitchen tool.
We had blueberry pancakes on the menu, but, What to flip them with?
One of these weighs only 14 grams (1/2) ounce and did the job admirably.

Any trip with less than 10 mile days on the agenda can be classified as easy enough for a few luxuries like baking tools, pillows, camcorders, and experiments. At least in my book.

Bath Baggies, and Beyond

Now with all that nice hot water hanging around (see previous post) a person can easily take a nice hot bath.

I developed this bath-in-a-baggie while hiking with Rainmaker on the PCT. He saw someone carrying a cut off milk jug for a bathtub and adopted the practice. Except he'd just use regular creek water which is sometimes pretty cold.

Being an ultra lighter nearing fanaticism, I simply would stand in said creek, letting my feet soak while the rest of me got bathed, and wiped dry with a bandanna.

But, as the season progressed, and fall brought temps in the 50's, another plan formed.

It took just a bit more fuel to heat one pint of water to a comfortable 140 or so. Then, I would pour it into a quart zip lock baggie, add my fleece bandanna (what absolute luxury!) and voila! to die for.

Well, the above photo is just a regular cotton bandanna, and I placed it in a gallon baggie, but you get the idea. This works as well, but as we all know cotton takes longer to dry and is not nearly as luxurious. Fleece is a little overkill for summer, hence the swap out.

When we used the water from the hanging plastic bottle, no soot got on our hands, and we simply let it hang, used what we needed, and refilled the bottle. Keeping the fire stoked was natural as the sun set and darkness fell. This is a very good backpacking skill for very little investment.

Backpacking To the Haunted Gem Mine

I'm packing up for the overnighter at the abandoned gem mine. Its said to be haunted and only the locals even know about it. Nobody goes there anymore, or at least they leave no trace. Last time we were there on a day hike, bear scratches were visible on some trees. I'm taking my bear spray.

The above external frame pack has been stripped, except for the excellent sholder straps and hip belt. I sewed an over sized silnylon pack for it, with large pockets. This pack can hold a garcia bear cannister for a hike in griz country, as well as 5 quarts of water , sleeping pads and gear. It weighs less than two pounds.
A person can strip the silnylon pack and use it in the packless system. You can read more about that at
http://www.trailquest.net/BRindex.html
Its a very inexpensive, ultralight way to gear up with many options.

My gear list is a little strange because I plan several experiments as well.
I have a plastic bottle to boil water in over a campfire. This was seen on the Man, Woman, Wild show on the Discovery Channel. I like the show, whatever its silliness at times.
Anyways, I also constructed some cordage from recycled plastic bags. It appears to have at least a 20 pound test strength.
For supper, a side dish of quesadillas using the slow burner with sauteed veggies will be offered along with whatever we each cook.
In the morning, I will be making blueberry pancakes, and caramelized peaches for my partner using the slow burner. There will be cowboy coffee made in a tin can on the fire.

Lets see, we also plan an exploration of the inner cave and gem mine, and bringing home an ember in the fire bundle.

This is my favorite way to learn survival skills, in an educational, non threatening environment. When needed, everything and more can be put to use. The brain seems to ferment these experiences so that even while we sleep, new ideas can form.

Tarptent with 10 x 12-a Remake

Three pitches so far with a 10 x 12 tarp.

My all time favorite, though, is a structure very similar to my Brawny Tarp tent, which I made years ago. For full instructions, just watch the new video I posted at YouTube, its a remake of my other one titled "My silnylon tarp"

http://www.youtube.com/user/brawny03

There's also tips on how to rig a no-see-um netting for bug protection.

Tarp Modification

I'm a big fan of gear modifications.

Now, as a gear tester, I first completely test the item as sent to me. Taking into account the designers passion, I feel its very important to give them the benefit of the doubt, and find the method to the madness.

But, when its all said and done, a little modification to suit an individual's needs goes a long ways.

The above clip shows me adding a guying loop to my new Brooks-Range tarp. I found the "through hole" just wasn't optimal for me. A guying loop would be perfect. They are simple to add, you can easily do it too. If you have a shelter that would benefit from a guy line, simply watch the above video and go for it.

Today I added a new page to this site called "Alternative Gear".

Hope it helps your budget and opens new ideas to the survivalist in us all.

Why Cook in a Tent?

I filmed my silnylon tent on fire, burning to the ground. Inside a "dummy" had been placed upon the floor, simulating a sleeping hiker. In this scenario, the hiker had elected to use the soda can stove inside her tiny tent, and while laying down, and had fallen asleep for whatever reason.

The entire video is posted at http://www.youtube.com/user/brawny03

Several questions and many opinions have been offered. I love it. Being ignored is worse than being questioned.

Now why would a person ever cook in or so near their tent or tarp that it could conceivably catch fire? The time has come to deal with this in depth.

Mosquitoes.

Several of us hiking just north of Forester Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail were preparing to camp for the night. It was mid June. We'd forded streams, slid down snow pack, were tired and hot. All soloists, we'd somehow ended up in the same campsite.

The mosquitoes were ferocious. A camp spot was chosen but due to the blood sucking intensity, everyone was looking for a way to deal. Alexa threw down her bivy and crawled inside. She just lay there, safe, hot, but relieved. Her health store insect repellent wasn't worth shit, she told us.

Rambo John made a smudge fire and sat in the smoke. His tarp wouldn't keep mosquitoes off him, and his deet was running low.

I set up my tent and jumped inside with everything I had, including enough water for supper. Cobweb did the same with his tent. He said he was staying inside. He set his little soda can stove just outside in the vestibule and reached out as needed til supper was cooked and ready. Then, he ate inside.

I cooked in my tent, aware that it was incredibly dangerous. Silnylon will burn, you don't even need a flame for the heat to melt the fabric. Mosquitoes in the Sierras in June through first frost will drive one to near insanity.

Mist and Rain

After a long hard day walking in mist and rain, all we wanted was to get the tent up, some place that wasn't flooded, some place relatively flat so we didn't end up in each other's face. We'd trudged 22 miles, over the pass, through the sand, through the overgrowth. As dusk settled in, the trail wound into an old roadbed, very firm, but wide enough for the silnylon tent. Somehow we managed to get the stakes in. Then we climbed in, mud and wet gear left in each vestibule. Tomorrow we would be in town, so tonight we could cook and eat anything we wanted, use as much fuel as we felt like, drink coffee til we could hold no more. Life is good.

Wind Chill Factors

A winter hike and overnight on the Bartram Trail proved colder than anticipated. The sun shone, it was Georgia, but the temps kept dropping. The wind picked up. My car was just ten miles away and it crossed my mind to just continue the trail and not stop for the night . But, the GATC group leader said we would camp at Wilson Gap. That's fine, tomorrow we'd get out early. As everyone set up their shelters, donned their puff jackets and sat in the wind to cook, I realized my best comfort zone lay inside the tent, out of the wind, in the sleeping bag.
It dropped to 17 degrees that night, water froze in the cook pot I left outside the tent. I had dumped my water bottles to prevent loosing carrying capacity next morning. Another hiker slept with his camel back, but now even the hose was frozen. He carried out 2 quarts of ice, and had nothing to drink out or pick up water with. I cooked my oatmeal from the warmth of my bag, in the vestibule of my ultralight tent.

So, bottom line, I'm guessing anyone who doesn't know why a person would ever want to cook in their silnylon tent just hasn't been out enough. Basically its an individual survival decision. Having the right information helps make that decision.

I edited the film for impact and shared it as a courtesy.

The Second Stove and Perfection

Originally I thought all the holes had to be open to the air. First tests showed it still burned too hot. I slid the top down so that the bottom covered the holes half way. Then, putting the thick batter into a cold pot, with oil both in the batter (1 tablespoon) and oil in the pot, I let it cook for about 6 minutes.

Once again I worked with my slow burner. The second version is more precise, and I was able to adjust the amount of airflow until it made a sputtering sound. This sound told me just enough air was getting to the fuel to allow a slow combustion.

Perfect. I didn't want too much heat, especially for such a thick cake.

The second video is at YouTube also

http://www.youtube.com/user/brawny03

It shows how the pot support, windscreen and buffer pan was utilized to create this perfect cake.

I call it a cake. Really, it is 4 ounces Jiffy cornbread mix, 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tablespoon oil, and just enough water to create a thick batter.

Rainmaker pronounced it delicious.

Stay tuned for the Ultralighter's Kitchen: a system of stoves and cookware to create gourmet meals on the trail.