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I have two options for cooking. Alcohol or propane: I can take either system. Do thru hikers usually cook or should I just eat cold? I am concerned as to whether or not I can get propane canisters along the way. The post office want allow them to be shipped due to fire hazard concerns.

The last I knew it was still allowed to ship fuel canisters as long as you followed certain rules. Has to ship ground, be labeled ORM-D, etc.

I haven't thru'd but I think you'll find people using everything from no-cook to alcohol to iso to white gas.

I haven't noticed anyone using nomad type " wood stoves for their thru hikes .Is there a reason for this ? I love mine and would like to use it .

johnnyo979 wrote:should I just eat cold?

In another thread you indicated you had hiked the AT. I recommend either eating the way you have on previous thru-hikes or adjusting your plan based on what you learned from those experiences.

johnnyo979 wrote:I am concerned as to whether or not I can get propane canisters along the way. The post office want allow them to be shipped due to fire hazard concerns.

This is simple logistics. It may take a bit of planning, but there is always a solution.

First of all, the USPS does not prohibit shipping fuel canisters. So shipping them in your resupply is not a problem. You just have to follow their rules. Depending on your schedule and route, canisters are also available for sale a few places along the way. Other than Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon, I personally can't say with absolute certainty other stops along the trail that have them, but I'm sure others can help.

Then again, if eating cold is something you're comfortable with, fuel won't matter!

I prefer alcohol, except when prohibited by burn restrictions. As noted in the OP, it's more convenient for resupply and can be lighter, depending on your resupply intervals. I eat cold once in a while, but I don't care for it much except as an infrequent change of routine.

I'm gonna try eating cold for as long as I can to save weight and water. If I do need a stove, I'll have one available with my car that I can bring onto the trail. Hopefully by then I'll have hit my rhythm and gotten adjusted to life on the trail.

I love no cook. I've been doing it for 5 years now. I don't even rehydrate things, so I have no water usage for meals.

I've never missed a hot meal after a long hot day in the sun. Everyone is different though.

No cook is certainly easy and very do-able. Just hydrate and go. As you hit warmer days, you'll also find that if you hydrate your meal early in the day, it'll be nice and warm by the time you eat it - whether it was intended to be a hot dish or not! I generally do not take a stove since hydration is all that is needed. And due to water considerations, I often carry the food ready to go and don't have to worry about finding and filtering that extra water.

This is a blog, that I stumbled across during my Appalachian Trail preparation, that confirms the ORD-M ground transport mailing of propane and she links to the postal service regulations.

http://www.blissfulhiking.blogspot.com/ ... unce%20box