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WATER TREATMENT
STOVES
MEAL PLANNING
In the Backcountry
Larry Blumberg
Herb Haake
John Udall
Mike Gebhard
University of Scouting
March, 2008
WATER TREATMENT
In the Backcountry
Larry Blumberg
Herb Haake
John Udall
Mike Gebhard
University of Scouting
March, 2008
Water Treatment
DISCUSSION TOPICS
• WHY we treat our water
• Treatment Methods
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Boiling
Tablets – Iodine and Chlorine Dioxide
Chemical – PolarPure and AquaMira
Filters / Pumps -- MSR Miniworks and Katadyn Hiker
Additional Methods
• General Tips and Summary
Water Treatment
WHY ???
• All water is susceptible to Giardia, this
can cause severe abdominal illness !
– Always verify that your treatment method
is effective against Giardia
Water Treatment
METHODS - BOILING
• 3 to 4 minutes of rolling boil is reliable
method for destroying Giardia
– But
• Dirty water stays dirty (safe, but dirty)
• Lots of fuel required
Water Treatment
METHODS - CHEMICAL
TABLETS
• Iodine
• Chorine dioxide
Water Treatment
METHODS - CHEMICAL
POLAR PURE
• Iodine treatment
– Inexpensive
– Ultralight
– But
•
•
•
•
•
Water remains dirty (safe, but dirty)
Requires lengthy wait (ie- ½ hr or longer)
Effectiveness is reduced in cold / murky water
Taste is affected
Avoid use by people with thyroid disease
Water Treatment
METHODS - CHEMICAL
AQUAMIRA
• Chlorine treatment
– Two-bottle system, mix drops of each together, set for
five minutes, then add mixture to quart of water and
wait half hour, depending on water temp & clarity
– Fairly quick, fairly easy, costs only about 10 cents per
quart
– Minimal after-taste
– Also kills cryptosporidium (iodine does not)
– BUT
• Does not clarify water
Water Treatment
METHODS - WATER FILTERS
• Pump forces water through complex
• micropore
Chemical - AQUA
matrixMIRA, chlorine dioxide:
– Common filter models
– Two bottles, mix drops of each together to form
• MSR miniworks
chlorine
dioxide
• Katadin
– After
five minutes add to one liter water, and wait ½ hr
–– Filters
trap and
harmful
Fairly quick
easy bacteria & protozoans and
water
– will
Costclarify
= about
12 cents per liter
Practically no compared
taste
–– Convenient
to other methods
Also kills cryptosporidium
–– But
• Relatively costly ($50 to $250)
• Heavy (1/2 to 2 lbs)
Water Treatment
ADDITIONAL METHODS
• Household liquid bleach (Chlorox - sodium hypochlorite)
– Add four drops per quart, let stand for 30 minutes
• SteriPEN
– Uses ultraviolet (UV) light to destroy waterborne microbes
– Kills viruses, bacteria and protozoa
– Takes about 1 minute per pint of water
• MSR Miox
– Electrolysis produces powerful oxidants to treat water
Water Treatment
GENERAL TIPS
• Always bleed treated water over
bottle threads
• After-taste can be masked with drink mix
• Large groups require large volume of
water, choose method appropriately !
Water Treatment
SUMMARY
• No method is absolutely perfect
– Each comes with its own pros & cons and
limitations
– Choose what is most appropriate for your
group !
STOVES
In the Backcountry
Larry Blumberg
Herb Haake
John Udall
Mike Gebhard
University of Scouting
March, 2008
Stoves
DISCUSSION TOPICS
• Backcountry stoves vs fires
• Types of stoves
• Stove accessories
• General Tips and Summary
Stoves
BENEFITS of STOVES
• Stoves vs Fires
– Stoves are quicker, cleaner, easier than fires
– Stoves promote low impact camping and
“Leave No Trace” ethics
– Fires no longer allowed in many backcountry
areas
Stoves
TYPES of STOVES
• Liquid gas
• Canister-based pressurized fuel
• “Unpressurized" stoves
Stoves
TYPES – LIQUID GAS
• Liquid gasses (white gas, kerosene, or
automobile gas) vs canisters
– More economical
– Burn better at high elevation / lower temps (ie- < 20F)
– More easily re-supplied worldwide (especially
kerosene)
– BUT
• Can require more maintenance
• Can be more difficult to use, may not offer acceptable flame
control
Stoves
TYPES – CANISTER-BASED
• Canister-based fuel is a pressurized butane/propane mix
– Clean-burning, easy to light, burns ‘hot’ immediately
– Safer than liquid gas (no fuel to spill and ignite)
– More convenient than liquid gas / allows stove to simmer better
– But
• Most expensive of all fuel types
• Must carry and dispose of the fuel canisters
• Not be readily recyclable
– Broome County Landfill accepts canisters as hazardous waste
• Performance may decrease in temperatures below freezing
Stoves
TYPES – “UNPRESSURIZED”
• Alcohol stoves
– Easy to use, simple, and lightweight
– BUT
• Does not burn as hot as liquid fuels or canisters
• Poor in windy conditions or very cold temperatures
• Wood stoves
– Uses small bits of wood and a battery-powered fan
– BUT
• Need decent supply of dry material
• Durability of fan mechanism
• Solid fuel tablets
– Can make stove yourself, good for emergency use
– BUT
• Fuel is difficult to find, cannot adjust the flame
Stoves
ACCESSORIES–OUTBACK OVEN
• Outback Oven is a temperaturecontrolled oven for baking breads,
pizzas, cakes, pies, and casseroles
over a backpacking stove
• Do not cover the fuel tank with the
Outback Oven hood !
• Best used with stoves which
have a separate fuel
container
Stoves
ACCESSORIES-BAKEPACKER
• BakePacker is a lightweight aluminum grid
structure, placed in the bottom of a cookpot, 1 inch of water is added to boil
• Everything is mixed / cooked inside plastic
food bag or oven cooking bag, no need to
stir or turn your food – no scorching !
Stoves
GENERAL TIPS and SUMMARY
• To improve overall stove performance
– Use pot lid
– Use windscreen
– Use heat-exchanger to
improve fuel economy
– For liquid fuel stoves
• Filter fuel before use
• White gas (ie- Coleman fuel) is cleanest of all
the liquid gas fuels
• Keep your stove clean and maintained
Stoves
GENERAL TIPS and SUMMARY
• Which stove is best for you ?
– Consider size stove you need for your group size
– Kinds of meals you like to prepare
– Fuel type you will be comfortable with
• Safety, fuel cost / availability, burn time
– Handling characteristics of your stove
• Ease of priming / lighting stove
• Flame control, simmering capability
• Stability on uneven ground, do pots balance
• Maintainance at home / in the field,
overall reliability
Stoves
GENERAL TIPS and SUMMARY
– More handling characteristics (con’t)
Stove packability, assembly, and set up…is stove
lightweight and compact ?
• Can stove be disconnected from fuel supply for easier
storage in your backpack and less chance of breakage
• Can stove be folded up or collapsed for easier packing
• Can stove fit inside your cookware (bring plastic bag for
stove so no fuel spills in pots)
LIGHTWEIGHT MEAL
PLANNING
In the Backcountry
Larry Blumberg
Herb Haake
John Udall
Mike Gebhard
University of Scouting
March, 2008
Lightweight Meal Planning
DISCUSSION POINTS
• Use foods and menus which have:
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–
–
–
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Short cooking times (5 to 10 minutes max)
Little water content (dehydrated or freeze-dried)
Minimal number of cans
High ‘concentration’ of protein & calorie content
No refrigeration requirements
• Use bear canisters
– Minimize scented foods to avoid
– encounters w/ wild animals
• Summary
Lightweight Meal Planning
MINIMIZE WATER CONTENT
• Use Dried or dehydrated vegetables
• Use instant dried “fillers” like
– Stove top stuffing, Minute rice, Couscous
– Powdered mashed potatoes or hash browns
– Pasta (but avoid pasta with long cooking time)
• Avoid raw meats
• Limit number of cans
– Use only small-sized tins (ie- chicken, tuna, or
sardine)
Lightweight Meal Planning
MEAL PLANS - OVERVIEW
• Choose compact and compressible foods,
high in calories
– Rice, tortillas, jerky, pasta, nuts, dried fruits,
peanut butter, candy and nutritional bars
– Leave strongly-scented items behind
• Plan out your menu
– Each meal, snack, drink and condiment
– Pre-measure and pre-mix your food
• References
– National Outdoor Leadership School
cookbook, www.nols.edu
– Appalachian Trail Food Planner
Lightweight Meal Planning
MEAL PLANS
Breakfast - Use hot water approach
– Instant oatmeal flavored w/ nuts, raisins, craisins
– Hot drinks like coffee/ cocoa/ tea/ Tang
Lunch - Keep it simple
– GORP mix high in nuts and dried fruits
• Walnuts, almonds, peanuts, raisins, craisins, cheerios, figs,
dates
– Tortillas, crackers, peanut butter
– Nutrition bars, candies
Lightweight Meal Planning
MEAL PLANS
Supper -- water-based with simple cleanup
• One-pot dishes
– Start with ‘instant dried filler’
• Stove top stuffing, Minute rice, couscous
• Pasta, lentils
• Instant mashed potatoes / hash browns
– Add ‘concentrated’ protein and dried vegetables
• Beef stick, beef jerky, pepperoni, chicken, tuna, salmon,
shrimp
• String beans or broccoli
– Add spices to taste, use cooking oil as needed
Lentils
Lightweight Meal Planning
MEAL PLANS
• Additional one-pot supper ideas
– Lipton brand dinners
– Hamburger Helper brand dinners
• Boil in a bag method (ie- rice)
• Soups are a great way to begin your supper !
• Food preferences
– Vegetarians
– Allergies
Lightweight Meal Planning
MEAL PLANS
• Consider supplements
– Multiple vitamins
– Green foods
– Omega 3s
• Fish Oils/ Flax Seed Oil
– Whey Protein
Lightweight Meal Planning
BEAR CANISTERS
•
Easier / more effective than hanging bear bags, and now required in
many backcountry areas
•
One canister can hold up to 5-6 days of food for one person / 3 days
worth of food for two people
•
Use plastic bags for repackaging to allow max fit
•
Store canister on the ground, 100’ away from tent
•
Avoid placing canister near heat, plastic can melt
•
Store ALL scented items inside the canister
– Includes food, toiletries and garbage
– Therefore, avoid taking scented foods like fresh fruits, raw meats, and
items like cosmetics
Lightweight Meal Planning
SUMMARY
• Minimize water content in the foods you carry
– Use dehydrated or freezed-dried foods
• Use compact, compressible, high calorie foods
– Rice, tortillas, jerky, pasta, nuts, dried fruits, peanut butter,
candy and nutritional bars
• Plan quick cooking, one-pot suppers
– Instant dried filler mixed with protein
• Use bear canisters in the backcountry
– Plan carefully and repackage everything
– All scented items go inside canisters,