Food & Water Winter School 2003 Photo by Robert Zeithammer

Water Water is the key to performance and even survival in the winter If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated Clear urine indicates proper hydration Drink a MINIMUM of 2 Quarts per day

Water Bottles Keep upside down in your pack to avoid frozen opening Wide-mouth Nalgene bottles are best Insulated bottle bags are helpful, but somewhat bulky Can use a wool or fleece sock to insulate

Water Source: Tap Good for day hikes Pack in yourself No purification needed In the winter, fill your water bottle with hot tap water to delay freezing

Water Sources: Lakes, Rivers, and Snow Good for multi-day trips (water is heavy!) Lakes and rivers are convenient sources Snow can be melted However, melting snow requires a great deal of snow and a lot of fuel Major problem: contamination These sources need purification or sterilization

Water Purification: Boiling Boiling is the best method because it kills everything Bring water to a boil briefly Even freshly fallen snow should be boiled because pathogens survive and can be mixed in from old snow

Water Purification: Iodine Effective against bacteria and viruses but not large parasites Iodine tablets dissolve slowly in cold water so you may have to wait up to an hour before drinking the water React powdered vitamin C with treated water to improve taste (punch or Kool-Aid helps, too)

Water Sterilization: Filtration Filters are effective against large parasites and bacteria, but not viruses Filter pore size can be no larger than 40 microns or bacteria will get through A combination of iodine treatment and filtration works well, but is heavy to carry (weighs about a pound)

Waterborne Pathogens Virus: Hepatitis A (infectious) -- not common Bacteria: Escherichia coli (not common in US) and Salmonella Large Parasites: Giardia and Cryptosporidium (“crypto”) are very common. Manifest in two to twenty days with symptoms that can include: intense nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever and headache

Food You can burn up to 6,000 calories per day on a strenuous hike or climb (just staying warm burns calories) 2 lbs food per person per day Bring a combination of protein, fat, and carbohydrates Bring food that is LEAST LIKELY TO FREEZE! (Powerbar=Popsicle)

Food Prep Swiss Army knife 2 insulated 1 quart bottles Plastic cup or mug for hot liquids/hot meals Non-metal fork and knife Bowl (or Frisbee) Sponge or towel (just rinse, no soap needed) One day extra food supply for emergencies Handle pans with wool or leather hand protection only as synthetic will melt or burn

Safe Cooking Establish a separate cooking area in the campsite Avoid cooking in a tent Observe proper food storage rules (especially in the cabins because of mice) Be very careful cutting food with knives because the cold and bulky layers make it more awkward In a snowy area, make sure the cooking area is dismantled when you’re done

Breakfast Ideas Hot breakfast energizes you for the day Cereal, hot or cold milk, powdered milk Oatmeal with raisins, cranberries, etc… Peanut butter on bread Hot chocolate, coffee, tea

Lunch Ideas: Lunch=small amounts of food throughout the day (carbs during the day, mostly protein at night) GORP Proteins: beef jerky, pepperoni, cheese, nuts, seeds Starches: bread, bagels, granola, cereal, pretzels Sugars: cookies, chocolate, Pop Tarts Fruit: fruit bars, dried fruit like apples, raisins Vegetables: carrot sticks, celery

Dinner Ideas Don’t skimp on this meal because you need to stay warm at night! Soup is a great way to stay hydrated; the fat and protein in it help keep you warm One-pot meals with noodles, potato or rice are good Use a base like ramen and add protein like kielbasa, sausage, dried chicken, beef or fish Add butter, margarine, cheese to bolster fat Freeze-dried meals are light to carry but expensive and not very tasty; canned meat can freeze

Before Bed Keep some well-sealed food with you in your sleeping bag. At night, eating chocolate (or another snack) helps warm you up. Boil water and fill water bottles to put in your sleeping bag so the water won’t be frozen the next morning. Make sure bottles for urine and for drinking are TACTILY DIFFERENT!

Photo by Robert Zeithammer