Backcountry Meal Planning

While doing some research for an upcoming packrafting trip, I came across a very useful resource that I’d like to bring to your attention.

It’s a concise 38-page PDF called Backpacking Food: Recipes, Rations, Stoves & Storage, written by legendary long-distance backpacker/ultrarunner/explorer Andrew Skurka (named “Adventurer of the Year” by National Geographic in 2007, among other things).

You can currently download it for free from Skurka’s website here (use the coupon code “FREE” during checkout).

If you’ve ever wondered how much food to pack for a trip, what foods give you the most energy for their weight, how best to pack your food or how to store it while you sleep in the backcountry, this is the guide for you.

The advice is based on Skurka’s own experience, and you may not agree with all of his recommendations, but you should at least consider them, because unless you regularly spend weeks or months hiking 35-45 miles (55-70 km) per day (!), he probably knows more about this stuff than you do.

The recipes aim to save weight and space in your pack and they’re all very quick and easy to prepare in the field. (You can find more free recipes on Skurka’s website, too.) I’ll update this after I’ve sampled them myself.

Many people would have stretched a document like this into a full length book and tried to publish it in physical form, but Skurka has pared it down to just the essentials and is giving it away for free. Thanks, Andrew!