Group Meals in Camp: Yes, No, Bleh?

[yknpdlr]

This thread is like a litmus test for who I'd like to trip with.

Eons ago, back in my college days, I was part of a crew of six friends from tjhe University Geology Dept and outing club. We took a trip to the Carlsbad area of NM to do some research sponsored by the US Park Service in many of the caves of the region. We dorve there from NY over Christmas break and spent several days in one, Cottonwood Cave, which has a huge 300x200 ft gaping entrance, sloping down to a flat silty lower level as part of the main entrance before opening up to miles of multiple passages to explore. It was big enough and safe enough to camp right there, well within the entrance. This is where we slept and prepared our meals using a two burner Coleman stove. Meals tended to be one pot throw together whatever we had. Since it was winter and rather chilly in that entrance area, there was no need to exit the cave or to waste water to clean any utensils or pots. One meal's leftovers blended into the next in the single pot. Yum.

 

[Erica]

^ When I lived up north and cooked on a wood stove - in winter there was always a pot of something on that got added to until finally we ate it all and had to start over again.

 

[Woodpuppy]

^ When I lived up north and cooked on a wood stove - in winter there was always a pot of something on that got added to until finally we ate it all and had to start over again.

We did that in the FL Keys when I was a kid- start with a nice pot roast in a big cast iron DO in the gas range, add pole beans the next day, when the potatoes were gone throw in a pack of yellow rice, etc.

 

[Crazy Trout Craft (CTC)]

Eons ago, back in my college days, I was part of a crew of six friends from tjhe University Geology Dept and outing club. We took a trip to the Carlsbad area of NM to do some research sponsored by the US Park Service in many of the caves of the region. We dorve there from NY over Christmas break and spent several days in one, Cottonwood Cave, which has a huge 300x200 ft gaping entrance, sloping down to a flat silty lower level as part of the main entrance before opening up to miles of multiple passages to explore. It was big enough and safe enough to camp right there, well within the entrance. This is where we slept and prepared our meals using a two burner Coleman stove. Meals tended to be one pot throw together whatever we had. Since it was winter and rather chilly in that entrance area, there was no need to exit the cave or to waste water to clean any utensils or pots. One meal's leftovers blended into the next in the single pot. Yum.

Curious- what university geology department in NY?

 

[Paddlinhal]

What I like about group meals is that I'm good at keeping the weight down. For instance, my tostadas: mini tortillas, turkey sausage (dried), refried beans (bought online dried), salsa (dried), chopped roma tomatoes (they keep the longest), chopped avocado (also surprising how long they keep), shredded sharp cheese (I have a tiny grater). A meal for 6, I save about 2.5 pounds of water weight. Let me tell you, it adds up on a 3 week trip. So for about 880 calories per person, I scarcely need to provide dessert. But, it's nice to have on hand a pile of dried apples sprinkled with cinnamon. A 3 pound bag of apples (about 8), after peeling, coring and drying weighs about 3 ounces (another 2.5 pounds savings). So for a group of 6, I cook once every 6 days and wash dishes every 6 days (alternating with my paddle partner).

 

[yknpdlr]

Curious- what university geology department in NY?

SUNY Stony Brook, early 1970s. The outing club consisted mainly of active cavers, not much of any other activity. We crawled into many muddy caves in NY, especially in and around Schoharie County, The big treat was the special access we had into dry caves with 100' vertical drops in NM. We just missed first discovery of Lechuguilla Cave by a quarter mile.