Food prep for a 5 month hike is a pretty huge undertaking. At times, I’ve felt quite overwhelmed with the task. Mainly because I don’t want to rely on junk food to sustain my caloric needs, as many thru-hikers do.
First off – I just want to emphasize that food choices are definitely HYOH (hike your own hike) terrain. I do not judge or question what others choose to eat on the trail!
…When you’re planning food for a long-distance hike, the first thing to ask is “how many calories will I need per day”. In general, most people need between 3,000 – 5,000 calories per day. So, where do you fall within that range?
Getting a precise calculation can be pretty complicated because calorie burn depends on a number of variables, including: your age, gender, weight, pack weight, miles traveled, elevation change, etc.
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Every year, Rachel and I plan a long distance trip through the backcountry, which gives me the chance to geek out on backcountry nutrition and meal planning. As a Registered Dietitian and Exercise Physiologist, I tend to take the process fairly seriously and get lost in spreadsheets, calculating calories, and optimizing for nutrients.
This year, as we plan for the Pacific Crest Trail, I’m back to my ways. Trying to find the optimal meal for hiking ,while also factoring in the difficulties of hiking for weeks on end. As well as relying on trail towns and mail drops for food resupply.
Given the unique conditions, which pair limited food access with high caloric demands, it’s hard to have a perfect diet. So, instead of aiming for perfection – I aim for density.
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