Check out Barilla's 'pronto' pastas. Theyre par cooked so take much less time and water to boil, in fact i think you can just soak them in water or sauce to rehydrate. Available in regular grocery stores and costs the same as standard pastas.
Cool thank you! I try hard to give out info that can help other hikers have a good time and be somewhat prepared. You won't see many gear reviews or what's in my pack ounce counting videos. People tell me I'm a little different.
I'm planning to finish the JMT this season (July 13th start) and am not taking any of the traditional backpackers meals. Going a different food route this year. Thanks for the video and great ideas.
Really enjoyed your video. I don’t buy backpacking meals anymore too. I only go grocery shopping at Kroger or Walmart for camping food now. Backpacking meals are to expensive. Thanks for sharing. Enjoyed it. 😃👍👍
I'm too cheap too but on long trips I sometimes splurge for some more expensive prepared foods and dehydrated stuff. I'm too lazy to dehydrate my own stuff but that's a great cheap option for do it yourselfers. I can eat the same food everyday and am not very picky so usually stick with a few proven favorites.
Well man you're fun to watch you're personalty is one you can just listen to, you could probably make a video about paint drying and people would watch. Thanks again!
You definitely seem like a great friendly guy and you made the video very interesting to watch and also very informative! One thing I would like to mention is have you ever made a Ramen Bomb?? Take a freezer ziplock... add your Idahoan mash potatoes (4 cheese is the best!), add the Ramen noodles... add the spice packet... then add enough water to rehydrate everything to your liking. Makes eating the mash potatoes so much betters! Cheers from the Bay Area!
You can get a foil sunshade for your car at the dollar store and cut it up and wrap the jar with that using foil tape. Wrapping it in a hoodie works in a pinch but a foil wrap would be better and works well. Google backpacking cozies for some ideas.
Greetings from Fair Oaks! A couple comments: Winco sells dehydrated refried beans in the bulk foods section. Also, I have tried dehydrating spaghetti sauce with meat. I cook a pound of hamburger, add in a jar of sauce, let it simmer a few minutes then spread out in the dehydrator. Once re-hydrated the taste is just OK but it's full of protein and a lot cheaper than freeze dried. Thanks for putting the video together!
Hello neighbor! I'll check out the Winco dehydrated beans, thanks. Walmart is now carrying the small cans of Nido instead of just the giant one. I use that in a lot of things to beef up the fat. I have got to get a dehydrator. It's expensive to buy the mountain houses and other deydrated foods.
Thanks I'll look at the Nido. I've only used nonfat milk and then only for cereal. I like the idea of boosting protein and calories in a simple manner like that.
Love ur videos, just had to add one thing about food, make super butter, get a jar of peanut butter and eat some of it and add a stick of butter and ur favorite candy like snickers or milky ways to it smashed up into small pieces, high in calories gives it a little more taste and more fat, which u need when hiking, I first saw it from some PCT hikers video, thanks for some new ideas for food
Sounds delicious and I love butter. When we stayed at MTR they had real butter and i was eating it plain. I will definitely try this on my next week long trip.
Loving the videos!!! thanks! can you explain what use to cook the food and how you stuff your backpack. Im heading up to onion valley the first week in june to car camp with my daughter but want to get out on some multi day hikes later this summer with some friends.
Onion Valley is a nice camp spot! Bring some snow shoes and you could see how far up Kearsarge Pass you could get as a day hike. I use a snow peak gigapower stove because it has a wider flame which spreads out the heat so you can actually cook on it. I occasionally fry trout with it and you can simmer food with it like the Knorrs I had in this video. I use a titanium pot because it's light. Aluminum is better for cooking because it spreads out the heat better but it is heavier. If you are mostly boiling water for cooking the jet boils are nice and efficient with fuel and include the pot. Pocket rockets are also popular but have a concentrated flame and are mostly only good for boiling water. I'm not the greatest at packing but here's the way I do it. I don't use stuff sacks for my sleeping bag or tent. I prefer a pack with just one large compartment. My food and tent are my heaviest items and you want that in the middle closet to your back. So on the bottom goes my sleeping bag and tent. On top of that is my bear canister full of food and then I stuff in clothes in all the gaps. Then everything else and lunch goes on top. It actually takes practice to get it right and balanced.
+Ape Man awesome thanks!!!! Yeah I have the jetboil but, still figuring this multiday hike stuff out. Trying to get my ass off the couch.. I would love to make a documentary in the future about the sierras and the hikes. thanks again!
Great video! Enjoy watching your videos. Will be heading out this summer to do the JMT with my daughters. As for Dan...if you don't have anything nice to say...do us all a a favor and keep it to yourself.
Ape Man I did the hard boiled eggs last year on the trail. Yummy! Advice for many on the first day or two, you won't have an appetite due to elevation...so I ate fruit peaches, apples and hard boiled eggs the first day. I never ate top ramen but on the trail I tried one and raided any resupplying buckets for more. I also always carry my first day outside my canister but I always seem to not fit it all when I do this so I'm usually offering food to other hikers. lol Kids on the trail loved me because I always gave them starburst. That's my go to. Also dextrose tabs can get on Amazon lemon/lime flavored.
I've been known to hand out Jolly Ranchers on the trail. A steady stream of sugar works great for me and I swear it helps stave off the mild altitude headaches I sometimes get early in a trip. You are right Nora - early on I sometimes have to force myself to eat but later on I'm starving all the time. That's great advice for people heading southbound. At MTR don't underestimate how much food you'll need based on your appetite from the 1st half of your hike. I almost always have leftover food on long backpacking trips but when me and my daughter did the JMT we ate everything we had and wished we had more. We bonked on the 99 switchbacks and scavenged some sweets, some GU and a couple slim aims and made it to Whitney Portal on fumes.
My favorite backpacking recipe - and it isn't good for resupply because of the cheese - is what I call backpacker nachos. Half a bag of Fantastic Foods dehydrated refried beans, a couple ounces of cheddar cheese (or more if you like), a couple of packets of hot sauce if like me you like it spicy, and a big handful of fritos. Bring the water to a boil then add in the beans, hot sauce and cheese. Stir and cover. After a few minutes stir in the fritos. It is sooo delicious. I've let other people try them and they love them as well, even off trail - though the calorie content is a problem if you aren't burning 6,000 calories per day. Double it if you want 1,000+ calories. This is a bike thing, but the principle is similar, high carb content, Honey Stinger wafers and Clif Shot Blocks. Good carb boost and I think they taste good if you need some quick energy. Much cheaper buying in bulk rather than at the sporting good store or bike store.The problem I have with NIdo is that I can only find it in those huge canisters. Maybe I need to hike more, but there is no way I could use all of that in one season, and the Use By date is usually only 3 to 5 months out.
Backpacker nachos sound delicious! I have used the cliff shots with caffeine for really long days. I don't drink coffee so the caffeine boost is nice. I have bonked a couple of times. I like jolly ranchers for a slow stream of sugar in between breaks. Gu Brew is another product I use in case someone starts bonking on a big climb over a pass or if it's really hot and you are sweating a lot. I'm a fan of lots of hydration and the energy supplements do help but I only use them if I need to. Good old plain water works pretty darn good for most situations. A biker friend of mine always has some sort of powder to add to drinks that I use when we hike together. I forget the product names but they work great.
Ape Man, being from EDH myself, I recognized the logo on your shirt. I head down to Yosemite for hikes in the area as much as I can. JMT a bucket list item. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
+David Terrie Hey neighbor. We are lucky to live so close to the Sierra. I play a lot in Desolation Wilderness. Do you know the short cut to Yosemite? EDH blvd to Latrobe and just keep going on 49 to Sonora and highway 120. I can make the west entrance to Yosemite in 2.5 hours! Maybe I'll see you at one of our Friday night concerts at Community park. Say hello if you do. Happy trails!
+Ape Man That's the way I go - per Google. One time coming back I missed the turn for Old Priest Grade, and said what the heck, let's see what New Priest Grade is like. Big mistake.
+Ape Man What are the odds of running into you this morning? Nice to meet you. I realize I don't go through Sonora. Google takes me through Copperopolis via Pool Station Rd. instead.
Hey David. It's a small world! I go a slightly different way to Yosemite actually skirting Sonora. I like to go over the bridge over New Melones and then it's a right turn on this random road called Rawhide which rejoins highway 49 in Jamestown. It's about the same time and distance as your route. And yes new priest grade is like 10 miles longer but a whole lot easier on your brakes. Let me know how that circuit backpack performs and have a great time in Yosemite. I'm trying to get lighter and had my eye on the Osprey Exos 58 or the Circuit. Before the Half Dome Permits were required I would get into hiking shape every spring by first doing a day hike up Pyramid Peak in Desolation and then a trip up half dome. Early spring is a good time to head out of Hetch Hetchy to Rancheria or Vernon Lake before the snows melt up high. I was actually excited to talk to you because it's not often I see a guy walking down the street with a loaded backpack who's not homeless. I knew you had to be training for a cool trip somewhere. Loved your dogs and it was awesome meeting you! See you on the trail.
Heading down to Yosemite Monday. Got lucky to find two days in Upper Pines. As far as I can tell, the entire park is booked solid through September. I'm going to check in on Camp 4 to see how full it is - first come first serve. Better place to start hikes from. Likely will hike the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail one day and Four Mile Trail plus Sentinel Dome and some of Pohono Trail the next. Still lugging around the Circuit. It gets better as you learn to pack and adjust it better. We should set up a hike this summer.
I pretty much always use a bear canister even in areas when it's not required. Probably my last 1000 miles of Sierra trails over 10 years I've only seen one mama bear with her 2 cubs and they didn't want anything to do with me. The canisters have succeeded in getting bears to not associate humans with food. Now that's deep in the wilderness. Near trailheads and drive up camps Sierra bear camp raids are still frequent. 40 years ago in Yosemite it was rare not to see a bear on a backpacking trip. We used to sleep in shifts by an all night fire to ward off the raids. It's not like that anymore and I feel fortunate to see a bear.
Love your videos!! Hoping to hike the JMT this summer *fingers crossed* - just curious - how many restocks do you generally plan for? Is Vermilion Valley Resort worth it OR do you stick to Reds Meadows + MTR?
Depends on how much time you have to complete the trail and how important the social aspect of the trip is to you. Plus they have cold beer. A lot of people love it. It's not a logistically important stop for resupply. Reds to MTR is around 50 miles. I prefer to stay in the wilderness for my experience but that's just me. If you are in a group starting from Yosemite you could ship ahead extra stocked bear canisters for that long stretch from MTR to Whitney Portal.That can save a lot of weight at the start. I also drop off a resupply in the bear boxes at the ranger station in Tuolumne Meadows that I pick up as I hike through. You can ship one to the post office there. I take advantage of all the weight savings I can but it's a little expensive. It let's you eat good food at the early stage of your trip. Reds and MTR should be adequate for most.
Mr Ape Man we need a video about bears for those of us how have zero experience in bear country please i don't want to do something stupid on the trail. Thank you for the amazing videos
+Elias Angulo Here in California we only have black bears which are more afraid of you than you are of them. You will be lucky to see one. Use your bear canister and keep a clean camp and you have nothing to worry about. Bear spray is illegal here and useless here so don't do it. I have had many friendly encounters with bears but less frequency lately because the bear canisters are working and they no longer associate people with food. You really don't need to have any fear of them.
you had a can of something called dragon meat sitting on the talbe and you never talked about it??? lol. i kept wondering what it is and how you use it.
Very observant Andy. Dragon meat is super high in protein and calories but is expensive because of limited availability and the danger involved in cultivating a reliable supply. It's spicy and delicious if you are lucky enough to get some. Google Radiant Farms Dragon Meat for the latest availability.
+Cwill1277 Thanks for the heads up. I removed the offending song so it is viewable now with a quiet bit in the middle. I will upload a new one when I get a chance. You Tube doesn't even notify you about this so I had no idea. Thanks again!
Ape Man, love your videos! I'm Vangorn. I've talked to you in the past regarding hiking with my daughter. Anyway, it never ceases to amaze me the moronic hater comments from idiots like McCarthy. So the question. Bro, what is the "Dragon Meat". I was waiting and waiting for a small quip on what that stuff really is, lol.....Take care
Hi Vangorn. I can block or delete comments but I believe in free speech and I am not that serious and don't get upset about differences in opinion no matter how idiotic they are. This brings me to Dragon Meat. The good thing is it is 9000 calories a can. The bad news is you have to go all the way to Scotland to get it. See this link for more info. ruclips.net/video/saL72UcCYKs/видео.html
+Scott Meredith It's available from Radiant Farms in Ireland. 9001 calories per can. It can be quite dangerous to obtain. See link below. www.thinkgeek.com/product/1144/
Sorry it wasn't useful to you. You can watch gear reviews of really expensive high tech stuff all day on you tube. My videos are mostly aimed at noobs who don't have a lot of money or experience. I don't push brand names or talk about my 8 pound 3.5 oz ultralight set up. There are plenty of gear list videos where people talk about every piece of equipment and food they take on the JMT or PCT.
what a crock... any day hiker or noob would die carrying that useless stuff. rukm ? ramen noodles ? hahahahha no nutritional value at all. as an avid trekker of Isle Royale, the weight of your pack is so crucial. sir, you should try the greenstone trail carrying all that crap you suggested. I can see the Turkey Vultures gnawing on your bones now ! lol any ways, I hope most here do not follow your advice, it will cause them serious harm.
Dan the nutrition expert man! Did you read the title of my video? This is affordable food for inexperienced hikers.. Sure you could spend a ton of money on over priced crap but you don't have to. If you watched my video I noted the calories per ounce of the foods I suggested. The reason for that is so the viewer can keep their weight down. I seriously doubt you know anything about thru hiking if some of these foods are unfamiliar to you. Most of these are staples of PCT and JMT hikers. I'm sure Isle Royale is lovely but has different physical demands than hiking 20 miles and climbing and descending thousands of feet of elevation on a daily basis. What foods do you suggest to cover a 120 stretch of trail over 7-10 days and being able to fit it all in a bear canister. The greenstone trail looks like a nice warm up hike for a thru hiker. Many Pacific Crest Trail hikers would cover the entire distance in a day eating the very foods you ridicule. The John Muir trail is 220 miles long and has 50,000 feet of elevation gain and loss. You need these calorie rich and fatty foods to complete this physically demanding trail.
son, I have been on the pct, I have done a few more " bivouacs " in my military time too. I am well versed in Food health, nutrition and safety. Your video will cause harm to the people who believe this stuff you try to impart. Know what your food is made of. Know what your body needs. Don't follow advice from any RUclips video.I am not trying to anger you, but it seems as though you are. hahahha oops Consult your doctor or a trained health specialist.
There is a difference between being on the PCT and doing the PCT. I'm still waiting for your awesome tips on long distance trail foods. I'm always looking for new ideas on food that could be useful for a long distance hiker. You are right in that everyone needs to know what their body needs and what they will like to eat. I never inferred that any of this food is healthy on a daily basis but on the trail these are proven foods that will help replace the 5000+ calories you are burning every day. I always suggest people try these tips out on an easy weekend short trail like the Greenstone trail before heading out on a long distance hike. Please give me some food advice I can use on a long distance multi week hike.
Hey Dan. Google Andrew Skurka. He's the closest thing I know to a trained professional and guide and he shares many of my ideas on thru hiking food. He is an expert. How about sharing at least 1 trail food idea that works for you. Remember it has to be compact, high calories or fat per ounce, easy to prepare - preferably just with boiled water, able to not spoil for weeks at a time and perhaps most importantly be delicious to YOU on the trail. It also helps if it's available at tiny country store resupply points. I could do a month on the trail with instant mashed potatoes, instant refried beans, some Nido and Oatmeal, tortillas, a jar of peanut butter and a bunch of snickers bars but that might not appeal to you or others. You gotta get out and try different stuff to figure out what works for you. I guess my 40 years of backpacking experience in the Sierra Nevada is different than your personal experience. I do agree that you shouldn't make all your food decisions based on some random guy on the internet. The problem is if you do a youtube search of backpacking food you will see about 1000 videos of people covering many of the same foods I covered in this video and they seem to be doing just fine.
Check out Barilla's 'pronto' pastas. Theyre par cooked so take much less time and water to boil, in fact i think you can just soak them in water or sauce to rehydrate. Available in regular grocery stores and costs the same as standard pastas.
your stuff is always good and on point!
On the peanut butter/tortilla topic, I recommend dehydrated peanut butter.
I love this video thank u for all the awesome ideas
You put out a TON of really good info! Why have I not seen this channel before? Good stuff, thanks :)
Cool thank you! I try hard to give out info that can help other hikers have a good time and be somewhat prepared. You won't see many gear reviews or what's in my pack ounce counting videos. People tell me I'm a little different.
Your channel is awesome!
Thank you so much!
I'm planning to finish the JMT this season (July 13th start) and am not taking any of the traditional backpackers meals. Going a different food route this year. Thanks for the video and great ideas.
Really enjoyed your video. I don’t buy backpacking meals anymore too. I only go grocery shopping at Kroger or Walmart for camping food now. Backpacking meals are to expensive. Thanks for sharing. Enjoyed it. 😃👍👍
I'm too cheap too but on long trips I sometimes splurge for some more expensive prepared foods and dehydrated stuff. I'm too lazy to dehydrate my own stuff but that's a great cheap option for do it yourselfers. I can eat the same food everyday and am not very picky so usually stick with a few proven favorites.
Love you're videos man you deserve more subs. Subbed and thumbs up.
Thanks Recluse! It is appreciated. Actually I just posted a couple for fun at first and I was surprised by how many people watched them.
Well man you're fun to watch you're personalty is one you can just listen to, you could probably make a video about paint drying and people would watch. Thanks again!
Thank you. Another good video.
Thanks for watching!
You definitely seem like a great friendly guy and you made the video very interesting to watch and also very informative! One thing I would like to mention is have you ever made a Ramen Bomb?? Take a freezer ziplock... add your Idahoan mash potatoes (4 cheese is the best!), add the Ramen noodles... add the spice packet... then add enough water to rehydrate everything to your liking. Makes eating the mash potatoes so much betters! Cheers from the Bay Area!
Ramen bomb sounds like the bomb! Thanks for the tip. I will try it.
Good information even after multiple views lol . Thanks again
Good idea about the empty peanut butter jar. What about wrapping it with some foil tape (the kind used for heating and a/c ducts) before the trip?
You can get a foil sunshade for your car at the dollar store and cut it up and wrap the jar with that using foil tape. Wrapping it in a hoodie works in a pinch but a foil wrap would be better and works well. Google backpacking cozies for some ideas.
Greetings from Fair Oaks! A couple comments: Winco sells dehydrated refried beans in the bulk foods section. Also, I have tried dehydrating spaghetti sauce with meat. I cook a pound of hamburger, add in a jar of sauce, let it simmer a few minutes then spread out in the dehydrator. Once re-hydrated the taste is just OK but it's full of protein and a lot cheaper than freeze dried. Thanks for putting the video together!
Hello neighbor! I'll check out the Winco dehydrated beans, thanks. Walmart is now carrying the small cans of Nido instead of just the giant one. I use that in a lot of things to beef up the fat. I have got to get a dehydrator. It's expensive to buy the mountain houses and other deydrated foods.
Thanks I'll look at the Nido. I've only used nonfat milk and then only for cereal. I like the idea of boosting protein and calories in a simple manner like that.
Love ur videos, just had to add one thing about food, make super butter, get a jar of peanut butter and eat some of it and add a stick of butter and ur favorite candy like snickers or milky ways to it smashed up into small pieces, high in calories gives it a little more taste and more fat, which u need when hiking, I first saw it from some PCT hikers video, thanks for some new ideas for food
Sounds delicious and I love butter. When we stayed at MTR they had real butter and i was eating it plain. I will definitely try this on my next week long trip.
Haha....fell for it , hook line and sinker...lol
Loving the videos!!! thanks! can you explain what use to cook the food and how you stuff your backpack. Im heading up to onion valley the first week in june to car camp with my daughter but want to get out on some multi day hikes later this summer with some friends.
Onion Valley is a nice camp spot! Bring some snow shoes and you could see how far up Kearsarge Pass you could get as a day hike. I use a snow peak gigapower stove because it has a wider flame which spreads out the heat so you can actually cook on it. I occasionally fry trout with it and you can simmer food with it like the Knorrs I had in this video. I use a titanium pot because it's light. Aluminum is better for cooking because it spreads out the heat better but it is heavier. If you are mostly boiling water for cooking the jet boils are nice and efficient with fuel and include the pot. Pocket rockets are also popular but have a concentrated flame and are mostly only good for boiling water.
I'm not the greatest at packing but here's the way I do it. I don't use stuff sacks for my sleeping bag or tent. I prefer a pack with just one large compartment. My food and tent are my heaviest items and you want that in the middle closet to your back. So on the bottom goes my sleeping bag and tent. On top of that is my bear canister full of food and then I stuff in clothes in all the gaps. Then everything else and lunch goes on top. It actually takes practice to get it right and balanced.
+Ape Man awesome thanks!!!! Yeah I have the jetboil but, still figuring this multiday hike stuff out. Trying to get my ass off the couch.. I would love to make a documentary in the future about the sierras and the hikes. thanks again!
Great video! Enjoy watching your videos. Will be heading out this summer to do the JMT with my daughters. As for Dan...if you don't have anything nice to say...do us all a a favor and keep it to yourself.
A mother daughters hike - how awesome! Have a great time.
Ape Man I did the hard boiled eggs last year on the trail. Yummy! Advice for many on the first day or two, you won't have an appetite due to elevation...so I ate fruit peaches, apples and hard boiled eggs the first day.
I never ate top ramen but on the trail I tried one and raided any resupplying buckets for more. I also always carry my first day outside my canister but I always seem to not fit it all when I do this so I'm usually offering food to other hikers. lol
Kids on the trail loved me because I always gave them starburst. That's my go to. Also dextrose tabs can get on Amazon lemon/lime flavored.
I've been known to hand out Jolly Ranchers on the trail. A steady stream of sugar works great for me and I swear it helps stave off the mild altitude headaches I sometimes get early in a trip. You are right Nora - early on I sometimes have to force myself to eat but later on I'm starving all the time. That's great advice for people heading southbound. At MTR don't underestimate how much food you'll need based on your appetite from the 1st half of your hike. I almost always have leftover food on long backpacking trips but when me and my daughter did the JMT we ate everything we had and wished we had more. We bonked on the 99 switchbacks and scavenged some sweets, some GU and a couple slim aims and made it to Whitney Portal on fumes.
My favorite backpacking recipe - and it isn't good for resupply because of the cheese - is what I call backpacker nachos. Half a bag of Fantastic Foods dehydrated refried beans, a couple ounces of cheddar cheese (or more if you like), a couple of packets of hot sauce if like me you like it spicy, and a big handful of fritos. Bring the water to a boil then add in the beans, hot sauce and cheese. Stir and cover. After a few minutes stir in the fritos. It is sooo delicious. I've let other people try them and they love them as well, even off trail - though the calorie content is a problem if you aren't burning 6,000 calories per day. Double it if you want 1,000+ calories. This is a bike thing, but the principle is similar, high carb content, Honey Stinger wafers and Clif Shot Blocks. Good carb boost and I think they taste good if you need some quick energy. Much cheaper buying in bulk rather than at the sporting good store or bike store.The problem I have with NIdo is that I can only find it in those huge canisters. Maybe I need to hike more, but there is no way I could use all of that in one season, and the Use By date is usually only 3 to 5 months out.
Backpacker nachos sound delicious! I have used the cliff shots with caffeine for really long days. I don't drink coffee so the caffeine boost is nice. I have bonked a couple of times. I like jolly ranchers for a slow stream of sugar in between breaks. Gu Brew is another product I use in case someone starts bonking on a big climb over a pass or if it's really hot and you are sweating a lot. I'm a fan of lots of hydration and the energy supplements do help but I only use them if I need to. Good old plain water works pretty darn good for most situations. A biker friend of mine always has some sort of powder to add to drinks that I use when we hike together. I forget the product names but they work great.
Thanks for the video. I am looking at ways to save money and eat better on the trail. Not a fan of the dehydrated meals.
Just be creative with what you can buy in the grocery store and experiment at home before trying it in the backcountry.
Preppers? Sound like my paranoid brother. lol. The instant pudding is a good idea.
Ape Man, being from EDH myself, I recognized the logo on your shirt. I head down to Yosemite for hikes in the area as much as I can. JMT a bucket list item. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
+David Terrie Hey neighbor. We are lucky to live so close to the Sierra. I play a lot in Desolation Wilderness. Do you know the short cut to Yosemite? EDH blvd to Latrobe and just keep going on 49 to Sonora and highway 120. I can make the west entrance to Yosemite in 2.5 hours! Maybe I'll see you at one of our Friday night concerts at Community park. Say hello if you do. Happy trails!
+Ape Man That's the way I go - per Google. One time coming back I missed the turn for Old Priest Grade, and said what the heck, let's see what New Priest Grade is like. Big mistake.
+Ape Man What are the odds of running into you this morning? Nice to meet you. I realize I don't go through Sonora. Google takes me through Copperopolis via Pool Station Rd. instead.
Hey David. It's a small world! I go a slightly different way to Yosemite actually skirting Sonora. I like to go over the bridge over New Melones and then it's a right turn on this random road called Rawhide which rejoins highway 49 in Jamestown. It's about the same time and distance as your route. And yes new priest grade is like 10 miles longer but a whole lot easier on your brakes. Let me know how that circuit backpack performs and have a great time in Yosemite. I'm trying to get lighter and had my eye on the Osprey Exos 58 or the Circuit. Before the Half Dome Permits were required I would get into hiking shape every spring by first doing a day hike up Pyramid Peak in Desolation and then a trip up half dome. Early spring is a good time to head out of Hetch Hetchy to Rancheria or Vernon Lake before the snows melt up high.
I was actually excited to talk to you because it's not often I see a guy walking down the street with a loaded backpack who's not homeless. I knew you had to be training for a cool trip somewhere.
Loved your dogs and it was awesome meeting you! See you on the trail.
Heading down to Yosemite Monday. Got lucky to find two days in Upper Pines. As far as I can tell, the entire park is booked solid through September. I'm going to check in on Camp 4 to see how full it is - first come first serve. Better place to start hikes from. Likely will hike the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail one day and Four Mile Trail plus Sentinel Dome and some of Pohono Trail the next. Still lugging around the Circuit. It gets better as you learn to pack and adjust it better. We should set up a hike this summer.
I would be reluctant to use some of your smeller food because not matter what you do you would attract bears to you and your tent.
I pretty much always use a bear canister even in areas when it's not required. Probably my last 1000 miles of Sierra trails over 10 years I've only seen one mama bear with her 2 cubs and they didn't want anything to do with me. The canisters have succeeded in getting bears to not associate humans with food. Now that's deep in the wilderness. Near trailheads and drive up camps Sierra bear camp raids are still frequent. 40 years ago in Yosemite it was rare not to see a bear on a backpacking trip. We used to sleep in shifts by an all night fire to ward off the raids. It's not like that anymore and I feel fortunate to see a bear.
Love your videos!! Hoping to hike the JMT this summer *fingers crossed* - just curious - how many restocks do you generally plan for? Is Vermilion Valley Resort worth it OR do you stick to Reds Meadows + MTR?
Depends on how much time you have to complete the trail and how important the social aspect of the trip is to you. Plus they have cold beer. A lot of people love it. It's not a logistically important stop for resupply. Reds to MTR is around 50 miles. I prefer to stay in the wilderness for my experience but that's just me. If you are in a group starting from Yosemite you could ship ahead extra stocked bear canisters for that long stretch from MTR to Whitney Portal.That can save a lot of weight at the start. I also drop off a resupply in the bear boxes at the ranger station in Tuolumne Meadows that I pick up as I hike through. You can ship one to the post office there. I take advantage of all the weight savings I can but it's a little expensive. It let's you eat good food at the early stage of your trip. Reds and MTR should be adequate for most.
Mr Ape Man we need a video about bears for those of us how have zero experience in bear country please i don't want to do something stupid on the trail. Thank you for the amazing videos
+Elias Angulo Here in California we only have black bears which are more afraid of you than you are of them. You will be lucky to see one. Use your bear canister and keep a clean camp and you have nothing to worry about. Bear spray is illegal here and useless here so don't do it. I have had many friendly encounters with bears but less frequency lately because the bear canisters are working and they no longer associate people with food. You really don't need to have any fear of them.
haha never addresses the strange can labeled "dragon meat" XD
you had a can of something called dragon meat sitting on the talbe and you never talked about it??? lol. i kept wondering what it is and how you use it.
Very observant Andy. Dragon meat is super high in protein and calories but is expensive because of limited availability and the danger involved in cultivating a reliable supply. It's spicy and delicious if you are lucky enough to get some. Google Radiant Farms Dragon Meat for the latest availability.
Ape Man well played. that was pretty hilarious.
Haha I was wondering about the dragon meat
Ape Man, could you reupload your JMT backpacking video? It was taken down due to a copyright claim :(
+Cwill1277 Thanks for the heads up. I removed the offending song so it is viewable now with a quiet bit in the middle. I will upload a new one when I get a chance. You Tube doesn't even notify you about this so I had no idea. Thanks again!
Ape Man, love your videos! I'm Vangorn. I've talked to you in the past regarding hiking with my daughter. Anyway, it never ceases to amaze me the moronic hater comments from idiots like McCarthy. So the question. Bro, what is the "Dragon Meat". I was waiting and waiting for a small quip on what that stuff really is, lol.....Take care
Hi Vangorn. I can block or delete comments but I believe in free speech and I am not that serious and don't get upset about differences in opinion no matter how idiotic they are.
This brings me to Dragon Meat. The good thing is it is 9000 calories a can. The bad news is you have to go all the way to Scotland to get it. See this link for more info. ruclips.net/video/saL72UcCYKs/видео.html
What is Dragon Meat??? You never talked about it.
+Scott Meredith It's available from Radiant Farms in Ireland. 9001 calories per can. It can be quite dangerous to obtain. See link below.
www.thinkgeek.com/product/1144/
I'm on it.
Hook, line and sinker. Well played Mr. Man. Well played indeed.
+Scott Meredith LOL - just having some fun. I have some canned unicorn also.
+Ape Man Now we're talkin'. Sounds deeeeelishus.
What a waste of film!
Sorry it wasn't useful to you. You can watch gear reviews of really expensive high tech stuff all day on you tube. My videos are mostly aimed at noobs who don't have a lot of money or experience. I don't push brand names or talk about my 8 pound 3.5 oz ultralight set up. There are plenty of gear list videos where people talk about every piece of equipment and food they take on the JMT or PCT.
what a crock... any day hiker or noob would die carrying that useless stuff. rukm ? ramen noodles ? hahahahha no nutritional value at all. as an avid trekker of Isle Royale, the weight of your pack is so crucial. sir, you should try the greenstone trail carrying all that crap you suggested. I can see the Turkey Vultures gnawing on your bones now ! lol any ways, I hope most here do not follow your advice, it will cause them serious harm.
Dan the nutrition expert man! Did you read the title of my video? This is affordable food for inexperienced hikers.. Sure you could spend a ton of money on over priced crap but you don't have to. If you watched my video I noted the calories per ounce of the foods I suggested. The reason for that is so the viewer can keep their weight down. I seriously doubt you know anything about thru hiking if some of these foods are unfamiliar to you. Most of these are staples of PCT and JMT hikers. I'm sure Isle Royale is lovely but has different physical demands than hiking 20 miles and climbing and descending thousands of feet of elevation on a daily basis. What foods do you suggest to cover a 120 stretch of trail over 7-10 days and being able to fit it all in a bear canister. The greenstone trail looks like a nice warm up hike for a thru hiker. Many Pacific Crest Trail hikers would cover the entire distance in a day eating the very foods you ridicule. The John Muir trail is 220 miles long and has 50,000 feet of elevation gain and loss. You need these calorie rich and fatty foods to complete this physically demanding trail.
son, I have been on the pct, I have done a few more " bivouacs " in my military time too. I am well versed in Food health, nutrition and safety. Your video will cause harm to the people who believe this stuff you try to impart. Know what your food is made of. Know what your body needs. Don't follow advice from any RUclips video.I am not trying to anger you, but it seems as though you are. hahahha oops Consult your doctor or a trained health specialist.
There is a difference between being on the PCT and doing the PCT. I'm still waiting for your awesome tips on long distance trail foods. I'm always looking for new ideas on food that could be useful for a long distance hiker. You are right in that everyone needs to know what their body needs and what they will like to eat. I never inferred that any of this food is healthy on a daily basis but on the trail these are proven foods that will help replace the 5000+ calories you are burning every day. I always suggest people try these tips out on an easy weekend short trail like the Greenstone trail before heading out on a long distance hike. Please give me some food advice I can use on a long distance multi week hike.
my best tip: Do not follow your advice or any other home made videos on RUclips when it comes to thru hiking. Consult a trained professional.
Hey Dan. Google Andrew Skurka. He's the closest thing I know to a trained professional and guide and he shares many of my ideas on thru hiking food. He is an expert. How about sharing at least 1 trail food idea that works for you. Remember it has to be compact, high calories or fat per ounce, easy to prepare - preferably just with boiled water, able to not spoil for weeks at a time and perhaps most importantly be delicious to YOU on the trail. It also helps if it's available at tiny country store resupply points. I could do a month on the trail with instant mashed potatoes, instant refried beans, some Nido and Oatmeal, tortillas, a jar of peanut butter and a bunch of snickers bars but that might not appeal to you or others. You gotta get out and try different stuff to figure out what works for you. I guess my 40 years of backpacking experience in the Sierra Nevada is different than your personal experience. I do agree that you shouldn't make all your food decisions based on some random guy on the internet. The problem is if you do a youtube search of backpacking food you will see about 1000 videos of people covering many of the same foods I covered in this video and they seem to be doing just fine.