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Good question! After a light and fast Sierra Peaks pack-in approach of ten miles gaining 5,000 feet over the last nine hours you are ready to replace some serious calories. You need to summit tomorrow and pack out for the 500 mile drive back home.
"The post climb meal is of great importance. You must eat lots of carbohydrates and some protein within the first hour or so to replace the glycogen burned in your big muscles or it may take more than twenty-four hours to top up your tanks." - TraditionalMountaineering
Tired Alpine Mountaineer-
"I've got to get busy and get this down my gullet.
I felt like I was startin' to BONK before we decided to stop here."
"How about that Nutritious, High Performance, 13 ounce (almost a pound!) meal of Freeze Dried Lasagna with meat and sauce including tender meat chunks, noodles and cheese in an Italian style sauce" that I dropped in my pack? Get the stove going! Yummy!"
Click image for larger size. Broadband folks click here for the full page.
"Let's look at some of the fine print on the back of this big (13oz) freeze dried dinner." "NUTRITIOUS! Ensure proper nutrition daily with Mountain House entrees, vegetables and snacks. Simple carbohydrates for immediate energy, Protein and complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, Vitamins and minerals for maintenance of good health."
"Now let's look at the "Nutrition Facts" label required for the last few years by the US Department of Health. Hmmm. Serving size: 1 package." (Hope you did not think 13oz might be big enough to split with your light and fast climbing partner?)
"Nutrition Facts: Calories: 390. Calories from fat: 130". Ooops!
"WAIT - MOUNTAIN HOUSE LASAGNA DINNER PROVIDES ONLY 260 NON-FAT CALORIES!?! ONE CLIFBAR PROVIDES 205 NON-FAT CALORIES, FOR GOODNESS SAKE! WHAT'S UP?"
"WAIT, FAT IS GOOD ISN'T IT, AND I GET 130 EXTRA FAT CALORIES FROM THIS DINNER AND ONLY 35 FAT CALORIES FROM THE CLIFBAR. WAIT - I HAVE 35,000 FAT CALORIES STORED ON MY BUTT. WHY DO I NEED MORE?"
Tired alpine mountaineer-
"What are you cooking, partner?? Looks really good. Want to share my
Lasagna???"
--On Belay! Bob Speik
Copyright© 2000-2003 by Robert Speik. All Rights Reserved.
GORP: take the test!
Carbo-ration and
Hydration in traditional mountaineering
The traditional mountaineering mid-climb dinner (under construction)
Read Mark Twight and James Martin's Extreme Alpinism, 1999, The Mountaineers Press, Chapter 6 covers nutrition for mountaineering in twelve pages including suggestions for meals before, during and after a day of concentrated alpine climbing.
Read Scott Tinley's Winning Guide to Sports Endurance, 1994, Rodale Press.
In my book, ClifBars are the answer to the need for nutrition during the
climb. Click here 