SNACKS, MEALS, CALORIES & VARIETY ON INDEPENDENT EXPEDITIONS
LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, THE FOOD ON OUR TRIPS IS DIFFERENT TO WHAT YOU WILL FIND ELSEWHERE.
CHINA IS CHINA, WHICH MEANS ANYTHING YOU COULD WANT TO EAT EXISTS. THERE’S NO INGENIOUS RECREATIONS OF FOREIGN MEALS, INSTEAD WE SIMPLY DRIVE TO COSTCO AND BUY WHAT WE WANT. COFFEE BEANS ARE ROASTED BY AUSTRALIANS IN CHENGDU, THE RAMEN COMES FROM JAPAN, ITALIANS BAKE THE BREAD, THEN OF COURSE THE FOOD OF THE CHINESE, UYGHUR AND TIBETANS WE WORK WITH IS EVERY PRESENT. IN SHORT, WE EAT BETTER THAN MOST PEOPLE DO IN THEIR OWN HOMES.
BUT THAT’S JUST NORMAL FOR US
WHAT MATTERS MOST IS THE WAY WE EAT ON OUR TRIPS, BECAUSE EVEN THE BEST FOOD DOESN’T WORK WHEN HOBBLED BY THE LOGISTICS OF AN EXPEDITION. SWAP OUT THE MESS SYSTEMS COMMONLY SEEN IN NEPAL AND PAKISTAN, WHERE THEY ARE SUBJECT TO THE LOGISTICS OF THOSE PARTICULAR PLACES, AND CHANGE TO WHAT OUR LOGISTICS ALLOW, AND THE EFFECT ON THE CLIMBING IS ABSOLUTE.
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COMMON TO CHINA’S CULTURE, WE DISPENSE WITH THE ENTIRE IDEA OF A SEPERATE MESS, AND WITH THAT GOES ALL THE NOTIONS OF SET MEALS THAT DETERMINE EATING HABITS. BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE DEDICATED COOK STAFF, THE CLIMBING TEAM TAKES CARE OF IT ALL ITSELF, SUPPLIED WITH WHATEVER THEY HAVE DECIDED FROM AN ALMOST UNLIMITED MENU.
OUR MESSES ARE CLOSER TO WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN ALASKA, WHERE CLIMBERS KNOW THAT IT IS IMPERATIVE TO EAT WHAT YOU CAN WHEN YOU CAN. EVERYONE ON THE TEAM HAS THE COMPLETE MESS SUPPLY OPEN TO THEM, TO GET CALORIES IN FOR THE TASKS AT HAND. EVERYONE COOKS, EVERYONE IS INVOLVED IN THE FOOD CHOICES, AND WE PUT THE CENTER OF CAMP AROUND THE STOVES SO IDEAS AND INFORMATION FLOW.
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RECENTLY THIS PAPER HAS BEEN CAUSING A STIR, AS AN UP TO DATE OVERVIEW OF NUTRITION FOR CLIMBING AT ALTITUDE. LITTLE OF IT WILL BE NEW TO THE EXPERIENCED ALPINIST, EXCEPT FOR TABLE 1. THAT CLEARLY ESTIMATES THE ENERGY NEEDS OF CLIMBERS AT VARIOUS ALTITUDES, THE MOST GLARING DATA BEING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLIENT CLIMBERS AND PORTERS ON 8000m PEAKS.
WE POINT OUT THAT ON OUR TRIPS, WE ARE CLOSER TO THE NEEDS OF A PORTER, PUTTING US IN THE +5000KCAL A DAY CATEGORY, MEANING MORE THAN CAN BE NORMALLY METABOLIZED OVER 24hrs, WHICH MEANS AN EATING STRATEGY TO COVER IT. WE KNOW TOO THAT FAT DIGESTION FURTHER DROPS AS ALTITUDE IS GAINED, WITH BASECAMPS AT ABOUT 5000m BEING ABOUT THE HIGHEST YOU CAN GO AND STILL CONSUME ENOUGH ENERGY TO STAY LONG ENOUGH TO CLIMB.
OUR EATING STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THIS IS SIMPLE; EAT WELL, EAT OFTEN, EAT WHEN YOU CAN AND HAVE VARIETY, AND CHINA IS UNIQUELY PLACED TO FULFILL THIS. OUR BALANCED RATIO OF CLIMBING TO NON-CLIMBING DAYS GIVES US A UNIQUE ABILITY TO KEEP ENERGY CONSUMPTION HIGH, FORMING ABOUT THE BEST EQUATION FOR ENERGY DEMANDS POSSIBLE FOR HIGH ALTITUDE ALPINISM.
WE KNOW THAT IT IS WHAT YOU EAT WHEN NOT CLIMBING THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE, THAT EXCELLENT NUTRITION ALLOWS YOU TO PUSH DEEPER AND GO LIGHTER UP HIGH KNOWING THE LEFT CAMP FULL AND WILL RETURN TO GOOD FOOD. WE KNOW THAT EXPEDITIONS ARE MADE IN THE KITCHEN, AS BOTH AN ATITDOTE TO BOREDOM AND ALSO TO STAVE OFF THE CREEP OF NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY THAT MAKES PEOPLE IRRITABLE AND EDGY. KNOWING A BIG BOWL OF LAKSA, RAMEN OR RAVILOI IS NEVER FAR AWAY DOES WONDERS FOR MORAL AND PROVIDES A DISTRACTION FROM THE CONSTANT STRESS OF THE CLIMBING ABOVE.
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DINNER
WE ROLL WITH A WEEKLY ROTATION OF NATIONAL DISHES, AS CLOSE TO AUTHENTIC AS POSSIBLE. CHINESE AND CENTRAL ASIAN FORM AT LEAST TWO NIGHTS, AND THE REST CAN BE AS BROAD AS THAI, MEXICAN, ITALIAN, JAPANESE, POLISH, SWEDISH, INDIAN AND BRITISH. YOU NAME IT, WE CAN PROBABLY DO IT. TRY US.
DUE TO OUR HIGH NUMBER OF CLIMBING DAYS, THIS MEANS THERE’S ALMOST NO CHANCE OF GETTING BORED. EVERY MEAL INCLUDES AN ARRAY OF CONDIMENTS TO ADJUST TASTES, AND WAYS TO ADD CALORIES SUCH AS OLIVE OIL, COCONUT AND NUTS.
BY COOKING TOGETHER AND CENTRALLY, WE HAVE DINNERS AS A WAY TO TRIGGER AND MAINTAIN APPETITE, RATHER THAN THE ‘EAT ON DEMAND’ VERSION FOUND IN A NORMAL MESS TENT. COOKING, PREPARING, HAVING YOUR SENSES TWEAKED WITH SPICES AND HANDLING, ALL GO A LONG WAY TO KEEP APPETITES ALIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT NOTORIOUSLY PROBLEMATIC.
DINNERS TAKE PLACE OVER TIME, WITH SET SUPPLIES OF MAIN MEALS AND DESSERTS THAT COVER OPTIMAL NUTRIENT ENERGY NEEDS, BUT CAN BE CONSUMED OVER TIME RATHER THAN THE COMMON ERROR OF THINKING YOU CAN LOAD 800KCALS IN A SINGLE HIT. WE ENCOURAGE A MORE MEDITERRANEAN STYLE, EATING, RELAXING AND STRINGING DINNER ACROSS MULTIPLE DISHES OF MAINS, SOUPS AND SIDES, CONTROLLING YOUR OWN INTAKE SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE EATING. CALORIE PROFILES ARE EASY TO WORK OUT AND MATCH TO WHAT YOU ARE SPENDING, SOMETHING VITAL TO STRATEGIZE ACROSS SEVERAL WEEKS OF CLIMBING.
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DAYS
WE DON’T DO LUNCH, WE DO LUNCHES, SO RATHER THAN SET TIMES WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO EAT MULTIPLE SMALL MEALS ACROSS A DAY. SPECIFIC SNACK AND SMALL MEAL OPTIONS ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE, AS A WAY TO NAVIGATE FLUCTUATING HUNGER CYCLES, ADDRESS IMMEDIATE CRAVINGS, AND GO EASY ON YOUR SYSTEM THAT IS ALREADY DEALING WITH ALTITUDE.
COLD DAYS CAN EASILY BE SPENT AROUND THE STOVE, CONSTANTLY EATING WHEN THE WEATHER IS NO GOOD TO CLIMB. WE ABHORE THE IDEA OF A MESS THAT IS COLD AND EMPTY WHERE SOMEONE ELSE DICTATES YOUR EATING, SO PUT YOU IN CONTROL.
‘DAY MESS’ IS SUPPLIED WITH A WIDE RANGE OF FOOD, RANGING FROM BUCKETS OF PEANUT BUTTER, YAK JERKY AND INSTANT NOODLES TO DRIED FRUIT, CHEESE AND ANTIPASTO. THE AIM HERE IS GRAZING, HITTING SEVERAL OF YOUR NUTRITION DEMANDS, MATCHED WITH HYDRATION FROM SOUPS, TEAS AND MIXES. WE TRY TO GET PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE PROCESSED BARS, CANDY AND JUNK FOODS THEY EAT BY NECESSITY UP HIGH, AND PROVIDE A CONSTANT IN FLOW OF NUTRIENTS THE BODY CAN ASSIMILATE.
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BREAKFAST
BREAKFASTS ARE HARD, WITH A LOT OF VARIATION ACROSS INDIVIDUALS, SO WE TAKE THE VIEW IT IS ABOUT KICKSTARTING THE DAY. RATHER THAN DIVIDE THE DAY INTO 2 OR 3 MAIN MEALS WE SEE IT AS AN ARC ACROSS THE DAY, WITH NO NEED TO BOMB THE BODY WITH A HUGE MEAL FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. OF COURSE SOME PEOPLE LOVE THIS, SO THE OPTION EXISTS, BUT FOR MANY A MODERATE MEAL PLUS COFFEE FOLLOWED UP BY ANOTHER MEAL SOON AFTER, IS NICER ON THE SYSTEM.
BASECAMP DAYS ARE USUALLY ABOUT RECOVERY AND PLANNING, SO BREAKFAST CAN BE A VERY CAFE-LIKE AFFAIR THAT TAKES PLACE OVER TIME. NOTHING SUCKS MORE THAN STRICT BREAKFAST TIMES WHEN YOU JUST NEED TO REST, OR THE TIMELINE OF STAFF GETTING IN THE WAY OF YOUR COFFEE AND HABITS.
WE KNOW FULL WELL THAT SOME NIGHTS ARE MESSY, WITH WEIRD SLEEP, OVER-ACTIVE MINDS, EXHAUSTION AND RANDOM EVENTS, AND THE LAST THING TO DO IS BOOKEND THINGS WITH STRICT TIMES. THIS MEANS BREAKFAST IS YOUR OWN THING, WITH HOT OR COLD OPTIONS, ENCOMPASSING MUESLI, TO TOAST, CROISSANTS, RICE AND PANCAKES.
A SPECIAL WORD HERE ON COFFEE; WE SUPPLY INSTANT AND BEANS WITH A HAND MILL AND MOKA, BUT ANYTHING SPECIAL YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES. WE TREAT COFFEE LIKE A DRUG, AND ARE HAPPY TO PROVIDE A BASELINE, BUT YOU MUST SUPPORT YOUR OWN HABITS IF YOUR NEEDS ARE REFINED. THIS GOES FOR HAND ESPRESSO SETS, ROASTING YOUR OWN BEANS, DRIPPERS, PRESSES, SIPHONS AND FILTERS. GO FOR IT, AND BRING ENOUGH FOR THE TRIP, AND EXTRA TO PROVE YOUR POINT WITH THE ENEVITABLE AEROPRESS vs MOKA POT DEBATE THAT ERUPTS ON EVERY TRIP SO FAR.
WE WILL SAY, THAT JUST AS WE NEED PRESSURE COOKERS TO THINGS LIKE RICE, 4000-5000m DOES SEEM TO BE A SORT OF MAGIC THRESHOLD FOR MAKING COFFEE, PRESUMABLY BECAUSE BOILING TEMPERATURE BEING 80-90c BEING IDEAL FOR MOST COFFEE EXTRACTION.
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ON THE MOUNTAIN
YOUR FOOD ON THE MOUNTAIN IS TOTALLY UP TO YOU, BEING SO PERSONAL IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SUPPLY FOR. SOME CLIMBERS LIVE OFF INSTANT RAMEN AND COLA, OTHERS OFF SUPPLEMENTS AND DEHY, WHATEVER IT IS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ARRANGE.
THAT SAID, WE CAN EAT A MODIFIED VERSION OF THIS UP TO VERY HIGH CAMPS, BASICALLY PLANNING OFF WHAT WE LIKE IN BASECAMP AND STRIPPING IT DOWN TO WHAT IS DOABLE WITH A HANGING STOVE IN BIVY. THIS WORKS WELL ON FORAYS JUST TO GAIN ALTITUDE, OR ON CARRIES TO HIGHER CAMPS, AND IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO FURTHER STAVE OFF HAVING TO LIVE OFF YOUR ALPINE FOOD. THE LONGER YOU CAN GO ON ‘REAL’ FOOD THE BETTER, AND WE HAVE MANAGED LAKSA AND PENE ARABIATA IN SUCH PLACES.
SOMETHING UNIQUE TO OUR TRIPS IS THE ABILITY TO MAKE FRESH BARS IN BASECAMP, ALTERING INGREDIENTS AS WE GO TO AVOID GETTING SICK OF A SINGLE TASTE OR TEXTURE AND NOT HAVING TO RELY ON COMMERCIAL BARS THAT CANNOT REPLACE REAL, FRESH FOOD. INGREDIENTS FROM CHENGDU ARE EASY TO GET IN QUANTITY, AND AS MOST BARS HAVE A SIMILAR BASE (OATS, DATES, BROWN SUGAR, NUT BUTTER ETC) IT IS ALSO EASY TO BRING ALONG THINGS TO ADD VARIETY LIKE COCONUT, SPICES, DRIED FRUIT AND COCOA.
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OVERALL
ALL THIS IS BASED ON IDEALS OF ALPINISM OF SELF-SUSTAINED TEAMS USING STREAMLINED LOGISTICS, WHICH INCLUDES EATING WARE. BY FORGOING TRADITIONAL MESS SET UPS AND STRRIPPING THINGS DOWN AN ‘ALPINE MESS’ WE DO AWAY WITH A HUGE AMOUNT OF LOGISTICS DEVOTED TO SIMPLY CARRYING EVERYTHING OUT THERE. THE LATEST STOVES AND COOKWARE LET US COOK ALMOST ANYTHING, LIMITED ONLY BY CREATIVITY (WE HAVE EVEN MADE OVENS BY COMBINING STOVES WITH TRADITIONAL NOMADIC ROCK AND EARTH METHODS).
WE MAKE EATING WARE LIKEWISE VERY SIMPLE, DESIGNING MEALS AROUND EACH CLIMBER HAVING A BASIC SET OF DURABLE WARE THAT KEEPS THINGS VERY EFFICIENT AND EASY TO CLEAN. UNLIKE THE SOUTHSIDE BASECAMPS THAT ARE RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH HYGEINE, WE HAVE A PRISTINE CLEAN ENVIRONMENT TO LIVE WITHIN SO OUR CLEANLINESS IS EASIER TO BE ON TOP OF. THIS GOES TOO FOR NOT HAVING A KITCHEN-MESS TENT DIVIDE, WHERE MORE HANDS AND HANDLING INCREASES HYGIENE RISKS. WE EAT AS WE COOK, WITH NO THIRD HANDS BETWEEN THE MEAL AND OURSELVES, USING WARE WE ARE EACH RESPONSIBLE FOR TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN, MAKING OUR BASECAMPS ARGUABLY THE CLEANEST AND MOST EFFICIENT ANYWHERE.
IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T PICKED UP WHAT WE ARE PUTTING DOWN, OUR AIM IS EAT REAL FOOD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE CAN. WE CAN GET THE INGREDIENTS, WE CAN GET THE VARIETY, WE CAN KEEP APPETITES HIGH AND NUTRIENT LOSS AT A MINIMUM, WE CAN MAKE FOOD THE CENTER OF THE EQUATION AS EVERYBODY KNOWS IT IS. YES YOU WILL STILL LOOSE A BIT OF WEIGHT, AND HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD, BUT STARTING FROM THE ARRIVAL HALL YOU CAN BE EATING THE BEST FOOD ON ANY 8000m TRIP WHETHER IT’S ON THE ROAD, THE APPROACH OR THE GLACIER, THUS NAILING DOWN PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN ALPINE SUCCESS.
