THE ONLY EXPEDITIONS I’VE BEEN ON WHERE I DIDN’T LOSE WEIGHT
ROB B, 2016
THESE DAYS, THE OLD CLICHE OF BORING EXPEDITION EATING OR SURVIVING OFF SALAMI AND GRANOLA IS THE SIGN OF A FAILING OF PLANNING. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN EATING AND PERFORMANCE IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE NOW, AND WHILST THE REVOLUTIONS IN CLIMBING HAVE BEEN GOING SO HAVE REVOLUTIONS IN FOOD & EATING WITH AN OVERLAP THAT CAN BE AS MUCH A FACTOR IN ON-MOUNTAIN PERFORMANCE AS ANY OTHER ELEMENT OF CLIMBING LIKE GEAR, TRAINING & TECHNIQUE.
THE CLICHE OF BAD EXPEDITION FOOD DERIVES FROM LOTS OF THINGS, AND INCLUDES LOCAL AVAILABILITY, INTERNATIONAL BAGGAGE FEES, INNOVATION AND TRENDS IN THE FOOD WORLD, SOCIAL ATTITUDES AND THE BASIC HARDWARE AVAILABLE TO COOK IT. A SILLY HARDMAN ATTITUDE ALSO PLAYS AN EMBARASSING ROLE IN THIS, AS DOES THE FACT THAT THE HISTORY OF CLIMBING – DEPENDANT ON WHAT LANGUAGES YOU CAN READ – WAS SO OFTEN IN THE HANDS OF NATIONS NOT KNOWN FOR THEIR FOOD AT THE BEST OF TIMES. ANYONE WHO HAS SHARED A BASECAMP WITH ITALIAN, IRANIAN OR CHINESE CLIMBERS WILL KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS.
COST OF COURSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FACTOR TOO, WITH THE PRICE OF BRINGING GOOD FOOD AROUND THE WORLD AND UP A GLACIER THEN PREPARING IT WELL ENOUGH TO BOTHER BEING A A BIG CHUNK OF A TEAMS MONEY, MADE ONLY WORSE BY THE LOWEST BIDDER MENTALITY OF MANY EXPEDITION OUTFITTERS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FOOD THEIR CLIENTS HAD NO ALTERNATIVE TO.
POOR FOOD IS A MAIN CONTRIBUTOR IN EXPEDITIONS LOSING STEAM, AS DEFICIENCIES AND BOREDOM EAT AWAY AT THE TEAM. DONE RIGHT, FOOD IS HALF THE FUN OF A CLIMBING TRIP, BUT DONE WRONG AND IT’S A CHORE, A SOURCE OF ARGUMENTS, A HEALTH MATTER AND POTENTIAL WASTE OF MONEY. AND THE LONGER THE TRIP, AND THE MORE INTENSE IT IS, THE BIGGER THE DEAL; A TWO WEEK TRIP WITHOUT ALTITUDE WILL LEAVE YOU NOTHING MORE THAN HUNGRY, BUT TWO MONTHS WITH MUCH OF IT ABOVE 5000m, WITH YOUR BODY NOT METABOLIZING NORMALLY AND ENOUGH TIME FOR DEFICIENCIES TO REALLY IMPACT YOU, AND THE EFFECTS OF POOR FOOD LAST A LOT LONGER THAN THE TRIP ITSELF.
IT’S ALSO NO SECRET THAT MOST CLIMBERS EXPERIENCE OF BAD FOOD BEGINS LONG BEFORE THEY HIT BASECAMP. IN COUNTRIES NOT KNOWN FOR THEIR CUISINES – LAID ON TOP OF THE CULINARY EXPERIENCE OF LONG FLIGHTS AND RUSHED DEPARTURES – BY THE TIME BASECAMP BECOMES A FACTOR MANY CLIMBERS WILL ALREADY HAVE BEEN A WEEK OR TWO WITHOUT EATING PROPERLY.
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DESPITE ALL THIS THINGS HAVE MOVED FORWARD AND THE CAPACITY NOW FOR AN INDEPENDANT TEAM TO EAT VERY WELL OUT OF A MINIMALIST KITCHEN MEANS THE FREEDOM TO SUBSIST IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS IS NOT DEFINED BY THE EFFECTS OF SUB-PAR FOOD. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY CLIMBERS DON’T NEED ALL THE TRAPPINGS OF A FULL MESS TO FUEL THEM ON THE CLIMB, NOR DO THEY NEED TO RESORT TO FREEZE DRIED MEALS IN A BAG THAT COST A SMALL FORTUNE AND DON’T FULFILL HALF THE DEMANDS THAT FOOD NEEDS TO OVER PROLONGED TIME. OF COURSE THERE’S NO SINGLE MAGIC BULLET THAT HAS FIXED EVERYTHING, THERE BEING SEVERAL ELEMENTS THAT COMBINED RESULT IN A BETTER PHYSICAL AND TEAM CONDITION WHERE IT MATTERS MOST.
THIS IS HOW WE DO IT.
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STOVES
THE BIGGEST DEVELOPMENTS IN EATING HAVE TAKEN PLACE WITH THE STOVES. THE LATEST ALPINE-GRADE STOVES NOW PUT OUT ENOUGH POWER, WORK IN ANY CLIMATE AND ALTITUDE, ARE SAFE, LIGHT, RELIABLE AND ROBUST ENOUGH TO REPLACE WHAT ONCE TOOK SEVERAL STOVES AND FUEL TYPES. THEY REPLACE ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A MESS FOR A SMALL TEAM OF UP TO MAYBE SIX, MAKING IT EASY FOR CLIMBERS TO RUN THEIR OWN KITCHEN.
LATEST MODEL STOVES RUN OFF CANISTERS, EFFICIENTLY BURNING AT 10,000 BTU’s FROM A STABLE BASE, AND CAN SIMMER OR BLAST AS NEEDED. CANISTERS ARE EASIER TO CARRY AND SAFER TO USE THAN THE OLD LPG BOTTLES OR LIQUID FUEL, AND THOUGH NOT THE CHOICE FOR LARGE CAMPS, A SET UP OF 3 OR 4 OF THESE STOVES WILL FUNCTION MUCH A KITCHEN RANGE AT HOME.
ABOVE BASECAMP THESE STOVES PERFORM MUCH BETTER THAN THE CHOICES OF YORE, ESPECIALLY REGARDING CARBON MONOXIDE OUTPUT AND FUEL EFFICIENCY, AND ARE FAR MORE ROBUST THAN THE USUAL JETBOILS MANY STILL THINK ARE SOMETHING NEW.
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COOKWARE
POTS & PANS NOW ARE AN INDUSTRY UNTO THEMSELVES AND ANYTHING NEEDED CAN BE FOUND IN AN EXPEDITION-SIZED VERSION FROM PRESSURE COOKERS TO WATER BOILERS AND ICE MELTERS, KETTLES AND FRY PANS. THE OLD STANDARDS FROM SPECIALIST CLIMBING COMPANIES HAVE NOT REALLY MOVED ON, BUT TRUE KITCHENWARE COMPANIES MAKE SCALED DOWN HARDWARE THAT FITS EXPEDITION NEEDS. NOTABLE ARE THE PRESSURE COOKERS THAT ALLOW YOU TO COUNTER ACT THE EFFECTS OF ALTITUDE ON BOILING TEMPERATURES, NOW MADE SMALL AND LIGHT ENOUGH TO BE WORTH CARRYING TO HIGHER CAMPS.
MANY POTS NOW ARE AVAILABLE WITH BUILT IN FLUX RINGS, WHICH IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO FUEL EFFICENCY (THEY TRAP AND BURN MORE OF THE FUEL THAT’S EXPELLED, ESPECIALLY AT REDUCED AIR PRESSURE), AND METAL COATINGS NOW MAKE HYGIENE MUCH EASIER. FOR ANYONE WHO ONLY KNOWS THE OLD STYLE OF ALUMINIUM OR TITANIUM POTS WHEN CLIMBING, THE UPGRADE TO ‘REAL’ COOKWARE COMES AS IMPRESSIVE.
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WATER STORAGE
KEEPING WATER LIQUID IS THE BIGGEST KEY TO FUEL EFFICIENCY AS IT REDUCES TIME AND FUEL SPENT ON MELTING SNOW OR ICE. THE UBIQUITOUS CHINESE THERMOS FLASKS THAT ALMOST DEFINE EXPEDITION KITCHENS CAN NOW BE REPLICATED TO SCALE WITH MODERN FLASKS THAT ARE SMALL, LIGHT AND THERMALLY CAPABLE ENOUGH TO COME UP THE MOUNTAIN.
WITH USEFUL THERMAL PROPERTIES NOW MEANING WATER WON’T FREEZE FOR AROUND 24hrs, THE DEPRESSING MOMENT WHEN YOU REALIZE, RETURNING TO CAMP AFTER A LONG, LONG STINT CLIMBING, THAT YOU HAVE TO GATHER AND MELT ICE BEFORE YOU CAN REST WITH SOMETHING HOT TO CONSUME, IS NOW A THING OF THE PAST. THE LATEST THERMAL FLASKS MEAN WATER BOILED – POTENTIALLY AT ONLY 80c – BEFORE YOU LEFT CAMP IN THE SMALL HOURS WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU AT A DRINKABLE TEMPERATURE WHEN YOU RETURN, AS IT WILL OVERNIGHT OR ACROSS THE DAY, MEANING HOURS SAVED FOR BETTER USE.
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AVAILABILITY
ANYTHING IS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ON EARTH NOW, BUT WHETHER IT ENDS UP ON YOUR PLATE OR NOT IS A MATTER OF COST, MOTIVATION AND CONTROL. HANDING ALL THAT OVER TO AN INDUSTRY RUN ON PROFIT PER UNIT HAS PREDICTABLE RESULTS, AND IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE MADE CHINA OUR SPECIALITY.
ASIDE FROM THE OBVIOUS CHINESE FOOD, FOOD FROM ANYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD IS EASILY FOUND IN CHINA, USUALLY AT A LEVEL SUCH AS COSTCO, ITO YOKADO OR CARREFOR, WHICH MEANS WE CAN OUTFIT EXPEDITIONS WITH MENUS UNHEARD OF ELSEWHERE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT’S ON THE SHELVES. UNLIKE MOST COMMERCIAL EXPEDITIONS WHERE FOOD SOURCING IS AN UNSEEN AFFAIR, OFTEN WE INVOLVE OUR TEAMS SO THEY CAN PICK AND CHOOSE EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT.
FOOD ON EXPEDITION REGULARLY WORKS ON A WEEKLY ROTATION OF SEVEN DIFFERENT MENUS, POTENTIALLY FROM SEVEN DIFFERENT NATIONS AND ALL AUTHENTIC. THE LAKSA PASTE IS FROM MALAYSIA, THE CHEESE IS FROM SWEDEN, THE CHOCOLATE IS FROM SWITZERLAND, THE COFFEE BEANS ARE FROM COLOMBIA, THE RAVIOLI IS ITALIAN, THE SALSA MEXICAN, THE SALMON NORWEGIAN, THE PANCAKE MIX AMERICAN AND THE SOBA-YU JAPANESE. IN SOME CAMPS THIS COSTS AND EXTRA FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS AND IS CALLED ‘GOURMET’, IN OUR CAMPS IT COSTS AND IS CALLED ‘NORMAL’.
AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THE JOURNEY INTO NUTRITIONAL DEFICIT STARTS AT THE AIRPORT FOR MOST CLIMBERS, AND THOUGH WE CAN’T CONTROL AIRLINE FOOD, THE CHOICES THE MOMENT YOU HIT THE GROUND IN CHINA ARE BEYOND A LIFETIMES SCALE TO SAMPLE. ENROUTE AS WE CROSS THE COUNTRY WE EAT FRESH FOOD EVERY MEAL, ORDERED AS WE WANT IT AND COOKED BEFORE US. WE EAT CHINESE, TIBETAN, UIGHER AND HUI, AND WHEN THE TIMES ALLOW IT THERE’S BEER AND WHISKY. SHOPS ARE FULL OF FRUIT, DRINKS AND SNACKS AND CLEAN AND BOTTLED WATER IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
AS A FACTOR IN PERFORMANCE OVER A LONG TRIP, EATING WELL WITHOUT INTERRUPTION IS A MAJOR INDICATOR OF HOW THINGS WILL GO WITH THE CLIMBING. KNOWING FAMILIAR AND/OR WELCOMED FOOD WILL FORM THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR DAYS GIVES A TEAM HEALTHY CONTINUITY. TRIPS WITH UNSUPPORTED LOGISTICS WHO ARE COOKING THEIR OWN MEALS, AND THEREFORE LIVING AROUND THE KITCHEN, GAIN A MAJOR SOURCE OF ACTIVITY THAT ALLEVIATES BOREDOM. MENUS ARE PLANNED TO PREDICT THE FLOW OF ASCENTS WHICH HAS ALL SORTS OF FACTORS INCLUDING WHAT TO EAT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND AFTER A HARD TIME OUT IN THE COLD. MORE THAN ONE CLIMBER HAS REMARKED THAT THE FRESH CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP THEY ATE BEFORE COLLAPSING INTO THEIR SLEEPING BAG AFTER 20+hrs PITCHING ABOVE 6000m WAS THE SINGLE BEST MEAL OF THEIR LIVES.
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THINKING
BEHIND ALL THIS IS THE FACT THAT CLIMBERS THINKING HAS EVOLVED WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD. AMATEUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT NUTRITION AND FOOD AROUND THE WORLD IS AT A LEVEL THAT WAS PROFESSIONAL A DECADE AGO WHICH HAS CHANGED THE FACE OF CLIMBING WHERE IT CAN. CLIMBERS NOW KNOW THEY DON’T HAVE TO LIVE OFF WHAT EXPEDITIONS ONCE DID, AND KNOW THEY CAN DO THIS FOR THEMSELVES RATHER THAN THE WHIM OF A COMPANY. THE VERY IDEA NOW OF COOKING FOR FUN RATHER THAN BEING WAITED ON BY STAFF HAS CHANGED THE WAY BASECAMPS CAN RUN, WITH CLIMBERS NOW CONTROLLING THEIR NUTRITION EVERY STEP OF THE WAY RIGHT DOWN TO THE MICRO- AND MACRO-NUTRIENTS.
CLIMBERS HAVE REALIZED THAT IF THEY SPEND MONTHS IN TRAINING THEN IT’S WORTH USING THE SAME INSIGHTS RIGHT THROUGH THE CLIMB. IF YOU TRAIN TO FAT ADAPT THEN IT MAKES SENSE TO EAT IN CONCERT WITH HOW YOU METABOLIZE FAT ONCE YOU GET CLIMBING. THINKING LIKE THIS HAS EASILY OBSERVED RESULTS THAT NOW CAN BE EASILY ACHEIVED BY THE CLIMBERS THEMSELVES, DESPITE HOW SLOW THE INDUSTRY IS TO FOLLOW.
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THE POINT BEING
WHILST THINGS LIKE GEAR & STYLE HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME THE DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPEDITION EATING HAVE SEEN LESS ATTENTION, DESPITE HAVING A VERY REAL, KNOWN IMPACT. THE EQUIPMENT, MENTALITY AND FOOD ITSELF HAS DEVELOPED TO THE POINT THAT CLIMBERS NOW CAN CONTROL AND ADJUST THEIR INTAKE IN WAYS THAT REALLY CHANGE A TRIP. ONCE IT WAS TINNED FOOD, THEN IT WAS SPACE AGE DEHY, THEN EVERYTHING TURNED INTO BARS AND ATTEMPTS AT EXOTIC FARE FREEZE DRIED AND VACUUM SEALED. NOW IT’S REAL FOOD MADE EATABLE WITH KITCHENWARE ONLY DREAMT OF A GENERATION AGO.
