High Sierra Topix

I've seen the "plastic" sporks melt. I've had two TI sporks for at least 15 years. You have your knife and your spork; I don't scrape the pan with the spork; I deglaze the pan at the end for juices. Storing your pan in your pack isn't so much about the smell, but about any residuals that get to your clothes. depends on your pack choice. I wrap my pan in the first day shirt It's more about the pack and other things in there. The pan gets left out at night if the bear wants to play. They usually don't. I put it on the top of my bear can as a warning.

The wider stove burner really helps with cooking fish, per Mark's recommendation.

Don't know if you are looking for a fry pan by itself or a fry pan/pot combo. If it is the latter, I have been very happy with a msr alpine 2l pot set. The lid works as a fry pan, plate and lid. Have cooked trout and quesadillas on it many times. It is stainless steel, weighs about 14oz and holds all of the kitchen gear for my wife and I. I've had it for over 20 years and ever time I look at buying a new pot, nothing I have seen in that size matches its overall versatility: most pot lids are just lids.

I bought the 2l by itself but today's sets come with a 1.5 and 2l pot with the lid sized to work with both.

Adrn wrote: Is a Ti spork/set not necessary or will my LMF plastic sporks or guyot designs 5 in 1 utensils just melt if I cook with them?? As for bringing something to store it in to prevent smells, what do you use or recommend? Also being new to this, I'm going off a lot of standard info I have read up on. I noticed one of your tents really close to your "kitchen". No concern of bears etc??
Thanks again for any and all advice.
Adrian

Over the years, have decided that there are two kitchen utensils that are really important, BTW, you do not need anything that comes in a "set". 1) A long-handled Ti spoon/or spork - will not ever melt or snap, turns over trout easily, stirs pasta, and can easily get to the bottom of all boil-n-bag meals without getting food on your hand...and 2) a small SAK - the one with scissors and a short blade knife...(here shown in fishing mode - tied to my hemostats?)

BTW, another look at the kitchen picture - I see 2 pot "scrubbies" also evident there - one metal and the other yellow plastic. Also there's a hot pad visible too...also a bic lighter. (Insert something here about assembling your own kit...everything having a regular assigned place to live.)
RE the small nalgene for oil...now 1 oz individual olive oil packets are available - better. Notice the pot holding snow/ice for 151 daiquiris? Notice the garlic skins? Just some hints as to what works... for me.

BTW, All you need for safe frypan storage is a 1 gal, zip-lock baggie. After cooking over a fire, the pot bottom gets coated with black, oily soot. A big baggie prevents the dirt from messing/smelling up the inside of the backpack.

About my tent being close to the kitchen...bears have a great sense of smell. They know where you are camped, and where the food is. Best strategy - carry a bearcan (also seen in kitchen picture), and relax.

BTW, alcohol stoves are pretty much useless up high for cooking fish - (just not enough heat to cook chunky, fat trout) when higher up Sierra.

I have had that problem with canisters at altitude, especially when less than half full, but never with alcohol.

markskor wrote:

Adrn wrote:
RE the small nalgene for oil...now 1 oz individual olive oil packets are available - better.

I really like those little olive oil packets. I use this site http://www.minimus.biz to pick up all the little items that are hard to find or repackage.

Great stuff here.


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freestone wrote:

BTW, alcohol stoves are pretty much useless up high for cooking fish - (just not enough heat to cook chunky, fat trout) when higher up Sierra.

I have had that problem with canisters at altitude, especially when less than half full, but never with alcohol.

Remote canister stoves - you have the ability to invert the canister...(much like a paint can where you turn it upside down to clean the nozzle - but here the exact opposite), the stove canister has the most volatile/lightest gas at the top...first gas to escape. At lower ambient temps, rendering low pressure when canister approaches 1/2 empty. By inverting, this forces the heavier gas out first - no drop in pressure.

[/quote]
Remote canister stoves - you have the ability to invert the canister...(much like a paint can where you turn it upside down to clean the nozzle - but here the exact opposite), the stove canister has the most volatile/lightest gas at the top...first gas to escape. At lower ambient temps, rendering low pressure when canister approaches 1/2 empty. By inverting, this forces the heavier gas out first - no drop in pressure.[/quote]

Does inverting the canister cause any change in fuel efficiency (more fuel used per burn) enough that on a longer trip 7+ days you would consider bringing a larger/2nd canister?


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gabe&mel wrote:
Does inverting the canister cause any change in fuel efficiency (more fuel used per burn) enough that on a longer trip 7+ days you would consider bringing a larger/2nd canister?

Inverted - creates equal pressure through the entire life of the canister (allowing for temp and altitude issues too of course.)
Thus inverting extends the canister's useful life - one of the many reasons to choose a remote canister over pocket rocket type stoves. Yes a few oz heavier (BTW, my Windpro a little over 7 oz as compared to 3 oz for a pocket rocket). Also better in stability issues, able to use a windscreen, wider flame pattern, etc.

If just boiling water - meh, if cooking for real though...go remote/ inverted.

See discussion -
http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... 15&t=12137

As I recall, but I could be mistaken, if you use the canister inverted thru its entire capacity the stove will consume fuel faster. But it sure burns better inverted when cold or when the fuel is nearly gone, so when nearly empty inverting can extend the useful life of the canister.

Mike

Thanks a bunch @markskor, rlown, rye_tyler, oldranger, gabe&mel, freestone, Snowtrout for all the great advice and personal experience that, to a newb like me, is priceless. I do appreciate all the ideas you have provided/planted in my brain. This gets me to a yes on the fry pan for sure.
Ti utensil and a stove in addition to my primus micro are also now on the list. Sounds like the reward outweighs the added weight(fuel bottle). Will now be looking for these items in a way that keeps me off the couch if you know what I mean.
That minimus site is awesome and gives me ideas as well such as: trying out some of those McD's french fry flavor packets on some fish or chopped veggies(garlic parmesan trout??), saving items such as extra Italian salad dressing packets instead of tossing them. I'm sure the list could go on and on.

Adrian