The alcohol stove is really a great option for lightweight backpackers and has many advantages over other cook systems, but may not be suitable for every backpacker or situation.

If you are interested in a stove that runs on odorless fuel, need to carry as little weight as possible, like to go cheap as possible, enjoy recycling, strive to use eco friendly renewable fuels whenever possible, and/or require the ability to find fuel while walking across North America then an alcohol stove is for you. If on the other hand you need to be able to melt tremendous amounts of snow to stay alive, demand the luxury of a gas range while camping, need bombproof durability, and/or like monster truck nitro injected power in your stove then the alcohol stove is not for you.

Here’s a modified KISS (Komplete Individual Simple Stoves) synopsis on alcohol stoves:

Advantages

Lightweight – few ounces versus a pound or more

 

Simplicity – just add fuel and light a match – no pumping, priming or pre-lighting required

 

Reliable – many designs are fail-proof

 

Quiet – generally can’t be heard

 

Odorless – if you spill alcohol all over your gear, you won’t smell like a gas pump for the rest of your trip

 

Availability of Fuel – can be found at any hardware store or gas station (great for thru-hikers)

 

No Maintenance – no time or repair kit need for adjustments and cleaning

 

Safety – fuel not explosive and can be easily extinguished

 

Easily Transportable Fuel – don’t need a heavy metal container to transport fuel – a disposable plastic water bottle is more than ample

 

Low Cost – the cheapest around or even free (use common recycled items)

 

Eco Friendly – uses a clean renewable energy source

 

DIY (Do It Yourself) – Tools, metal and fire! DIY stoving is so satisfying that is has become it’s own hobby

 

 

Disadvantages

Reduced Output – about half the heat output per ounce compared to other liquid fuels (white gas, butane, etc) and not appropriate for groups, long treks (greater than a one to two weeks without refitting) or melting snow

Invisible Flame – refilling with fuel or handling the stove can be dangerous to those that depend solely on the sense of sight for evaluating dangers

Cold Sensitive – most setups depend on vaporization of fuel and may not work well in frozen environments

Lacks Brand Name – North Face wearing, Mountain House eating, Starbucks drinking, Honda Element driving “outdoors people” will refer to you as “ghetto” and/or “trailer park”

Durability – if you step on your stove made from pop cans, you might have to say goodbye to hot meals for the rest of your trip

DIY (Do It Yourself) – Many of the stove designs out there require you to fabricate your own setup which can prove to be challenging or inconvenient for many

Visit for more information: Zen Backpacking Stoves

Types of stoves – There are gasoline, kerosene, propane, butane, and alcohol. There are also some “multifuel” stoves, which are purported to burn a number of different liquid fuels. These may not put out as much heat as those designed to burn white gas (naptha) only.

Gasoline stoves are the most reliable of the pack, especially in bad weather. And gasoline has the highest heat output of all stove fuels. Generally, gasoline stoves accept only “white” gas or Coleman fuel (highly refined forms of naptha). It’s not safe to burn leaded gasoline in them. An important distinction must be made between additive-free white gasoline-which is difficult to obtain-and additive-packed automotive unleaded gasoline, which is available at every gas station.

Kerosene has about the same BTU rating as gasoline, but it is less volatile. Where a gasoline stove will explode, a kerosene stove will simply burn. However, kerosene stoves are smelly, and they must be primed. Nonetheless, they are very safe and are grand for camp cooking.

Butane cartridge stoves are easy to light, flame control is very good and as simple as turning the knob, but butane stoves put out little heat. The colder it gets the less flame it manage.

Propane is relatively inexpensive and it puts out good heat. Its big drawback is in the packaging. The heavy steel cylinders that contain the gas are not fine in the packsack of a hiker.

Blended fuels. Some manufacturers blend butane and propane for better cold-weather performance; however, their heat output is still well below that of stoves that burn white gas.

Alcohol stoves are safe and reliable. Just light, the burner and you are ready to cook. Alcohol stoves are slow to heat, however. Most require ten to fifteen minutes to boil a quart of water! Sterno is a form of alcohol that comes in a can. Sterno puts out enough heat to warm food but not to cook it.

b. Cleanse poles and pegs off dirt after use.

c. Allow tent to dry before packing. Likewise, aerate tent immediately upon coming home. Avoid leaving damp tent inside your backpack for prolonged periods. Properly dry a tent before storage.

d. When hanging a tent, hang it at a breezy but shady area. Avoid exposing nylon tents directly to sunlight. The sun’s ultraviolet rays is damaging to nylon.

e. Should you wash the tent, avoid the use of strong detergents. Do not wring tent material, just softly brush off dirty area with water spray.

f. Keep tent parts together in one sack.

g. To store the tent, keep it preferably in a breathable sack of soft cotton.

h. Regularly check tent for rips and other damage. It is better to fix damages as early as possible to avoid unwanted discomforts during camping

BASIC FIRST AID

HYPOTHERMIA – a lowering of the body’s inner core temperature.a lowering of the body’s inner core temperature.There are three classes of hypothermia:chronic, acute, subacute. To understand hypothermia it is useful to review some basic concepts of how the body can gain or lose heat.

Body heat gain
Body heat loss
Body heat loss – The body loses heat in five ways:

Respiration
Evaporation
Conduction
Radiation
Convection

Treatment

Treatment – There are four lines of defence against hypothermia:

Avoidance of Exposure
Termination of Exposure
Early Detection
Immediate Treatment

a. The site should have gently sloping terrain. b. The area should have protection from strong winds or severe storms.

c. The site should be covered with grass to provide partial cushion

d. A water source should be located nearby but within a reasonable distance from your site to distance from your site to prevent its contamination. prevent its contamination.

e. To further appreciate the wilderness, a panoramic view of the area could also be taken into ea could also be taken into consideration.

2. Guidelines/Tips:

a. When selecting a campsite, finding all of the above is quite remote but more of them you can get in one site, the better it will be.

b. Consider the number and arrangement of the tents to be pitched.

c. The site should be free from poisonous plants and dangerous animals, possible landslide, and other natural hazards.

TRAIL REGULATIONS
1.When trailblazing, avoid wanton cutting of flora.
2. Avoid widening the trail.
3. Avoid cutting through switchbacks.
4. Inform the person behind you of imminent obstacles or dangers along the path. If s along the path. If ossible, clear the obstacles.possible, clear the obstacles.
5. When group is not sure of the way, several members should scout for the correct trail.out for the correct trail.
6. Side trail should not be used and should be marked to prevent others from taking it. t others from taking it.
7. To make your path safer, cut sharp thorns and poisonous plants found along the trail. Its found along the trail.
8. Wear long Wear long-sleeves or gloves. sleeves or gloves.
9. Avoid littering. Carry out all your garbage. Do not bury them.
10. Smoking on the trail or during the short rest is prohibited.
11. Flaps, belts or knots might become loose. It is the duty of the person behind to check if the man ahead of him has dropped anything ehind to check if the man ahead of him has dropped anything on the trail.g on the trail.
11.If lost, do not panic.

Types of tents

A-type - The classic triangular design. Supported by a pole on each end. Stretched tautly by staking down tightly to the ground with guy lines.

Tunnel or hoop – Tunnel-shaped, supported by loop frames. Usually tapering on one end. Aerodynamically better and provides more headroom than A-type tents.

Dome – a network of aluminum or fiberglass loops, forming a dome frame, supports Tent body upright. The geodesic design is also basically a dome, only it has more complicated frame network. This is a free standing tent.
]]> http://monteneros.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/camp-shelter-2/feed/ 1 Admin http://monteneros.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/climb-assessment/ http://monteneros.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/climb-assessment/#comments Wed, 30 Jan 2008 06:25:46 +0000 Admin http://monteneros.wordpress.com/?p=4 ]]> An essential part of the climbing experiences is the assessment. The team should meet not later than five days to review the good and weak points of the ascent. All participants of the climb are required to attend.