What Mountaineers Eat During High-Altitude Climbs?

Photo: Facebook.com/MountainHouse

Actually, the appearance of freeze-dried products made it possible for the alpine-style mountaineering to spread widely even in the Himalayas. Because the athlete had no longer carry everything on himself and move supplies from one camp to another. So high-altitude mountaineering had to be much obliged to the sublimates.

At present the industry of freeze-dried products is on the rise. Earlier it took care of polar explorers, army and cosmonauts, but today its clients are those who go hiking, fishing, running, and all people, who honest spend time outdoors. Yes, these products are not cheap, but they save time and backpack capacity.

How much it may cost? For example, two athletes during an ascent to 7-thousander can use about 20 food packs per expedition. Two packages per person per day (breakfast — omelet, lunch — snacks nuts, chocolate, energy bar; dinner - cutlet with mashed potatoes). This may run out to the sum from $400 to $500 (but no one promised that alpinism will be the cheapest sport).

And what do mountaineers eat in the base camps? As you know, the water boils at other temperatures in the mountains. For example, the boiling point at the five thousand meters high -83 degrees С. And at seven thousand -77 degrees C.

Therefore, that is why in the base camps the food is prepared in high-pressure autoclaves — the pressure in which is above atmospheric. This ware saves not only time, but also fuel: if in the 1930s and 1940s the climbers spent up to five liters of gasoline to prepare a bowl of rice, now this requires a small bottle of cooking gas, which will be enough for several meals.

What is for Non-Meat Eaters?

And how do vegetarians feel in these situations? It is worth noting that it is difficult for them. People who make high-altitude climbing, but do not consume animal proteins, should carefully monitor the set of elements that they eat.

You can check it by yourself: all known climbers made their most memorable expeditions before they became vegetarians (in case they became). However, the manufacturers of freeze-dried food or expedition organizers do not argue with the client's desire and also produce the vegetarian food menu card.

The same applies to the gluten-free food (although people often laugh, remembering that the mankind ate wheat with gluten for the millennia, and only recently discovered that this is a diet nuisance).

Nevertheless, God bless the sublimates. And we want to say to all outdoor lovers: choose anything what you can eat, and do it outdoors. And may the force be with you!

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