In the immortal words of Dwight K. Shrute “In order to be a winner, Jim, you have to fuel like a winner.” Trail foods are a very important part of any expedition. It doesn’t matter if you’re going on a stroll in the woods with the family or tackling a 5 day hike through bear country. When ever you are maintaining a constant level of activity your body is burning fuel, if you run out of fuel your body will start pulling up the floor boards and tossing in the furniture to keep the fire going.
Most 14ers are going to be a single day event. You get their early, do your thing, and your back home in time for dinner and beers. This makes life a little easier in that you don’t need to bring a bunch equipment and worry about several days worth of hearty meals. At the same time, 14ers are strenuous, and you will be climbing around 3000 feet in altitude to reach the top. While it will be a day trip, you’re going to burn a lot of calories.
The Day Before
Food concerns start the day before your trip. It’s important to give your body all the things it will need for the following day. We store a certain amount of energy in easy to access places (in your muscles and even in your liver) in a ready to use format. This is energy that is on demand, easy to burn and the first to go. For people that are generally sedentary you don’t often get through that reserve during your day. For people that are involved in daily activities or strenuous labor it’s not uncommon to deplete your reserves.
To be sure you’re going to be firing on all 4 cylinders it’s a good idea to stock your body up the day before. Eat a hearty lunch of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats (like Omega-3 and olive oil) and a smaller meal for dinner. A pasta lunch with vegetables, fish/seafood/chicken and a hunk of whole wheat bread would hit the spot. I recommend avoiding red meat if you eat it on a regular basis but if it’s a “sometimes food” for you, having a nice 8oz steak wouldn’t hurt either. Hearty does not mean excessive, so don’t over eat. You don’t want to be digesting massive meals all night and feel like crap the next day.
Drink plenty of clean water, to the tune of 64oz or more, depending on your size. Avoid any dyaretics and try and steer clear of alcohol, the better hydrated you are at the trail head the better your body is going to preform. Also, don’t over do it on the sweets. Sugar is an instant energy source and not something your body can store any better then regular carbohydrates. It’s important to get a solid nights sleep so try not to eat more then 2 hours before bed and avoid any caffeine after 4pm.
Game Day
Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast. For the love of god eat Breakfast! I know a lot of people complain how they can’t eat in the mornings, they aren’t hungry, and they end up skipping the most important meal of the day. Breakfast gets your metabolism fired up. It stokes the fires of your human machine and gets you ready for the day. Try and get something of substance in you before you hit the trail head. Eat grains, protein, and sugars. Yes, sugars. A stack of multi-grain pancakes, a bagel sandwich with egg and sausage, yogurt with granola and whole fruits, anything! Try and avoid heavy, greasy foods but don’t be afraid of a little bacon.
After you body burns through it’s reserves it starts looking other places for fuel, like your ass or beer belly. Your body has a harder time converting fat into something useful. Fat has to be combined with protein, carbohydrates and oxygen in order to make it a fuel your muscles can use. Your pre-game day meals and breakfast helps to keep useful building blocks in your system for your body to use in energy conversion. Keeping hydrated helps your body make these conversions and transitions faster.
On the Trail
Everyone has their different tastes but essentially what you need is sugars, carbohydrates, anti-oxidants, potassium and any kind of protein you can get. It’s nice to get these things in easy to consume/carry configurations such as GORP, trail-mix, granola, energy bars (I prefer Cliff bars, but your tastes may vary), energy gels, M&M’s, raisins, dried fruits and berries, anything with honey, you get the idea. It’s all about instant energy and trying to replenish those energy stores. Sugar is something your body can start using right away, it has a very low cost to you to convert into mountain stomping power. Remember to always bring more then you know you’re going to eat, not double, but extra. You never know if a buddy didn’t bring enough or if you end up out there longer then you planned for.
Everyone tends to vary on when they get hungry, a friend of mine doesn’t get hungry until he gets to the top, I on the other hand, munch on the trail. Either way you’re going to want to get something heavy in your belly at some point. I bring Peanut Butter, honey and banana sandwiches, usually two, and have those along with my snacky foods I’ve been munching on. Just something with carbs that you know is going to make you feel well fed.
After Party
Regardless of what you ate on the trail odds are high you burned a lot more calories then you consumed and once your on the road back home your stomach is going to start making outrageous demands. I’m not proud of it, but, it’s a after summit ritual to hit up a fast food joint on the way back into town. I don’t recommend it, but sometimes you just have to feed the need. Assuming you have a stronger constitution then I do all I can suggest is protein. Any kind of protein. You muscles are in a state of repair and protein will help them rebuild. It will help you recoup faster and make you stronger for the next trip.
In short, eat smart, drink clean water and don’t eat the mushrooms.