Desert Hiking Food

photo credit: andydr

Like winter camping, desert hiking is an experience of subtleties, a trip in which time slows down until a weekend seems like a month, and a week seems to stretch out like a year. But the desert poses some particular and memorable challenges. If you do decide to go desert hiking, besides how much water is needed, you need to consider what food to bring along during your hike.

• Your appetite decreases in really hot weather and heavy, fatty foods (like cheese and sausage) are likely to seem unappetizing. Foods like crackers, cereals bars, and dried fruits might seem easier to digest or at least more appealing.

• Take plenty of snacks and food that can be eaten cold. Think meltdown: Foods like cheese and chocolate can be messy in hot temperatures. If you do take them, stick them in the coolest middle portion of your pack and   - if your do find yourself camped near a cool spring - harden them up by dunking the food (in its zipper lock bag) in the water.

• Hard candies or throat lozenges help stave off thirst if you’re temporarily out of water.

• GORP (good old raisins and peanuts) is a great desert snack because it replenishes the salts (from the nuts) and sugars (from the raisins and whatever goodies you add to it) you’ve been losing to heat and exertion.

• Make sure to add banana chips to your GORP mixture, because they help replace the potassium you lose when you sweat.

• Avoid caffeinated coffee and tea: they are diuretics.

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