Brad - they advertise the bars as a meal replacement - "stoveless backpack meals".
As to the trip, my wife, and by extension me, is trying to hike all 900+ miles of trails in the Smokys. We have remote pieces of the AT left and a few longer hikes on the Carolina side. We are getting close. The only ones that remain are longer than I want to day hike - and we've done several 20+ mile days in the last 2 years. At 55, my feet don't want to function after 20 miles. So, I hatched the idea of backpacking to get the rest. Bought her an Osprey pack (Aerial I think) and working through things to make it as comfortable as possible for her. I foresee a few long days and A. don't want to cook much, B. want something that is good. Plus, I'm thinking this works for my elk trips.
We haven't settled on an AT route yet but am leaning toward 2 trips. Start in the middle (Newfound Gap) and hike to Fontana Dam (~ 35 miles) on trip 1. Trip 2 starts at Newfound Gap and hike towards Davenport gap, also ~ 35 miles. Thinking those are 3 day trips each. Starting at Fontana means a 3000+ foot elevation gain over about 6 miles but the first 2 miles or so is the bulk of the climb. The Smokys aren't high but they do get steep. We have a hike or two on the Carolina side that likely involve a backpack and a boat ride across Fontana.
Don't tell my wife but I may use her hiking goals as elk season prep. We are headed to Colorado in 2 weeks on a hiking vacation. There might be a bit of elk scouting, or I mean hiking, that week. <G>
Thanks for the food ideas - I'll check them out.
Nice!
I walked from Springer Mountain, GA to WV in the summer of 1977 with a friend. I turned 16 years old at Bly Gap. I think I went through Newfoundland Gap on the 2nd of July 1977, because I was definitely at Davenport Gap on the 4th of July where we two long haired Yankees were invited to a wonderful down-home family reunion, repleat with moonshine (my first taste). “Southern Hospitality” is no myth!
Anyway, the Appalachians are fantastic training for elk hunting... Westerners really don’t appreciate how hard the hiking there can be.
I appreciate the info on the greenbelly bars... I’ve been looking for something like these for lunches. I eat a plant based diet 99% of the time which eliminates a lot of the backpack foods available.
