MOUNTAINEERING • Getting started • Is mountaineering for me? • Skills & techniques • Fitness • Food & nutrition • Equipment overview • Gear check list • Joining an expedition • The effects of altitude • Navigation • Safety & first aid • Further reading

MOUNTAINEERING
Food and nutrition

Our Trekking - Food & nutrition section goes into detail on nutrition and what is required by the human body in order to function properly, so we won't double up on that information here. There are a few things to consider when mountaineering that are not covered in the above topic.

At altitude many people experience a severe loss of appetite and can go for days without feeling the slightest bit hungry. This experience combined with possible altitude sickness of some degree can easily result in climbers being left undernourished. It is important to keep check of this.

On commercially guided expeditions all food is prepared for you by kitchen staff that is employed by the company who is providing the trip. This is one of the reasons why these expeditions are generally more expensive to climb with. The up side is that you don't need to concern yourself with making sure that you are taking the right types of food with you. It's all done for you.

If however, you are organising your own climbing expedition, you will need to consider a few things where food is concerned.

 

Freeze dried food

These are light weight and easy to carry but may not suit everyone's tastes. These foods are designed to suit climbing expeditions and are capable of supplying the correct amount of food to last a typical day along with the right balance of vitamins, minerals and calories. A down side of this type of food is that it can be expensive.

 

Prepare your own

You can also prepare your own food with ingredients available from local supermarkets. They include dry soups, dry potatoes, pudding mixes, dried milk, instant hot cereal, instant rice, dried fruits, dried meat, pasta, and processed cheeses.

Local fruit and vegetables are often readily available and fairly cheap to buy along the way. These can be quick to cook if you cut them up small.

Try to avoid excess packaging as this will add weight and will need to be carried back down. Also remember that water takes longer to boil at altitude so avoid taking food that takes a long time to cook such as rice, beans or lentils. Pasta is a better alternative.