PLANNING YOUR FOOD FOR HIKING MOUNTAINS

5. The importance of hydration

Keeping hydrated is essential during any mountaineering trip. Our bodies lose a lot of fluids (and minerals etc.) as we sweat and exhale, so they need to be replenished at regular intervals along the way. Even a small drop in body hydration will result in a big drop in mental and physical performance.

“A muscle dehydrated by 3%, for example, loses 10% of its strength”

The amount of water you can carry may not be enough for the route you are undertaking. Recommended levels might be as much as 4 or 5 litres for a 12-hour climb but in most cases, it won’t be possible to carry more than 2 or 3 litres. Some routes will offer opportunities to refill water bottles and hydration reservoirs from mountain streams high up. But always bear in mind what lies upstream from the water you source – any human settlements or farms will potentially mean the water is less clean.

To be on the safe side it might be worth investing in a portable water filter (especially if you plan to visit regions further away from home, where you have few natural antibodies). If climbing in snow (or up to snow), then melting snow using a small stove and pot can be a great way of sourcing more water along the way.

Do not, however, eat snow as a source of hydration. The body will burn more calories getting the snow up to body temperature. However, remember snow or ice are just water and your body needs a mineral water balance to work... Think isotonic drinks!

‘Tanking’ up on water beforehand is also advisable, and it’s always good to leave more water in the car for when you get back down. We probably don’t need to tell you that alcoholic drinks cause dehydration.

5.1 Alpine climbing food ideas

Fuelling at regular intervals throughout the day will enable you to keep moving uphill and stay focused over the course of a long approach or summit day. Having a selection of handy, tasty snacks with you is a great way to do this. When selecting the food to take, also consider how well it will travel.

These might include snacks like:

• granola bars
• energy/protein bars
• nuts
• trail mix (nuts/seeds/dried fruit)
• oat cakes + nut butter
• wholegrain sandwiches
• rice/pasta/quinoa salads (more substantial for lunch perhaps)
• homemade banana bread
• homemade energy balls
• locally cured South Tirolean Speck or salami, or beef jerky (takes longer to digest though…)
• wholemeal tortilla wraps
• hard cheese (try locally made)
• fresh fruit (this has the added bonus of water content but can be heavy or easily damaged)
• chocolate (especially with nuts)
• wholegrain fruit and nut muffins
• pretzels (these have the added benefit of replenishing salt lost in sweat)

6. Everyone has their own secret recipe or favourite food to fuelling up on the mountain. We asked a few pros to share their advice:

6.1 Egon Resch, Dolomites mountain guide

“Sometimes on long trips, I carry a piece of parmesan cheese. It contains a lot of energy for its weight and tastes good in small pieces on its own, or with bread or pasta. When I’m in the mountains, I try to drink and eat little and often. Eating large amounts in one go takes up too much time and requires too much energy to digest.”

6.2 Paul Guschlbauer, professional paraglider, explorer and SALEWA athlete

“I use Red Bull a lot during sports. I mix it 50:50 with water. It tastes great and basically comes with all I need: hydration, caffeine and sugar. I if I am out for longer, I bring more liquids, including isotonic ones to have the electrolytes.”

6.3 Anna Stöhr, professional climber and SALEWA athlete

“My favourite snacks while climbing are: oat bars, energy balls (made with dates, coconut and figs by my sister), “Gummibärchen” fruit candy bears and chocolate. My personal recommendation: eat whatever tastes good to you. It’s important to have enough power for your project. Carrots alone won’t get you to the top.”

6.4 Thomas Friedrich, speed hiker, paraglider and SALEWA athlete

“I normally carry energy bars with me and maybe take an apple or a banana – and/or to be super safe a gel. In longer hike & fly events, when I have a supporter with me I eat rice or pasta. For drinks, I use just water when I’m training and have isotonic drinks or water and red bull for races.”

7. Keeping weight down

Professional climbers will attest to the fact that weight must be balanced against the calorie content of the food. Too few calories and you risk low blood sugar levels and fatigue (mental and physical), which can severely cramp your performance and will make you feel weak and tired.

Too much food and you will be carrying more weight than necessary, and this can sap your strength. Finding the right balance, and the food that works best for you is key. On shorter climbing trips or skimo days we tend to rely on our body’s own stores to a certain extent, in order to keep the weight down. On longer trips this approach is not sustainable though.

Top tip: Repackage any bought food supplies into lighter weight, secure packaging. This also means you have less rubbish to take back down the mountain with you.

8. Altitude and environment considerations

Eating during or after any kind of strenuous exercise can be challenging at times, but at higher altitudes this is doubly the case. Our bodies are having to cope with depleted oxygen and so are more focused on the essential functions than on instincts like hunger and regenerating energy levels. But you can easily alleviate some of these challenges by choosing foods that you would normally enjoy eating. When climbing in cold conditions, consider how the temperature will affect the food. There’s nothing worse than trying to gnaw at frozen energy bars when you’re hungry! One useful tip is to keep them close to your body (in a chest pocket) instead of inside your pack. And likewise, on hot days, those chocolate bars might not be such a great idea.

9. Before setting off

The food we eat, leading up to the climb or route, is just as important as what we eat during the day. Having a big, nutritious breakfast, for example, will set you up for a good day of climbing and skiing, and mean you can get away with only eating snacks throughout the day. If possible, have a big, high-energy meal the night before your climb.

Eating snacks on the drive to your destination, like bananas protein bars, oat cakes etc. is another way of cutting down weight and giving your body the best chance to perform well.

9.1 Breakfast ideas:

Eating a good-quality breakfast with an element of protein in it is best. However, if you don’t have time to digest before you need the energy, it’s better to eat less and carry the rest as small snacks. This could be:

• Oat and quinoa porridge with ground seeds, desiccated coconut, made with milk (add a scoop of whey or skimmed milk powder for an extra protein hit) and drizzled with honey or maple syrup
• Scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast
• Banana pancakes with yoghurt & muesli
• Protein shake made with fruit and milk

9.2 Post-climbing food

You should always make sure you eat within a 1 to 2-hour period following any high-intensity physical activity to replenish stocks. If you’ll make it home in that time, then cook yourself a meal that includes good-quality protein e.g. fish, chicken, tofu, salmon or eggs and some good-quality carbohydrates e.g. brown rice, oats, quinoa, sweet potato, starchy vegetables (carrots/ parsnip/pumpkin/butternut squash) and leafy green vegetables. Also include healthy fats from olives, avocado, oily fish, nuts & seeds for example. A small protein snack on the way home will also help kick off muscle recovery.

9.3 Recipe: Oatmeal peanut butter bars

Making your own protein bars not only saves money but also means you can be 100% sure that you are getting a nutritious snack to fuel your mountain activities. Here’s an example of a tasty recipe you can try out at home.

• Ingredients:

  70 g wholemeal flour

  1 tsp. cinnamon

  ½ tsp. baking powder

  pinch salt

  125 g smooth peanut butter

  100 g brown sugar

  100 g honey

  1 large egg

  2 large egg whites

  2 tbsp. canola oil

  2 tsp. vanilla extract

  170 g rolled oats

  150 g dried cranberries

  75 g chopped nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, or any seeds you fancy

  75 g chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat oven to 160°C (fan oven) and line a baking tray (approx. 22 cm x 33 cm) with greaseproof paper. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl. In a large bowl beat together the peanut butter, sugar and honey (an electric mixer is quicker). Beat the eggs and then add them to the peanut butter mixture, then add the canola oil and vanilla extract. Beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula. Mix in the oats, cranberries, nuts and chocolate chips. Spread evenly and baking tray and cook for 20 for to 25 minutes until lightly browned on the edges. Allow to cool, then cut into bars and store in an airtight container.

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