Date: 2007-08-05
From: Moose Mountain Shelter, NH

To: Smarts Mountain, NH
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: broken clouds

Leaving Moose Mountain we head down to elevation 950 feet at Goose Pond. After that we climb a long way up to Smarts Mountain at 3200 feet. This hike is tough on the knees. The weather is beautiful, sunny and cool. From the fire tower on Smarts Mountain I can see Mt. Washington, about 80 miles away.TRAINMAN¢S SIDEBAR COMMENT: Trail Food Junk FoodHikers eat a lot while on the trail. When April calls in and says time to send another care package to her, I know that it will be three-quarters full of food. Hikers¢ tastes can be fussy especially when it comes to junk food. Here are some junk food realities you may find interesting.Crackers and chips, unless they can be kept in a crush proof container, just don¢t cut it. No matter how hard you try to protect them they disintegrate into dust in a matter of hours. Pretzels don¢t make the grade, either, rating about zero on the thrill meter.Any kind of standard issue candy bar (Snickers, Hershey, Butterfingers) is a great choice during cold weather but as soon as the weather reaches 90 degrees you have a puddle of chocolate syrup and a very big mess. Not a good idea to have chocolate reside on your hands while strolling through bear country.Granola bars are a mixed bag. Some are excellent with good taste, nuts and filling inside, maybe chocolate (ok in season). The best bars make no pretense as to helping you lose weight. The ones making those claims should be avoided. Hikers do not want anything that hints at low calorie or reduced fat. To the contrary, they actively seek these essentials to survive.On a whim (well, actually they were offered at 2-for-1) I bought some Kashi-brand Little Chewy Bars. This company mainly manufactures cereal, and I¢m fond of their many varieties. Unknown to me the bars are STEALTH weight loss bars, and they taste like it. Good thing I never sent any of them to April, she would have questioned my sanity.While pondering what to do with 2 boxes of unsuitable trail food, I reviewed the nutrition stats on the packages. Maybe this would offer clues as to why the Kashi bars don¢t cut it. The results:Kashi bar, 5 g fat, 140 calories (yuck)Peanut butter filled crackers, 11 g fat, 200 calories (getting better)Hershey bar with nuts, 14 g fat, 230 calories (super junk, our winner!)It became painfully obvious why the granola bars are not right. They are too healthy! So I decide to keep the Kashi and eat them myself. April doesn¢t need to lose weight, but I do.The best bars are the so-called Energy or Sports Bars. Quality varies, but the ones best liked are Clif bars, Luna bars and Larabars. These bars are formulated to withstand the rigors of outdoor activity. They do not disintegrate or melt. They are very dense, having little obvious cereal but lots of chewy fruit and nut filler. In fact, some are so stiff, bordering on caramel consistency, that during times of low temperatures you risk breaking your teeth. Please remember to warm them up in a pocket first. These products are relatively high in fat and calories and have excellent taste ¢ they¢re perfect!Hikers have no concern about eating too much on the trail, the laws of nutritional physics just won¢t let that happen. Every day finds most hikers running a calorie deficit (if they're not careful). There are reports that some hikers lose so much weight they have to leave the trail to fatten up. Seems hard to believe. But for those who either have the food with them or can afford to buy it in restaurants, the situation is ideal. You can eat as much as you want every day and never have to worry.