Tell us about your backcountry food

Everything tastes better in the backcountry

So they say.

While this might be true, some things taste better.

What we do

Guides eat in the backcountry all summer long. We like to eat well. So we go the extra step to prep and pack food we enjoy and look forward to eating. Whether it’s a hot breakfast first thing in the morning or a robust pasa dish at the end of the day, we think food matters.

A lot.

Why You’ll Love it

We put a great deal of care and time into our food prep. We take a great deal of pride in the job we do, and particularly when it comes to providing you with Awesome food.

So we make the effort to cook. And cook. And cook well.

Our backcountry food is a big part of why we get so many people come back for 2, 3, 4 and more trips. That and our infinite charm, of course.

If you order food from us, we’ll have you complete a comprehensive food form, compiling your tastes, likes and dislikes, as well as any allergies and other dietary restrictions. From there we figure out what works and what doesn’t for this particular group.

We aren’t a production-line setup. Each guide will do their own menu, and each guide has their own little specialties and favorites. Over the years we’ve put a great deal of effort into aggregating all that knowledge and practice into a really, really strong food setup.

What we don’t do

Many personal backcountry trips are fueled simply by pouring boiled water into pre-prepped dehydrated food packets. I’m sure you’re familiar with the Mountain House type thing. Even though that’s what most of us bring on backcountry trips, that’s not what you are signing up for if you decide to have us do your food.

All Your Questions Answered

  • Over the years our guides have refined our execution of a backcountry meal and we are proud to say that the reviews are in.

    “The food prepared by Christie made me feel like I was glamping; She really went above and beyond.” ~ Eric E.

    “Jared took good care of us during the trip, manage the campsite and hike well. He is also a good chef like magician, never think I could have pizza on a backpacking trip before.” ~ Weichun Fung

    “A special shout out to our guide Trevor who not only did a great job leading in the bush, but also performed double duty as a gourmet backcountry chef at the end of every day! If you are wondering about whether or not it is worth it to have Expeditions Alaska take care of planning and packing your food, the answer is a resounding YES!”  ~ Travis Dobson, Professional Chef.

  • This depends on the guide and their preferences, but our staple dishes include (but aren’t limited to)

    • backcountry pizza,
    • backcountry baking (fresh bread, garlic bread, cinnamon rolls, brownies, cookies),
    • fresh backcountry salads with fresh greens if available (arctic dock, mountain bluebell, wild berries),
    • fresh fish if available (arctic char and grayling),
    • curries,
    • pancakes,
    • hash-browns, and
    • burritos.

    Something you’d like to have? Let us know. Mike baked a birthday cake for a guest last summer.

  • Varies with trip length, of course. Expect between 8-12 pounds. Obviously, this weight goes down as the trip goes on.

  • Absolutely.

    Many of our guides are or have been vegetarian or have dietary needs of their own.

    Our food forms are comprehensive and cover any of your meal preferences.

    If you are a picky eater, we want to serve you what you want. Don’t be shy. Be as precise in your meal forms as you desire.

  • No. Just fill out our food forms and we will take care of planning, buying, and packing the food. We will hand you a canister full of food at the start of your backcountry trip. This will be your group’s entire food split into packable portions.

  • Yes.

    Most guides organize bear canisters into breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and refrigerated items. We’ll pre-pack everything, and provide you with a packed bear canister. We’ll then sort out whatever overflow food we have as well (we use bear-proof bags called Ursacks for that – superduper useful).

    These all have different weights and depending on how much weight you want to carry, you can grab the bear canister that best matches the load you think is feasible.

  • It’s helpful if you clean your own dishes. We will provide a kit to clean those dishes. Guides typically take care of pots/pans, but if you choose to help they will never forget you.

    A little bit of helpfulness will bring you excellent karma.

  • Would you like to?

    Sure. Here’s the form we have guests complete for us when they ask us to do food. It’s a pretty detailed questionnaire. We’ll compile that and make our trip menus from there. Nobody goes hungry.

  • I know you do. Food matters.

    More questions? Email me or call me  and we’ll go through them.

Expeditions Alaska
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