Backcountry classroom: how to keep your stove working

OVERVIEW

You’ve had a long and tiring day sending it in the mountains, and now, as the shadows are lengthening, you settle into your campsite for the evening. The wind is picking up, and though the sunset is gorgeous, you know that soon enough that the ambient cold will get colder, and colder – the time is nigh for a hot pasta dinner. You place some snow in your pot and set about melting it – but what’s that? – the flame on your stove is sputtering – you check your fuel bottle (it’s full) and crank up the heat, but still the flame weakens; then, to your horror, it goes out. Shit. It’s now getting dark, and your butt is cold, and there’s nothing to eat; now you feel anxious too, because it’s a three-day hike back to your car, and you’re stuck in the backcountry with a broken stove. In the coming darkness, your heart sinks with the sun, until all (emotionally and environmentally) is dark.

But is it really broken?

Nope! If you backpacking enough, this situation is an eventuality that can easily be remedied with a bit of preparation and know-how. This hands-on class will teach you how whisperlite stoves work, and importantly, how you can fix them when they eventually clog. It will likely prove to be essential information

But why not use a pocket rocket, or other canister stove?

Canister stoves are lightweight and convenient, but some circumstances (cold weather, or very long trips, or in remote areas) whisperlites are the superior candidate. We can talk more about this during the trip, but it will suffice to say that, sometimes, canister stoves are not an option.

What to bring:
Just bring appropriate clothing for sitting outside. I’ll bring all of the club’s whisperlite stoves, and the necessary tools to work on them.

We will learn
1) How to safely operate a whisperlite
2) How to clean the stove
3) How to perform routine maintainence on the fuel pump

Upon graduating from this course, you will be prepared to successfully avert the aforementioned disaster – or perhaps fix a fellow hiker’s stove, thereby making a trail friend.