Alcohol stove in high sierra late summer

i used mine all along the JMT well into the first part of September…no problems at all.

Cool, it has a nice windscreen and all that I just wasn't so sure about the elevation causing any issues.

Before you commit to using an alcohol stove up there check the current regulations. In recent years the stove regulations have been very restrictive due to fire conditions. Picking up your permit and being informed that your stove choice is banned can be disconcerting.

if you look on the websites of all the entities that encompass the JMT they finally put into writing that alcohol stoves were allowed with the others…it was only wood burning stoves that were a problem.

of course, as the drought worsens who knows what will happen….

"How will a caldera cone alcohol stove perform at 10,000 – 12,000 feet in the high sierra early september."

They work just fine. And if you're worried about fire restrictions, use a Starlyte-it's non spillable.

"And if you're worried about fire restrictions, use a Starlyte-it's non spillable."

You might want to talk to the Sierra National Forest people about that.

They know about On/Off switches.

–B.G.–

We've already had a forest fire on the Plumas NF last week, at the northern end of the Sierra Nevada. Be careful out there, don't burn me out.
Duane

I have heard "it must have an on/off switch" several times so far this year when scoping out current snow levels.
I would imagine that as it gets dryer it will get stricter.

" I have read alcohol stoves are a no-no in winter"

The two guys who just completed the first Winter PCT thru hike used alcohol.

Not sure how one manages that in terms of fuel weight, but I wouldn't call it an unqualified "no-no."

I have read alcohol stoves are a no-no in winter

Depends on winter in the location you're backpacking.

IF there is running water available, alky is feasible. If one must melt snow exclusively for water it is not feasible because it requires so much more fuel to turn solid into liquid, and so much more time to do so.

I used an alcohol stove (starlyte) on the JMT last Sept. Knew that it was legal due in no small part to Jennifer Mitol's persistence with the Forest Service and willingness to post the results of her emails back and forth. I've noticed that Yosemite and SEKI now both have explicitly approved the use of alcohol stoves even when fire restrictions are in place. Jennifer – I haven't been able to find anything on the Inyo or Sierra NF websites that specifically mentions alcohol stoves. Do you recall where you found it?

There are no issues with an alcohol stove at 12,000 feet that you don't have with other stoves (i.e., lower boiling point of water). And fuel was not a problem – I bought fuel at Reds Meadow and MTR. Never carried more than 8 oz at a time, but I was only boiling about 2 cups of water per day on average.