air travel with a backpacker stove

Kelly Kettle wood burning aluminum stove in 1 pint size?

BPL reviews of the Kelly Kettle: http://tinyurl.com/y9bdf2m

Requires very small amount of fuel. Apparently you can use dry moose and beaver droppings as fuel, too, since the website identifies dry camel dung as an option:

"Using any naturally occuring solid fuel (sticks, pine cones, dry camel dung! etc.) this kettle will operate perfectly well, even in a storm and will bring 2 Mugs of water to a rolling boil within a matter of minutes."

Quote from Kelly Kettle website: http://tinyurl.com/yezfu8j

The website also says "No travel restrictions (planes etc.)" at: http://tinyurl.com/y8q3g7c

Richard

I had a positively evil thought. In my checked bag, there will be an item balled up in aluminum foil. If some enterprising TSA inspector unfolds it, he will see nitroglycerin! Blow the whistles and arrest that man!
However, it is the low-grade medicinal type, and it has my valid prescription label on the package. I ought to pack that for the joy of thinking how they'll deal with it. Then, if they confiscate it, I can raise a stink.
–B.G.–

Guys, I think we're losing Bob!! :)

No, it is not that brand of stove.

Actually, I have cooked over yak patties before. That's a case when fresh is not good. In Nepal, the yaks wander around a pasture doing their thing. The kids let them sun dry until the patties are semi-stiff, and then they pick 'em up and set them on the stone walls between pastures to dry crispy. Then they burn 'em in stoves and even in open hearths. It's actually a good source of fuel once you get past the atmosphere. That would be a good marketplace for Beano.
–B.G.–

I visited Tibet and EBC last October. The Tibetan woman cooked for us over a fire fueled by cakes of yak dung — right inside our tent. I knew that was going to happen — and sort of braced myself for the impending aroma. But you know what? It was very mild, almost a pleasant aroma! They explained that was because their yaks ate only grass. Ok…

I would not have called the aroma "pleasant." It was not obnoxious. It probably depends on what kind of grass or hay the yak got fed with.
On my first trip to EBC-Nepal side, we were supported by yaks carrying loads, not human porters. That worked good from 11,000 feet up to 17,000 feet, and the yaks grazed. Then we got snowed on, and the snow covered any remaining grass. Those animals could not find anything to eat, and they got awfully mean. The Sherpas kept trying to round them up, but the yaks kept wanting to head over the hill to find some grass. Things got a little tense, and finally the sirdar told us that we were going to have to leave.
When the yaks don't eat, there aren't any yak patties, so no fuel for the stove.
–B.G.–

Those animals could not find anything to eat, and they got awfully mean.

Can't say I blame them…

So when is your trip anyway? Where to? How long?

I'll be gone to Alaska for a couple of weeks this summer. I've just nailed down the six basic reservations, and now I am just planning some of the logistics.

The mission is not backpacking. I'll have 40 pounds of camera gear instead. That will get messy for one flight that has a 50-pound baggage limit. So, only 10 pounds for UL camp gear and food for six days. There will be eight ounces of firestarter sticks in there.
–B.G.–

Juston, I see that you are in the Atlanta area. I will jump to the wild assumption that you fly out of Hartzfield Airport.

The last time that I was there, I was teaching a class to the FAA guys, so now I am going to have to get the FAA guys and the TSA guys to gang up on you! :-)

–B.G.–

I dunno…just pack plenty of small sticks with you for your start out, and pick up dry along the way once you're out there. It is possible to burn wet wood,even as a starter, and once the fire is hot enough and in small wood stoves, it will be, you can add your wet wood. I say practice your skills with wet wood now. It isn't hard. You just need patience.

You can also pack tea light candles as starters. They have many uses besides a light.

Wetfire Tinder is good, too.
Just my .02 cents worth.

Wow, sounds like a pretty serious photo shoot mission. Have tons of fun!

>>>The last time that I was there, I was teaching a class to the FAA guys, so now I am going to have to get the FAA guys and the TSA guys to gang up on you! :-)<<<

This is my scared face.

Just thinking about your problem Bob. Seems like you are having a bush pilot take you out into your desired location. I assume this because you said there was no runway. You'd be surprised how accommodating they can be. Call your guy that you've made arrangements with and kindly ask him to pick you up some supplies that you will need. I promise you won't have any trouble with this course of action. You can pay/tip him accordingly.

+1 on Juston's comments (if you are indeed using a pilot). Your pilot could help you. If you do not want to impose on him/her you could always mail a care package with what you need to your pilot and ask that it be brought along for you. Nevertheless, I'd bet if you mention to him/her your concern, the pilot has heard that one before and probably has a few ideas for you.

FWIW, as I mentioned in one of the top 10 posts, I've packed vaseline soaked cotton balls, matches, small bic lighters, even a few Triox tabs that I neglected to remove from the bottom of my food sack from a previous hike, etc. I ALWAYS have my bag(s) searched and they've never removed this stuff. Been flying to CA, AZ, UT, WY, CO, etc. for hiking trips every year from NC for 11 years and no problem.

Good luck – you got a lot of good ideas….

Oh, and btw, I'm not jokin' about the Frito's – light one and see how useful it can be….

Hi Ben!

Your Quote: "Can my metal tipped hiking poles be carry-on? No"

Is this because of the metal tips?

According to Southwest re: fishing poles: "Fishing rods and tackle boxes will be accepted as checked or carryon baggage provided the carryon rod fits securely in the overhead bin when enclosed in a cylindrical fishing rod container. A container may be purchased from Southwest Airlines for $10.00. When checking rods, containers may measure three inches in diameter and up to 91 inches in length. Fishing equipment includes a fishing rod and a fishing tackle box."

Anybody tried to carry-on GG light-trek poles.

on another note: Re stoves: Flammable Liquid Fueled Equipment (white fuel, gasoline, diesel, etc.) : Camp stoves, heaters, lanterns or other flammable liquid fuel camp equipment will not be accepted as checked or carryon baggage unless the equipment is brand new, unused and still in the manufacturer’s package. We will not accept the flammable liquid fuel equipment if there is any evidence that the equipment has been used.

Anybody been hassled over a pepsi can stove for Pete's sake?

Like was mentioned before, Cheetos burn HOT. A small pile will boil water. And you can eat them. :)

Hiking poles are specifically excluded from carry on. I did see one guy carrying his onto the plane but he said he had a doctor's statement indicating his need for a pole or cane.

I did try to carry on my old pretty-darn-light-and-compact REI UL Peak poles, but TSA would have none of it. Oh well.

OTOH, it's not a big deal since there are other hiking gear that can't be carried on — such as a Swiss Army knife. So, if you've gotta check one piece of item, then it doesn't really matter if you need to check two or three. As stated, I place my poles and knives into a postal tube and check that (everything else is carried on):

Wyatt:

Did you mean Fritos?

I've never tried Cheetos? But it wouldn't surprise me!

Thanks Ben.

I think I got hassled badly back in '01 or '02 and have taken them apart & checked ever since but with new GG poles and the case/tube was wondering? Prudence is the best policy.

>on another note: Re stoves: Flammable Liquid Fueled Equipment (white fuel, gasoline, diesel, etc.) : Camp stoves,
> heaters, lanterns or other flammable liquid fuel camp equipment will not be accepted as checked or carryon baggage
> unless the equipment is brand new, unused and still in the manufacturer’s package. We will not accept the flammable
> liquid fuel equipment if there is any evidence that the equipment has been used.

Wow! I thought that there was no problem with checked fuel bottles and stoves, as long a they were empty and open. It is hard to believe that no backpacker who flies anywhere takes a stove with them.

As to poles — I understand they can be checked in a tube. There isn't any problem checking them in a suitcase or duffel bag instead, if you wish to, is there?

— Bob

It's sort of like a bush plane, except that it is a float plane. If they have small hazardous items to transport (like Bear Spray), apparently they have been known to duct-tape them to one of the outboard struts to a float. That way there is no hazard inside the cabin. Of course, if they hit water just right, the cargo plunks into the water.

As for Hartzfield, just think of me next time you are doing a CAT3+ landing. Some of my equipment is there in the hands of the FAA guys.

–B.G.–

I was flying down to Argentina for a little expedition, and we were going to be using MSR XGK white gas stoves up high for ten days or so. We knew about the checked baggage rules, so I bought a new MSR and left the factory "new" label on the burner (just in case anybody inspected closely). I bought new Sigg fuel bottles, so everything that went down there was clean. We purchased our white gas down there, used the stoves, and then got back out to civilization while we prepared to fly home. I had a little job of cleaning out the used stove and bottles to eliminate all traces of fuel, and I left a little soap odor in there, just for laughs. Everything came home OK.

I would not worry too much about an alcohol stove. You ought to be able to rinse it off with any benign liquid to make it smell good. Stick a label on it that says "Saki" or something like that.
–B.G.–

What about wood stove pellets?

Hmmm. That's not a stupid idea. Let me think that over.

Do you have any idea what kind of wood the pellets are made from? As an example, hardwoods like oak burn hot and burn slow. Softwoods like pine burn medium and burn faster.

Wood pellets are formed (I thought) just for the convenience of an automatic feeder into a stove. I could throw a ziploc bag of pellets into a suitcase without much problem. If the pellet size is too small, they will clump up at the bottom of my tiny stove. There is some advantage in coarse size.

Hmmm. Let me find a friend who uses pellets.

Hmmm. For that matter, I could chop up a Pine Mountain Fire Log into sugar-cube size pieces.

–B.G.–

You can buy some "fatwood" which ia a kind ov pine wood that has a VERY high amount of flammable resin naturally inside teh wood. I think this would be good tinder and still pass the TSA folks scrutiny.