caldera fuel dilemma

[Zack h]

I will preface this by saying I recognise this is Highly situation dependant and also that if this needs to be in the general dicussion feel free to move the thread.
With a 3 fuel option, how many of you actually carry more than one fuel (or setup for) and why?
The very thing that attracted me to the ti-tri leads me in circles when I try to discipline my self away from packing for 'what ifs'.
Again, each factor like elevation change, fuel availability, fire restricted areas (which I presume would nix the inferno option?) All dictate the solution.
It occurred to me the other night that for my particular setup, that when comparing fire to alchy, the variable components were 0.7oz ( inferno gear) vs 1.2oz (stove plus bottle) respectively. I suppose the immediate deal breaker there is the eventual fuel weight.
I guess the burden getting both is the alchy setup pays off on long hikes with wet weather?

I may be grasping at straws here, but carrying 2 fuels on short hikes seems silly. I'm sure someone will give me a fresh perspective on this.

Last, has anyone encountered a situation where just because its wood you burn in the caldera instead of alcohol or esbit its a regulatory issue?

Sigh…long winter nights.

[Raymond Estrella]

I only carry alcohol when using most of my Caldera systems. I know that should something happen I can use wood for back-up.

When using the Sidewinder for wood-only use I did carry a single Esbit cube just in case I could not find burnable material.

[Bob Gross]

For wood, some areas have had lots of wildfires, so they are paranoid about wood fires in any form. As a result, they ban a wood-fired Caldera Cone the same as an open wood campfire. In other areas, they ban open wood campfires, but they allow a closed wood-fired Caldera Cone. Some areas get too much use altogether, so they ban wood fires. Each jurisdiction and agency makes its own rules, so you need to inquire.

In many places along the John Muir Trail, you are camping above timberline, so there is no wood. You probably aren't going to carry pounds of wood from somewhere else to use. So, wood is not foolproof. When it rains, the wood can become unusable. It would also get very risky to try to maintain a wood fire under a solo tarp somewhere.

One friend of mine is doing a long trail, and the plan is to use wood twigs where possible. Then, if there are no wood twigs, or if it has been raining, or if wood fires are illegal or impractical, then alcohol is the next on the list. It works pretty good unless the weather is intensely cold. If the alcohol has run out, or if it leaked, then Esbit is the last resort. It isn't the worse fuel, but it also has limitations.

–B.G.–

[Zack h]

Makes perfect sense what your friend is doing, and the comments on wood carry!

So, is it the preception that because its wood it will inherently cause more wood fire, or more because its not a shut off valve….?of course the alchy stove isn't either so that has me curious.

[Bob Gross]

"So, is it the preception that because its wood it will inherently cause more wood fire, or more because its not a shut off valve….?of course the alchy stove isn't either so that has me curious."

It's difficult to say. Each forest manager has his own set of ideas. It might be because of a shut off valve, but I don't know. Alcohol stoves are kind of limited in their output. It's hard to find somebody who would ban an Esbit burner.

–B.G.–

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