how to keep meals cold in backcountry

[vandeman17]

How do you guys that do drop camps keep your food cold? We are going in late September on an elk hunt and are getting all our ducks in a row. I am pretty confident in almost everything we have planned but we are still trying to lock down the food situation. We are planning on doing a lot of ready to make meals for camp as well as if we need to spike camp it for a night or two. With that being said, we were still hoping to bring a frozen stew, frozen pasta or some things along those lines for a supper or two. We are going in on horseback and mules and we would bring a big cooler but there is a maximum size per item for packing purposes.

[MtnMuley]

Bring them in frozen, and bury them a couple feet with a board and soil on top.  Bout the only was I've found.  Should last the entire time you're up there.  The only other way is to build a little dam in a nearby creek and keep them in there

[vandeman17]

There is a creek nearby and we thought about going that route but wasn't sure if it would work. I have never tried the ground method but that sounds like it could work. I am fine with eating instant meals and all that most of the time but for an 8 day hunt, a nice supper or two would help recharge the batteries.

[sirmissalot]

We bring two 65 guart yeti's, each one has frozen meals such as chili, spaghetti, stew, steaks, etc. that keep other items like butter, milk, cheese, egg beaters etc. cool. One mule gets a cooler on each side they fit right in the panyards.

Creeks work fine for beer not sure about food but I guess it could work in a pinch.

[vandeman17]

We bring two 65 guart yeti's, each one has frozen meals such as chili, spaghetti, stew, steaks, etc. that keep other items like butter, milk, cheese, egg beaters etc. cool. One mule gets a cooler on each side they fit right in the panyards.

Creeks work fine for beer not sure about food but I guess it could work in a pinch.

We don't plan on packing in a bunch of beverages but for the ones we do, the creek was our plan for those. I don't remember how big of coolers we could bring but maybe we will just have to bring multiple smaller coolers too.

[MtnMuley]

Well, if you can bring a Yeti 65, then that's a no brainer.  As for the creek, we did 7 days last year in 40-75 degree weather in September, and kepy all of our meals double ziplocked in a creek.  Worked very well.

[vandeman17]

Well, if you can bring a Yeti 65, then that's a no brainer.  As for the creek, we did 7 days last year in 40-75 degree weather in September, and kepy all of our meals double ziplocked in a creek.  Worked very well.

I like the idea of the creek or digging the hole and putting them in there because I already have enough other stuff to buy and those Yeti coolers are spendy! 

[MikeWalking]

FWIW I'm now seeing Dry Ice for sale at Fred Meyers.  Something to keep stuff well chilled/frozen for the trip in

[vandeman17]

We have thrown around the idea of dry ice too. Thinking that might be a good route but also thinking/hoping if we froze the stew or whatever that it would stay cold enough until we got up and settled.

[JLS]

We always froze our meals in ziplocks, wrapped in newspaper (used later for the woodstove), put all the food in banana boxes, and packed tight in between them with newspaper.  The boxes were kept wrapped in mantie tarps and hung in the shade to be in compliance with grizzly bear regulations.  Meat would go in a small soft sided cooler that was kept inside the food box.

I'd be leery of leaving food in the creek where critters can find it, but if it works go for it.

[MtnMuley]

We always froze our meals in ziplocks, wrapped in newspaper (used later for the woodstove), put all the food in banana boxes, and packed tight in between them with newspaper.  The boxes were kept wrapped in mantie tarps and hung in the shade to be in compliance with grizzly bear regulations.  Meat would go in a small soft sided cooler that was kept inside the food box.

I'd be leery of leaving food in the creek where critters can find it, but if it works go for it.

We were in grizzly and wolf country.  Never had as issue for years, but that thought always crosses my mind.  Worse case scenario, we'll have to eat elk straps, lol.