Found a tiny dry creek bed on a hike last month that changed how I pack my stove

I was out near Big Sur on a quick overnight trip and stopped to make coffee at this little wash with smooth rocks. Took out my usual cheap folding stove and it kept tipping over on the uneven stones. After my third burnt finger I just sat there and used a pile of flat rocks to build a tiny windbreak and set the stove right on the ground. Worked way better than the table I always bring. Now I leave the folding table at home and just scout for a flat spot with natural shelter. It saves me a pound and a half of pack weight and my stove doesn't wobble anymore. Has anyone else ditched gear because they found a free solution in the dirt?

3 comments

3 Comments

lewis.terry1mo ago

Tried something similar last year in the Sierras, just used a big flat rock and a couple smaller ones to prop my stove up. Worked so good I stopped carrying my little aluminum windscreen too.

ray_martinez821mo agoTop Commenter

You ever have one of those moments where you realize you've been overcomplicating something for years, @lewis.terry? Glad that setup worked out for you.

william_garcia1mo ago

@ray_martinez82 spot on with that. No sense carrying extra gear when nature provides exactly what you need. Sticks and rocks work better than half the stuff sold in outdoor stores once you figure out the angles.