Gear shakedown on the JMT: going stove-less saved me 1.5 lbs but cost me hot coffee at 6am

Ryan Shah · 2026-10-10T11:35:03.835676+00:00

Just got back from a 9 day stretch on the John Muir Trail out of Whitney Portal and I am still arguing with myself about this one. I left the canister stove at home and went full no-cook, saving about 1.5 pounds, and my pack felt great on the climbs out of Guitar Lake. But by day 4 near Evolution Creek I was so cold in the morning that I would have traded my left boot for one cup of hot coffee. My buddy carried his little stove the whole way, ate warm ramen every night, and finished every day in a way better mood than me. So here is the debate: is going stove-less actually worth it on a route this long, or does the hot food and coffee matter more than the weight savings? Anyone done the JMT no-cook and actually been happy about it?

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Gear shakedown on the JMT: going stove-less saved me 1.5 lbs but cost me hot coffee at 6am | Backpacking Routes - Thought Shares