Food Planning
Are you planning a backcountry hike or climb and don’t know what to bring for food? Not sure if you are getting the proper nutrition for the type / length of activity and the time of year? How much should a day’s food pack-out weigh? Don’t have the time to do the proper meal planning, preparation and pack out?
These are all questions any backcountry user must ponder before heading out on a trip. From our years of experience doing backcountry meal preparation, we know that food is a critical part of backcountry living and it often makes or breaks a trip. Most pre-packaged freeze dried food is very expensive and usually tastes awful! Other backcountry food providers are based out of their home with no food service licences or inspections. Canadian Rockies Hiking by Yamnuska prepares delicious dehydrated meals, crafted from fresh high quality ingredients in our own commercial kitchen by our own chef. Our meals are designed to balance weight, taste and nutrition to meet the needs of the specific trip that you are undertaking. You can enjoy Lamb Curry, Shepherd’s Pie, Chili, Seafood Stew and many other choices that have been carefully prepared and customized for your specific food needs, while others are eating a freeze dried meal in a bag most probably manufactured in a bulk production factory and imported to Canada. Since we have an Alberta commercial food permit for our backcountry kitchen in Canmore it is subject to the same inspections and cleanliness requirements as any Alberta restaurant.
We provide a wide variety of food menu items, many of them signle-pot meals, and can prepare your complete trip requirements including:
- breakfast
- snacks
- lunch
- appetizer
- soup
- dinner
- dessert
- beverages
We can accommodate vegetarian, gluten free, lactose intolerance, nut allergies, seafood allergies and most other special diets.
We cater to individuals, groups & expeditions and can ship meals to anywhere in Canada. Examples of past clients include:
- Backcountry hikes and climbs in Banff National Park
- Front country camping trips in the Canadian Rockies
- Commercial backcounty catering operations in Alberta and BC
- Hut based skiing or mountaineering trips in Golden, BC (Fairy Meadows)
- Other hut based mountain trips within the Canadian Rockies (Stanley Mitchell Hut, Conrad Kain Hut in the Bugaboos, Bow Hut, Peyto Hut)
- Multi-day canoeing and whitewater rafting trips in Manitoba and British Columbia
- International expeditions including: Aconcagua, Argentina;Cerro San Lorenzo, Chile; Mt. Vinson, Antarctica
- Military expeditions and training exercises
- Oil and Gas exploration survey teams
- Adventure and endurance racing teams
How It Works
If you have ever taken a Canadian Rockies Hiking or Yamnuska Mountain Adventures program you know our backcountry food is delicious, nutritious, and well designed for the backcountry. Complete our Food Questionnaire outlining the dates of your trip, how many participants, food restrictions (if any) and tell us your preferences. Our chef will design a menu for you to approve along with the menu price. You can either pick up your food pack-out from our office or we can ship it to you (dehydrated and non perishable food only). Our package includes laminated preparation instructions.
Call for more details at 403 678 4164 or contact our chef at kitchen@yamnuska.com and let us focus on the food while you focus on your trip.
