"Cooking Up Tasty Meals at the Crag"

Cooking Up Tasty Meals at the Crag

What are your thoughts of cooking at the crag? 

New clickbait title climbing article is mostly to push some stoves off the shelves but made me wonder how many people think "Cooking Up Tasty Meals at the Crag" is ok/commonplace/acceptable at your average crag?

I know it is a rather varied topic like kids or dogs at the crag though I'd say more often than not, it is best to leave the stove in the car and eat your trail mix especially if it's a short approach, crowded, a delicate belay area, high wildfire danger, or sensitive access.

Not a big fan of avoiding spilled top ramen while putting my rock boots on or racking up. Also it kinda stinks when you are trying to focus on a climb and all you hear is a jet boil hissing along, feeling like your brain sprung a leak.  

Though, like a well-behaved crag pup, stoves aren't always bad if their owners are aware of when they should have em at a crag (like: uncrowded, low impact areas, long approaches, multi day pushes on route, etc.) Hell, sometimes stoves are almost part of a climb like grabbing a weenie on the high E ledge (or that double burner bolted to a belay somewhere in CO? I know someone is gonna link a pix). Just remember wiggling that pink tricam in is harder with greased up hot dog fingers! 

Unsure if there is already a thread, sorry if there is, but didn't see one with a quick search. 

I don’t cAre.  Im probably jealous that you’re eating warm ramen while i’m breaking my teeth on my frozen-ass solid PBJ

Shawn S wrote:

 Also it kinda stinks when you are trying to focus on a climb and all you hear is a jet boil hissing along, feeling like your brain sprung a leak.  

How can you hear the hissing stove over all the people shouting Allez! Allez! and Venga! Venga!

Sounds like more trouble than it's worth, but then I make my income cooking food so sure as hell avoid it during recreation. Also seems like an activity that may invite heckling.

Nathan M wrote:

I don’t cAre.  Im probably jealous that you’re eating warm ramen while i’m breaking my teeth on my frozen-ass solid PBJ

Sounds like something someone who uses a old sunflower seed bag as a chalk bag would say

Rits S wrote:

Sounds like something someone who uses a old sunflower seed bag as a chalk bag would say

Country girls make do

Beth C wrote:

Sounds like more trouble than it's worth, but then I make my income cooking food so sure as hell avoid it during recreation. Also seems like an activity that may invite heckling.

You cook for a living.  Seems like you'd be able to put a heckler in his place in rather epic fashion.  No?

Pretty stupid to title it that way, when it's written by the backpacker people. "Cragging" in climbing, isn't usually a backpacking hike, it's a single pitch thing, and, well, requires a crag. Which means you are right there where people climb. And, no, stoves don't belong anywhere that isn't appropriate for camping. 

Sorry to see Climbing has gone downhill this badly.

Best, Helen

I think the most extravagant thing I've ever fixed for lunch was some Thai green curry when taking a colleague and his friend out to a crag.  Not an easy prep when using a backpacking cooking rig, but not that hard, either.  

It's all too easy to take it as granted, but there's a lot to be said for being able to sit down, relax, and enjoy a meal.

The best stove for ice cragging is a Solo stove. can’t beat a roasted brat around the fire.  Helps free up the climbs as well, as when some come over to warm up, they don’t leave.

As Shawn said, the advert kinda looks to me like someone trying to amp up their sales by reaching into an atypical venue.

Still, in many venues, a great meal affords a social period if a party wants to take on the effort.  Was in a party of a dozen backpacking in the Grand Canyon where we regularly gathered around a couple make-do woks cooking, say, our meat together to add to rice and other stuff. Much better than pairing up or whatever to go off somewhere to separately make our lunches and dinners.

Just don’t go at it half-assed meaning LNT, make sure non-participants at the crag have enough space, pull your top ropes if others are queueing, and keep the food from the critters. No?

Edit: Thinking of those who are COVID cautious, maybe the advert is really onto something. 

Bill Lawry wrote:

As Shawn said, the advert kinda looks to me like someone trying to amp up their sales by reaching into an atypical venue.

Still, in many venues, a great meal affords a social period if a party wants to take on the effort.  Was in a party of a dozen backpacking in the Grand Canyon where we regularly gathered around a couple make-do woks cooking, say, our meat together to add to rice and other stuff. Much better than pairing up or whatever to go off somewhere to separately make our lunches and dinners.

Just don’t go at it half-assed meaning LNT, make sure non-participants at the crag have enough space, pull your top ropes if others are queueing, and keep the food from the critters. No?

Edit: Thinking of those who are COVID cautious, maybe the advert is really onto something.

Here's the thing....

My main climbing venue is City of Rocks. Covid pushed camping off the charts, so much so that COR hired additional rangers. 

Their primary job?

Telling people to keep their dogs leashed, enforcing the camping rules in the park, checking for (and putting out) untended campfires, and writing tickets to all the numskulls parking on dry grass.

Fires are a huge threat in the west. Climbing mag, by even hinting it's okay to haul your shiny new gas flame cookstove anywhere you want? With so many totally ignorant folks outside now? 

Not thinking at all. 

Thankfully, all of those posting on here, so far, aren't those noobs, and offered all the caveats to "cooking at the crag".

Now I want brats though! 

For the record? 

If you stumble across me at COR? Invite yourself to visit our camp and eat. I've been cooking for more than half a century, like to eat, like good food, enjoy feeding other people, so belly up to the buffet!

Thai stir fry is quite often on the menu!

And brats. The bison brats were the best ever, but that local rancher hasn't been to the farmers market since covid, sadly. 

Best, Helen

My dog sometimes this place is so damned literal! No where in that piece, despite the title and lede, does it advocate cooking at the actual crag and the term "camping stove" is used more than I cared to count. The subtitle even includes the phrase "...these camp-friendly cookers".

Ryan Never climbs wrote:

i like cooking at the crag much more in winter. hot coco at the crag is deluxe. miso and soba yes please. 

There are these things called a Thermos. There are even wide mouth varieties for soups and noodles.

Ok. Ok. Most of the time, don’t bring your cook kit to the crag except when the stars align.

That’s the furthest I can go.  ;)

After a good day of climbing there isn't anything better than a nice cold cocktail and a fine meal.  It's dark, wtf else do you have to do?  Cook something yummy and share with friends.

Jason EL wrote:

You cook for a living.  Seems like you'd be able to put a heckler in his place in rather epic fashion.  No?

I’m working really hard on my manners.