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Fuel.—The amount of fuel required will vary with the number in the party, number of stoves, and method of cooking. Far more will be required if snow—especially powder snow—must be melted for water. A reasonably safe average with one-pint stoves is a pint of fuel per stove per day (about a two-hour supply). Used conservatively this should be enough for four men at temperatures down to 0° F. Inexperienced parties should take more until their requirements are definitely known. If a Primus stove is used, alcohol will be advisable for priming. In general, the fuel should be white gasoline. No ethyl should be used because of the hazard of lead poisoning from accidental internal use, contact, or fumes; such fuel will also clog the stove. With highly volatile gasoline one must guard against fire hazard, especially if gasoline is spilled within the tent. Be particularly careful to release the stove's internal gas pressure slowly to avoid spurting of liquid fuel or ignition of the vapor. Reasonably good ventilation is required to minimize the possible danger of carbon monoxide poisoning when the stove is burning in the tent. A small funnel is needed unless fuel cans have a proper pouring spout. The closure of any can to be used for fuel should be tested by squeezing the can to see if any air is forced out. |
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