My kids only let me cook when they want to get the flies out of the house--that's bad news! Several times I ran out of food high up in the mountains. With my then 12 year old son, once, I had to shoot frogs and cook the legs over dried cow pies. So I appreciate this book. In addition to showing you how, you get to prepare--which does almost the same thing as the back pack trip itself--removes and clears the mind from most ordinary stress of city life. No job worries, no news of crime, no pressing bills, no disputes. Just hike,enjoy and because of this book, EAT and enjoy. Before this book, I thought Alredo and Penne were two guys who lived in the Rockies. Ms Bassett has made me wiser,