Best Foods to Pack for High Altitude Hiking

You can train perfectly for months, but if you pack the wrong foods for summit day, you will "bonk" halfway up the mountain. At high altitude, your body processes food differently, and what works at sea level might sit like a rock in your stomach at 14,000 feet.

Why Nutrition is Different at Altitude

Your body changes the moment you start climbing above 10,000 feet. Understanding these changes helps you pack the right foods and avoid common mistakes.

Reduced Appetite

Altitude kills your appetite. What sounds delicious at the trailhead will seem completely unappealing at 12,000 feet. Your body redirects blood flow to vital organs like your brain and heart, leaving your digestive system working at reduced capacity.

You will need to eat even when you do not feel hungry. This is one of the biggest challenges beginners face. Pack foods that you actually enjoy eating, not just foods that are healthy on paper.

Slower Digestion

Your digestive system slows down at altitude because there is less oxygen available for digestion. Foods that normally digest easily at sea level can cause nausea and stomach discomfort when you are climbing.

This means you need easily digestible, simple foods. Save the high fiber protein bars and complex meals for after you descend.

Increased Caloric Burn

Your body burns significantly more calories at altitude than at sea level. A typical 6 to 8 hour 14er hike can burn 3,000 to 4,000 calories or more depending on your weight, pace, and the elevation gain.

Most beginners dramatically under pack calories. They bring enough food for a normal hike and run out of energy hours before the summit.

Dehydration Impact on Hunger

Dehydration at altitude can mask hunger signals. You might feel exhausted and assume you need food, when actually you need water first. This is why hydration and nutrition work together. You cannot fix one without the other.

Best Food Categories

At altitude, not all calories are created equal. Some foods provide quick energy and digest easily, while others will slow you down.

Quick Energy Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are your primary fuel source at altitude. Research shows you should get at least 60 percent of your calories from carbohydrates when hiking above 10,000 feet.

Your body uses carbs more efficiently than fats or proteins at altitude because carbs require less oxygen to convert into energy. When oxygen is limited, carbs are king.

Best sources:

• Gummy candy and fruit snacks
• Energy chews and gels
• Fig bars and graham crackers
• Honey packets
• Dried fruit like mango, apricots, dates

Salty Snacks for Electrolytes

You sweat more at altitude than you realize, even in cold weather. The dry air also causes you to lose moisture through breathing. Salt helps you retain water and maintain proper electrolyte balance.

Best sources:

• Pretzels and crackers
• Salted nuts (cashews, peanuts, almonds)
• Cheese crackers or Goldfish
• Trail mix with salted ingredients
• Electrolyte chews, tablets, or drink mixes (LMNT electrolyte mixes are a favorite of our team!)

Protein for Sustained Energy

Protein helps sustain your energy over the long haul and prevents muscle breakdown. However, protein is harder to digest at altitude, so you need easily digestible forms.

Best sources:

• Nut butter packets (peanut, almond)
• String cheese (keeps well in cold weather)
• Turkey or beef jerky (easy to chew)
• Protein bars that are low fiber

Easy to Digest Options

Some foods digest easily even when your stomach is unhappy. These are your go to choices when you are feeling nauseous or have reduced appetite.

Best sources:

• White bread sandwiches (simple, not whole grain)
• Applesauce pouches
• Rice cakes
• Ginger chews (also help with nausea)
• Baby food pouches (seriously, they work)

Specific Food Recommendations

Let me get specific with brands and exact foods that work well for beginners tackling their first 14er.

What to Eat the Night Before

Your pre summit dinner matters. You want to carb load without overwhelming your digestive system.

Good choices:

• Pasta with marinara sauce (not heavy cream sauce)
• Rice bowls with simple protein
• Pancakes or French toast
• Oatmeal with fruit

Avoid:

• Heavy steaks or burgers
• Spicy foods
• Alcohol (it dehydrates you and impairs acclimatization)
• New foods you have never tried
• Large late dinners (eat by 7:00 in the evening)

Breakfast Options

You need to eat breakfast before your alpine start at 4:00 in the morning to 6:00 in the morning, even if you are not hungry.

Good choices:

• Bagel with peanut butter and honey
• Instant oatmeal with dried fruit
• Granola with yogurt
• Energy bar and banana

Timing: Eat 1 to 2 hours before you start hiking to give your stomach time to settle.

Trail Snacks with Brand Examples

Here are specific products that work well at altitude. These are tested by thousands of hikers.

Energy chews and gels:

• Honey Stinger Energy Chews (popular with Colorado hikers)
• GU Energy Gels (easy to consume, quick energy)
• Clif Shot Bloks (chewable, less messy than gels)

Bars that work:

• Nature Valley Granola Bars (crunchy, not too dense)
• Rice Krispies Treats (excellent high altitude snack)
• Clif Bar (original, not protein bars)
• Stroopwafels (thin, sweet, easy to eat)

Salty and savory:

• Goldfish crackers (lightweight, satisfying salt)
• Justin's Nut Butter Squeeze Packs (200 calories, portable)
• Beef or turkey jerky
• Pringles (crush resistant in your pack)

Sweet treats:

• Swedish Fish or gummy bears
• Sour Patch Kids (the sour helps with nausea)
• Dried mango or apricots
• Trail mix (make your own with favorites)

Emergency energy:

• Starbucks VIA instant coffee (caffeine boost)
• Honey packets (pure quick energy)
• Mini candy bars (Snickers, Milky Way): These are also a great "reward" on the summit!

Foods to Avoid

These foods sound good in theory but cause problems at altitude for beginners.

Avoid:

• High fiber protein bars (too hard to digest)
• Whole grain heavy foods (fiber slows digestion)
• Fresh fruit (heavy, bruises easily, freezes)
• Anything requiring preparation or cooking
• Foods you have never tried before summit day
• Energy drinks with excessive caffeine
• Dairy heavy foods if you are lactose sensitive

Sample Packing List

Here is exactly what to pack for a typical 6 to 8 hour summit day on a beginner 14er like Quandary Peak.

Pre Hike Dinner

• Large pasta meal with marinara sauce
• Side salad or vegetables
• Bread rolls
• Water (at least 1 liter with dinner)
• Early bedtime (asleep by 9:00 in the evening for 4:00 in the morning start)

Summit Day Breakfast

• Bagel with peanut butter and honey
• Banana
• Instant oatmeal cup
• Water (16 ounces minimum)
• Coffee if desired

Hourly Snacks for 6 to 8 Hour Hike

Pack approximately 200 to 300 calories per hour of hiking. For an 8 hour round trip, that means 1,600 to 2,400 calories in snacks.

Example pack list:

• 3 energy gels or chew packets (300 calories)
• 2 granola or energy bars (400 calories)
• 1 bag of gummy candy or Swedish Fish (200 calories)
• 2 nut butter squeeze packs (400 calories)
• 1 bag of pretzels or crackers (200 calories)
• 1 bag of trail mix (300 calories)
• 2 Rice Krispies Treats (180 calories)
• Emergency chocolate bars (200 calories)

Total: Approximately 2,180 calories in snacks

Emergency Calories

Always pack 500 to 1,000 extra calories for unexpected delays, wrong turns, or if you need to help another hiker.

• 2 extra energy bars
• Honey packets
• Extra trail mix
• Emergency chocolate

Hydration

• 3 to 4 liters of water for summit day
• 2 electrolyte tablets or drink mix servings
• Consider one 16 ounce bottle with electrolytes, the rest should be plain water

Common Mistakes

These mistakes cost beginners their summit. Learn from them.

Packing Foods You Have Never Tried

Summit day is not the time to experiment. That expensive energy gel might taste terrible to you. The fancy protein bar might upset your stomach.

Solution: Test all your summit day foods during your training hikes, especially your longer 3 to 4 hour training days. Find what you actually enjoy eating and what sits well in your stomach.

Relying Only on Healthy Foods

At altitude, a Rice Krispies Treat or gummy bears can be more valuable than an organic high fiber protein bar. Your body needs quick energy that digests easily, not maximum nutrition.

Solution: Pack a mix of nutritious and simple sugary snacks. This is not the time for clean eating perfectionism. Pack what keeps you moving.

Under Packing Calories

Most beginners pack enough snacks for a normal 3 hour hike, then find themselves on an 8 hour journey with nothing left to eat. You will always take longer than you expect on your first 14er.

Solution: Pack as if your hike will take 2 hours longer than expected. Having extra food is far better than bonking at 13,000 feet with no energy to continue.

Forgetting Electrolytes

Water alone is not enough at altitude. You lose electrolytes through sweat and breathing, and plain water cannot replace them.

Solution: Bring electrolyte tablets, drink mixes, or simply pack extra salty snacks. Aim for at least one serving of electrolytes every 2 hours during your hike.

The Bottom Line

Nutrition at altitude is different from normal hiking. Your body needs easily digestible carbohydrates, regular eating even without appetite, and proper electrolyte balance.

Pack foods you enjoy eating, test everything during training, and bring more than you think you need. The right nutrition strategy can mean the difference between a successful summit and turning back due to bonking.

Remember: food at altitude isn't just for your legs. It keeps your brain sharp and your judgment intact when things get hard.

Additional Resources

• Learn how to prevent altitude sickness with proper preparation
• Follow our 13 week training plan to build summit endurance
• Check our gear guide for hydration pack recommendations
• View our peaks directory to choose your first 14er
• Read about beginner-friendly peaks like Quandary, Mt. Bierstadt, and Mt. Sherman

Pack smart and eat often.