Stove and fuel for GDMBR?

[MrBent]

Hey, Cyclists:

As my wife and I work through gear research, especially trying to save weight, I'm looking into NOT taking our reliable Optimus gas stove--which burns unleaded as well as white gas.  The stove is great, but it is quite heavy.  What is the availability of canisters for the newer stoves?  I've used--happily--a Pepsi-can alcohol stove, but it is not great for two people. 

Your thoughts?

Thanks.

[wildtoad]

Don't know re the availability of canisters along the GDMBR. But, in terms of canister stoves, I've had great experience w/ MSR stoves. Probably lots of reviews re those stoves on REI's website.

A note re alcohol stoves in the mountain West. My favorite stove is the Trangia...simple, durable, no canister waste, etc. However, I use it less and less nowadays. I live in California, and do much of my backcountry exploration in the Sierras. We are required to obtain a California Campfire Permit to use a stove in the backcountry. The permit effectively prohibits alcohol stoves when wood fires/wood stoves are also prohibited (i.e. most of the summer/fall) because (if I recall correctly) they do not have shutoff valves/switches and can relatively easily tip over and spill fuel (and, thus fire).

I do not know if CA-like restrictions apply to any of the jurisdictions that you will travel through on the GDMBR.  Definitely a research point for you.  But given the significant drought conditions in much of the mountain West...the Southwest in particular, and what I expect to be a potentially bad wildfire year, it's something to be aware of. 

[HikeBikeCook]

I used a Primus for years, like your Optimus, that was handed down from my Dad. I switched to the MSR multifuel for weight 40 years ago, but not use my JetBoil with the pot exclusively. Hiked the AT with it and had better luck finding fuel than the alcohol stove people and did not catch picnic tables on fire and make the camp smell like a diesel bus.