Fires are not really encouraged most times because of the extreme fire hazzard during the summer months, and so a fire for cooking would not be a viable option. However, proper fire pits are provided and sometimes a guy almost HAS to light a fire. Some years ago I was hiking late in August when the temperature dropped unexpectedly down to below freezing. It was the most miserable night I have ever spent. I was ill equipped and could feel myself getting hypothermia. In that case there was some dead fall around and that fire felt Soooooo good.

Pretty much all of my hiking is done alone and so I feel the need to be as prepared as possible for the unexpected.

Howie