BACKCOUNTRY COOKING:
Herbal Recipes & Outdoor Kitchens
July 31 - August 5, 2026
6 Days / 5 Nights
Rainbow Pack Outfitters
John Muir Wilderness
$2,222 (+ $500 to ride)
Learn how to cook in the backcountry with cookbook author Spencre McGowan, and backcountry cooks Kelly Kate Warren and Christy Young. Hike or ride into a cozy camp at a high alpine lake, as a pack string of mules brings in our gear. During the trip, we will prepare meals together, discuss dutch oven cooking, herbalism, foraging, camp setup, menu planning, and how to plate beautiful food. Every morning starts with coffee and a big breakfast, and ends with a wilderness dinner party and evening tea service. The time between can be as adventurous or restful as folks prefer - hike to nearby lakes, spend the day fishing or reading in a hammock, and enjoy cooking with community in a fully outfitted backcountry kitchen.
* this trip is subject to a ban on campfires and our focus will be on backcountry cooking in the era of wildfires. We will cook using propane stoves, and bake in dutch ovens using fire-safe techniques. We are passionate about open fire cooking, but in an effort to protect our wild lands, we must utilize new cooking techniques and technology.
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Dates
July 31 - August 5, 2026
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Duration
6 Days / 5 Nights
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Location
John Muir Wilderness
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Operator
Rainbow Pack Outfitters
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Guides
Spencre McGowan - Herbalist & Cookbook Author
Kelly Kate Warren - Backcountry Cook
Christy Young - Backcountry Cook -
Cost
$2,222 - hike
+ $500 - a horse or mule to ride -
Itinerary
Day 1:
Meet at Rainbow Pack Outfitters, ride into camp, and set up our kitchenDay 2:
Tools of the trade / Dutch oven cookingDay 3:
Using wild and herbal ingredientsDay 4:
Planning a menu / Developing recipesDay 5:
Setting the table / Managing a campDay 6:
Pack up camp and ride back out to the Pack Station. Guests are welcome to join us for dinner in Bishop! -
Distance
Our camp is a 6 mile hike or ride from Rainbow Pack Outfitters. Once we get to camp, you may hike as much as you please. Bishop Creek Canyon is gorgeous and there are 12 lakes within 3 miles of camp.
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What’s included
- Packers & Mules
- Cooks, Guides, & Educators
- A backcountry camp - kitchen, rainfly, comfy chairs, latrine, first aid kit, and a small library of maps and guidebooks
- All Meals - each day we will enjoy a hot breakfast, cowboy coffee, a DIY lunch spread, snacks, appetizers, bougie drinks, a big dinner, dessert, and evening tea service
- A parting gift :) -
What’s not included
- Travel to and from the Pack Station
- Your personal hiking and camping gear
- Travel insurance
- Staff tips (optional but appreciated)
Difficulty - Moderate
Our camp is situated at a high alpine lake about 6 miles from the trailhead. The trail is well-maintained, with beautiful views (we’ll pass by 4 lakes!), but this is the High Sierra, and sections of the trail are steep, switchbacky, and rocky, with significant elevation gain (2k over 6 miles).
We will be near or over 10k feet elevation for the duration of this trip, and folks coming from low elevation will need to spend a few days acclimating before they enter the Wilderness.
Riding vs Hiking
Folks have the option to hike into camp, or hire a riding horse or mule from Rainbow Pack Outfitters for an additional cost ($500). That $500 covers the ride both in and out of camp, unfortunately we cannot offer a ride only one way.
Our horses and mules are skilled professionals, but riding is hard for people who don’t do it often, and it can be helpful to take a riding lesson or go on a day ride during the months before your trip, but this trip is appropriate for folks with no prior riding experience.
There are physical limitations on how much weight a horse or mule can carry, and for their safety we cannot offer rides to guests over 225 lbs. We are happy to provide pack support to people of all sizes and abilities, and guests are welcome to hike in if they cannot ride. Please contact us if you have any questions.
