The Web-Footed Backpacker

7 Chocolate Bars Reviewed: My Top Picks

Chocolate - The Cold-Weather Hiker's Friend

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Even as temperatures dip, there’s a dedicated core of us who can’t stay off the trail. And why not? The late fall and winter offer countless opportunities to enjoy the wilderness, whether it’s getting in a hike in the Gorge during a “sunbreak” or going on a multi-day snowshoeing trip in the Cascades.

It goes without saying that we’ll dress warmer, but even so, strenuous activity in cold weather means more calories burned, and more calories needed. One of the easiest (and most delicious!) ways to replace a portion of those calories is chocolate.

The 5000-Calorie Day

On a winter backpacking trip, you can burn in excess of 5000 calories per day. To keep going and stay warm, you need a diet that replaces the fuel you burn, in a balance between carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. If you want further information on building a diet for winter hiking, check out Michael Lanza’s excellent book, Winter Hiking & Camping: Managing Cold for Comfort & Safety.

Why Chocolate?

Most importantly, chocolate has lots of fat, which is something your body is constantly burning in a cold environment to keep you warm. Fat is also calorie-dense, which is good news for you, since you will usually have trouble eating enough just to replace the calories you burn on a winter backpacking trip. The body burns fat more slowly than carbohydrates. For this reason, Lanza recommends eating a chocolate bar or other fat-rich food immediately when stopping to camp: it will act as a slow-release energy source to keep you warm.

By the way, nuts are another fat-rich food great for fueling up on a winter hike. Since chocolate and nuts were made for each other, I’ve included several chocolate bars with nuts in my review. Not only are nuts rich in fat, but if they’re almonds or peanuts, they’re rich in protein as well.

Who Makes the Greatest Chocolate Bar This Side of Heaven?

On your behalf, I tested seven chocolate bars (Yeah, I really suffered for your sake). This was obviously not a scientific test. Some bars were plain chocolate, some had nuts. Although the WFB is biased in favor of milk chocolate, he might point out that most dark chocolate is so rich, dense, and potent that he can’t imagine someone snarfing a bar of it down after 8 miles of snowshoeing. Dark chocolate, to me, is something you nibble with a glass of pinot noir after dinner. I could be wrong. Nonetheless, I threw in one dark into the mix. My rating method was very subjective, and there were some I had trouble ranking. But when it came down to it, there was only one bar I really didn’t like. All calorie and weight info is off the packages.

So, without further ado, here’s how they did.

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#1: Ritter Sport
Milk Chocolate with Whole Hazelnuts (3.5 oz bar)
Calories per bar: 560
Calories per oz: 160
WFB paid: $2.29
Price per oz: $0.65

Remarks: Dang, those Germans know how to make chocolate! I did not have any trouble choosing this bar for the top slot. Having lived and traveled in Europe, here’s something I can tell you about European chocolate marketed in the US: if it’s not actually on the shelves of European grocery stores, the label doesn’t mean much. “European chocolate” is a marketing gimmick if Europeans aren’t digging it. With that said, Ritter Sport is to Germans what Hershey’s is to Americans. Although it’s more expensive here in the States, it’s well worth it.

Smell: Big hazelnut smell, reminiscent of liqueur, putting chocolate smell somewhat in background
Taste: Perfect balance of hazelnut, chocolate, and sweetness
Texture: soft but firm, then melt-in-your-mouth creamines

#2: Green & Black’s
Organic Milk Chocolate with Whole Roasted Almonds 37% cocoa (3.5 oz bar)
Calories per bar: 575
Calories per oz: 164
WFB paid: $3.49
Price per oz: $1.00

Remarks: Green & Blacks makes an excellent line of organic, fair-trade certified chocolate. The almonds in this bar add some extra protein.

Smell: Solid cocoa smell, very little almond comes through
Taste: Cocoa is nicely balanced with sweetness. Toasted almond flavor is very strong
Texture: Firm, slightly waxy texture

#3: Dagoba
Organic Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate 59% cocoa (2 oz bar)
Calories per bar: 320
Calories per oz: 160
WFB paid: $2.39
Price per oz: $1.20

Remarks: This was the only dark in this taste test. It’s waaaay good, but I repeat, I can’t imagine snarfing this stuff down. It’s really rich.

Smell: Very bitter cocoa smell
Taste: Intense, rich cocoa with berry/acidic aftertaste. Bitter but not overpoweringly so
Texture: Very firm, but melts effortlessly on the tongue

#4: Endangered Species Chocolate
Smooth Milk Chocolate 52% cocoa (3 oz bar)
Calories per bar: 480
Calories per oz: 160
WFB paid: $2.00
Price per oz: $0.67

Remarks: 10 percent of the company’s net profits are donated to “support species, habitat and humanity.” Label claims “100% ethically traded.”

Smell: subtle milk smell from a milk chocolate that has a higher cocoa content than most milks
Taste: Intense molasses-like flavor and sweetness and berry notes before the cocoa flavor hits
Texture: Firm for a milk

#5: Theo
Hazelnut Crunch Milk Chocolate 40% cocoa (2 oz bar)
Calories per bar: 330
Calories per oz: 165 (Highest of 7 - but barely)
WFB paid: $2.50
Price per oz: $1.25 (Highest of 7)

Remarks: This chocolate bar was unique among the bars tested. It doesn’t say it on the wrapper, but part of the “crunch” of this bar, besides hazelnuts, comes from little toffee-like bits. Fair trade certified.

Smell: Subtle, berry-like cocoa aroma and a little hazelnut
Taste: Bitter/sweet chocolate flavor; toffee like pieces add sweet/saltiness; bitter aftertaste
Texture: dense chocolate with plenty of crunchy bits

#6: Hershey’s
Milk Chocolate (1.55 oz bar)
Calories per bar: 230
Calories per oz: 148
WFB paid: $0.69
Price per oz: $0.45 (Lowest of 7)

Remarks: This chocolate needs no introduction, really. If you’re like me, Hershey’s brings back memories of family camping trips, marshmallow roasts, and s’mores. It’s still a classic, and while it’s not what you’d call a “fine” chocolate, it’s cheap, available everywhere, and nostalgic.

Smell: Big, bold milk chocolate smell.
Taste: Sweet, sweet, sweet. First you taste sugar, then milk, then cocoa
Texture: Soft and waxy. Will likely melt on your fingers before it reaches your mouth

#7: Scharffen Berger
Extra Rich Milk Chocolate 41% cocoa (3 oz bar)
Calories per bar: 400
Calories per oz: 133 (Lowest of 7)
WFB paid: $3.69
Price per oz: $1.23

Remarks: You may beg to differ, but I really didn’t care for this one. Scharffen Berger has not gone out of business, so feel free to call my opinion unmitigated BS.

Smell: Very berry-like cocoa
Taste: Tastes like powdered milk. Old powdered milk. Cocoa with acidic bitterness, and strong sweetness
Texture: Soft but firm

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There you have it. Enjoy the cold while it lasts!

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The Timberline Trail around Mount Hood is one of the most popular hikes/backpacking trips in Oregon. The autumn season offers a great opportunity to explore the scenery around our majestic volcano after the bulk of the crowds have left.

Unfortunately, much of the Timberline Trail has been closed due to the Gnarl Ridge Fire, which started in August and is still smoldering and burning at low intensity in the Mount Hood National Forest (source). Most of the Trails around the northern half of Mount Hood are closed. Contact the Forest Service in Hood River (541-352-6002) for the latest conditions and information on trail closures.

Despite the fire, you are still able to visit the outstanding spots to the south of the mountain, including one of the most rewarding day hikes, scenery-wise, in the Northwest: Timberline Lodge to Zigzag Canyon and Paradise Park. You can tailor this hike to your fitness level and the amount of time you have.

Option 1 (easy): You can hike to the overlook above Zigzag Canyon, which is an easy hike with little elevation change. On a nice day with a clear view of the mountain, the overlook would be worth a hundred-mile hike. Thankfully, if you start at Timberline Lodge, you can make it a round trip of less than five.

Option 2 (medium): If you’re aching to go on, as opposed to just aching, you can hike the short distance to the bottom of the canyon. You will lose 600 feet by the time you reach the bottom, which you will have to gain when you climb back out. It’s worth it, though.

Option 3 (strenuous): Get an early start for the last option. It’s a hike of about 12 miles round-trip that takes you to Paradise Park, a beautiful alpine meadow famous for its wildflower displays.

The starting point for your hike is Timberline Lodge, a landmark many Portlanders have visited, but if you haven’t, it’s worth checking out while you’re there. To get there from Portland, go east on US 26. Right after you pass by the town of Government Camp, you will turn left onto the well-marked road for Timberline Lodge. At the end of the road, you’re there. You do not need any a pass of any kind to park there during the hiking season.

All options take you along the famed Pacific Crest Trail, which forms the western stretch of the Timberline Trail. Walk up the paved path to the right of the lodge until you reach a trail lined with stones crossing the path. It’s not marked, but it’s the PCT. Turn left, and you’re on your way.

For the first half mile, you’ll see lots of signs of civilization: ski lifts, huts, jeep trails, and a communications tower. As you pass over the first ridge, however, you’ll leave all trace of it behind. The route is alternately forested and open. You’ll get plenty of views of the mountain, but make sure to take in the stunning views looking down at the country below you, especially in small valleys with little streams flowing down them. There, you have a picture perfect view of an alpine meadow or boulder-strewn brook with forest rising steeply on either side, and layer upon layer of smoke-blue hills in the background.

After winding your way gently down several hundred feet in a little under two miles, you’ll come to one of Oregon’s great sights: a canyon with steeply sloping walls coming down from Mount Hood, cut through by a river which tumbles down the mountainside around and over boulders. This is Zig Zag Canyon and the Zig Zag River. If you’re doing Option 1, this is your turn-around point.

After the overlook, the trail descends steeply down several switchbacks to the Zig Zag river. If you’re doing Option 2, this is a great place to have lunch or a snack and sit by the water for a while before turning around. If you’re doing Option 3, you’ll cross the river and face a steep climb out of the canyon.

From here you’ll face several choices. Shortly after leaving the river, you’ll come to trail #757, which is a right turn from the PCT. This trail runs roughly parallel to the PCT for about two and a half miles before meeting up with it again. This makes it an excellent loop for a hike to Paradise Park. You can take trail #757 here and return on the PCT or vice-versa; it’s up to you.

You have even more choices, however. There’s a trail, #778, connecting the PCT and trail #757. It’s just north, on the other side of the ridge, from the southern intersection of the PCT and #757. It offers a more direct and slightly shorter route to Paradise Park (or back the PCT, depending on which way you go). Obviously, this description assumes you have a good map. Use your judgment on the route you take, and enjoy your day on the mountain. This hike is one of the jewels of the Northwest.

At this point, I should address some season specific information. In the late fall, wildflowers will not be as numerous, but there will still be plenty of color to brighten up the hike. On sunny days, this will be a warm hike, but bring extra layers, just in case: the weather can be unpredictable up here. Also, a word about river crossings: The Zig Zag River can be a challenge to cross. By the late fall, however, it is lower than normal and fairly tame. When I did this hike on the 30th of September, it was low enough to cross without getting feet wet, and most of the other small streams had become damp streambeds. Even so, it is advisable to bring sandals or river shoes.

Zig Zag Canyon and Mount Hood, up close and personal, on the PCT

View down an alpine valley, PCT near Mount Hood

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Summer’s over, sunsets are dipping under the 7:00 mark, and the local REI has moved its backpacking section to the back of the store to make way for winter.

Bonneville Trailhead provides PCT access on the Washington side of the Columbia River

But, far from saying farewell to the hiking season around here, we’ve moved into the sweet spot. There’s good weather left. The crowds have thinned. This is the window, in some alpine areas, in which the last snow has finally melted from the trails before the first fall snows arrive.

So get off the couch, lace up your hiking shoes, and get on the trail.

Here are some of my picks while the season lasts:

Goat Rocks Wilderness
Tucked away in Washington’s Gifford Pinchot National Forest, this is one of my all-time favorite areas to hike. September is generally a great time to go. Even in late August and early September you are likely to encounter stretches of trail underneath snow. Do Snowgrass Flats, Goat Lake, and Hawkeye Point for a great weekend backpacking experience. (Forest Service Map: Goat Rocks and Tatoosh Wilderness)

Columbia River Gorge
There are more great fall hikes in the Gorge than you can shake a stick at. Try the Pacific Crest Trail going either direction from the Columbia River. If you go north, you will get to Table Mountain (and see some pretty lakes along the way). Go south, and you will reach Wahtum Lake, or you can head down the very steep Ruckle Creek or Eagle-Benson trails. This area is great for creating a custom-made hike. (Green Trails: #429 Bonneville Dam)
If you’re in killer shape, you can try on Columbia River to Mount Defiance for size (Green Trails: #430 Hood River). When you reach the top you’ll have (besides aching legs and sweat-drenched clothes) spectacular views of the Gorge and Mount Hood from an elevation of over 4000 feet, almost every inch of which you’ll have had to gain yourself.

Mt. Hood
As with Goat Rocks, late September/early October is a great time to explore high elevations around Mt. Hood without heaps of snow. In case you haven’t seen it lately, Mount Hood is now nearly bald. Streams that must be forded along the Timberline Trail ought to be relatively low.
There are some nice, less strenuous hikes near Mt. Hood as well. Try Timothy Lake (Green Trails: #493 High Rock); the trail looping around the lake offers (what else?) nice views of a very pretty lake, but also, in places, of Mt. Hood. The trail on the eastern shore of the lake is part of the Pacific Crest Trail. Overall, trail is easy and relatively civilized, and there are some nice campsites accessible only to hikers and boaters on the north shore of the lake, far from the campgrounds for car campers and RVers. October on a weekday is a good time to go, as the bulk of the crowds will be gone.

There are many more hikes perfect for fall hiking, but I’ll stop there. No matter where you go, prepare to battle the air force, so bring lots of bug repellent.

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Welcome to my latest endeavor, WebFootedBackpacker.com! This is a blog devoted to two of my favorite activities, backpacking and hiking.

Eagle-Benson Trail (#434), Columbia River Gorge

So who is the Web-Footed Backpacker? That’s me; in real life I’m a guy named Caleb and a life-long resident of Portland, Oregon. Out here we’re green, we’re somewhat offbeat, we’re used to months of rain, we scorn umbrellas, and we’re in the process of evolving webbing between our toes.

But hey, Portlanders have a lot to love about their city. Few metro areas our size can boast such varied recreational opportunities for outdoorsy types within a short drive. You can hike in the wilderness one day and go to the opera or to an art exhibit the next. Few American cities have been so visionary in the area of smart growth and public transportation in the last several decades. Portland made a list of the 25 most livable cities in the world (at number 25) in the internationally read magazine Monocle (July/August 2008), and is routinely mentioned in similar lists in publications focusing on the US.

So I sport my webbed feet proudly.

As I update this blog, expect to see reviews of trails I hike and gear I try out, backpacking tips, backcountry recipes, and whatever else happens to be on my mind. Although I will focus on my home region of the Pacific Northwest, I will cover other areas as I have a chance to get to them. There’s just not enough lifetime to explore everything out there. I’ll make a concerted effort, though.

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