chizelhead
WKR
I never think of a stove as optional when spike/backpack hunting. It's key for morning (coffee, hot meal) and evening (warm meal, warm drink to recharge, hot water in a nalgene in the sleeping bag to warm it up). It can also help thaw frozen boots in the morning that can be really hard to get on and thawed with only your body heat.I always bring a stove, worth the weight to me to get started in the am. Start the stove and heat the water for a hot breakfast from your sleeping bag in the tent. It will warm it up, and a hot breakfast (I usually do oatmeal, added protein scoop, dried fruit and/or nuts ) and hot drink and I am ready to get up and out.