My little blue French stove is a wonder! It is not recommended for cold weather usage, but high altitude is excusable, then. It operates by a pressurized gas canister, which enviro clubs hate, being that they are discardable. I always pack mine out, but I have seen where some have not.

At our first camp, I set the little thing on a tree trunk. You do need to keep it warm before you use it, and I do this by tucking it into my warmed-up jacket. You then pull it out, after awhile, and start it up right away. Pressure, temperature, and volume are old science class formulas that I was grilled into remembering well. A windscreen is also a must. I use a large piece of aluminum foil to reflect back the heat, and to shelter from the wind.

This was once one of the cheapest and easiest stoves to use, but you have to do all these things. I've seen people use them poorly, with ill-fitting screwings on to cause the canister to leak badly. An explosion might be possible, then. But, in summer they can hardly be beat. April 8, 1979.