This Viral Trail Snack Hack is Actually Kind of Genius

Hikers and backpackers have some pretty peculiar food habits. We’ve pioneered the ramen bomb, competed in the Half Gallon Ice Cream Challenge, and some of us could classify Pop Tarts as a main food group. On the trail, we burn more calories than we can replenish before eating becomes boring, so we have to get creative in order to stay fueled. Austin, Texas hiker and former pastry chef Baylee Chapo recently went viral for doing just that. In a series of videos that have collectively garnered over 25 million views online, Chapo documented her use of a new on-trail snacking tool: a piping bag.

Although no longer a pastry chef, Chapo still bakes for friends and family. After an online order for piping bags left her with hundreds of extras lying around, she had to think of ways to burn through them. She was tired of the usual protein bars or fruit she’d eat on the trail, and also looking for a way to use up leftover homemade hummus in the fridge.

“I’m just kind of a quirky person,” she says. “I was like, ‘I have all these piping bags. What if I bring hummus [onto the trail]?’”

A regular hiker around Colorado Bend, Bastrop, Pedernales Falls, and Enchanted Rock State Parks, Chapo posts about her hikes online from the handle @bayw0lf. “One time I just recorded [a piping bag on the trail video], and I didn’t think anyone would really care, but people were like, ‘Whoa, that’s kind of cool,’” she says. 

Inspired by Blendtec’s famous “Will it blend?” videos, Chapo started thinking to herself “Will it pipe?” For the former pastry chef, some options like cream cheese were obvious. What else can pipe, she wondered? So far, lots. She has taken olive tapenade, guacamole (bonus: it doesn’t brown in a piping bag), and even an entire gourmet dinner to go.

“Somebody told me that I should put this on Shark Tank,” she says. “But I’m not really sure what my product exactly is. It’s more of just a concept.”

Chapo says that people have told her that her videos inspire them to hike more and fuel themselves better on the trail. “I love to hike, and I love food,” she says. “But now I see that I can make people smile, and I can encourage people to get out and hike. And I think that’s big.”

Looking to mix up your on-trail snack routine? Follow Chapo’s tips:

• Get a reusable piping bag: Or, reuse the single-use bags. “I just happen to have all of these [plastic piping bags],” she says. “But I was conditioned as a pastry chef to never use it one time. You can always wash it and let it dry out on your dry rack.”
• Keep things close: Store the snacks that pair with the piping bag dip in your hip belt or side pockets for easy access. Going on a short hike? A fanny pack can keep your snacks within reach while on the go.
• Cut the piping bag tip before you go: Do this if you don’t want to gnaw on the piping bag from the trail to open it. Once you cut it in advance, you can seal it by folding it over and taping it with Scotch tape. Chapo secures the other open end with a binder clip, a hair tie or rubber band, or whatever she has on hand to twist and tighten it. This prevents any spills or explosions in your pack, but just in case, Chapo keeps the piping bag in a zip-top bag when not in use.
• Store with ice: Most of the time, what goes in the piping bag will be perishable. So, store it with a little ice pack — those palm-size gel packs will do. “They weigh nothing, and they last hours,” she says. (Maybe the promise of an exciting trail snack can release the most gram-obsessive ultralighters from the shackles of their base weight.)

Reduce food waste by using leftovers you have around the house in your piping bag snacks. What combos should you start with?

• Cream cheese on salmon jerky and bagel chips
• Hummus on veggies
• Greek yogurt on fruit
• Tuna salad on crackers
• Mashed potatoes and turkey sticks