Two cups of boiling water and nine minutes of patience stood between a hard earned high altitude dinner. All was on course. Replacement calories, protein and sodium packaged up as chicken teriyaki would serve as the power pack for an upcoming one am alpine start. Rainier was the goal and conditions were an absolute go. Without warning and with three minutes to go my stomach sank as the unexpected…the unplanned took place. The meal packaging disintegrated and half my dinner burned across my hand beginning to melt its way into the Cowlitz Glacier. My nutritional allotment for the evening was instantly cut in half. I pulled myself together, ate another granola bar and went to sleep. Later after our successful summit I reached out to the PNW based company and explained the situation in full detail to a product engineer noting as an aside that I had been a fully satisfied customer for years to that point. Within a few days Mountain House took the high road of customer service and sent a replacement meal in addition to a few untried flavors. Next time I’m in the mountains eating their fine product I’ll pour a single spoonful out as an expression of thanks.