I've seen that quite a few people take cheese, summer sausage, pepperoni, etc...into the BWCA. How well does that sort of stuff keep and are there certain brands or packaging you recommend? I've never packed anything like that in but I'm thinking about taking some on a trip in august.

Get the smallest summer sausage you can find. They don't need to be refrigerated unless you have leftovers. Pepperoni also does not need to be refridgerted. Borh are sold out on the shelf. As far as cheese goes I take aged cheddar or any hard cheese with me. The other option is a cooler pack with ice or dry ice.

hard cheeses and meats that only need refridge after opening

Individually wrapped mozzerella sticks. They'll be a little soft, but 100% edible. Same goes for bagged shredded mozzerella for pizzas. It'll be clumped together but easy enough to break apart.

I take all kinds of cheese - cheddar, meunster, swiss, pepper jack - and summer sausage - usually unopened - and it's fine. Some cheeses show some oil.

Cheese can release some of it's oil if outside temps are high, but would be fine. An option is to take some Laughing cow or some of the cheese that Hickory Farms sell, like those little wax covered ones. A good "hard" cheese is better than a softer variety.

Summer sausage or sausage in general MUST be shelf stable. Not all summer sausages are created the same. Ones that are "dry cured" or "fermented" are best. Higher end grocery stores will carry shelf stable sausage as will specialty meat markets. With a little looking, you will find them. Hy-Vees here carry many different kinds.

for summer sausage i buy klements singles from holiday station stores.

For summer sausage, I get Johnsonville Original Summer Sausage. It says right on the label, "No need to refrigerate," and it is awesome!

For cheese I like aged extra sharp cheddar, and I also bring the individually wrapped mozzerella for making pizza.

I get summmer sausage too, the kind that isn't in the refrigerator at the grocery store. I eat it over the course of a few days after it is opened, and never had a problem. The stuff is so processed and stuffed full of preservatives that I think it would take a long time to go bad.

Never had a problem with any kind of cheese, except cheddar will sweat the grease out, unless you keep it cool in a swamp cooler. I usually have a smoked gouda or something like that for late in the trip.

Instead of the chemically cured big brands with the tough, artificial casing, get the Salamini from Northern Waters Smokehaus in Duluth's Canal Park. It is shelf stable and made with natural processes. They are on the web. It is pricy, but the taste is so far superior it is worth it. They also make a pepperoni and a saucisson that are shelf stable and very good. I have no financial interests...I just like their product.

I buy what Frenchy does, Johnsonville original. It lasts very well. I sent some to my older son on his three deployments and it lasted very well. He kept asking for more. Over time it will actually kinda shrink.

I bring the non-refrigerated summer sausage, jerky and hard cheeses on fall trips with no refrigeration. I have used evaporative cooling when the temps have been warm- wrap the foods in a cotton T shirt and keep wet and in the shade, works better if in the wind.

I'm careful to buy 'No Refridgeration Needed" labelled summer sausage too. But have to mention last year I bought two Johnsonville sausages (not original, looked a bit fancier), set them unopened in the trip pile, and five days later noticed they had molded to my desk! Ughh! Glad I found out they were bad before we brought them into the woods...

Baby Bel cheeses. They are very good, keep well with no refrigeration, and the wax makes a good emergency fire starter if you need it. Come in several "flavors".