2008 Sierra Winter Trip gear list

Gear is always a tradeoff between preparedness and being light-weight, as well as a matter of cost, so no gear list can be completely objective. However, group trips require a certain amount of uniformity, so the following items should be considered mandatory unless otherwise noted.

• Large backpack. Internal or external frame.
• Small summit pack, for the summit day. There are several options, each with disadvantages. You could take an extra small day pack with you, which makes for a nice summit day, although it adds weight on the approach. You could also take a small camelback pak (although a camelback bladder is likely to freeze). Some backpacks let you use the top-pouch as a fanny-pack. You can wear your outer jacket and put lots of things in the pockets, or combine this with a previous method (but make sure you can still carry enough water). And if none of these work, you can always use your main backpack, but even though it might feel light on your shoulders, it adds a lot of weight to your legs.
• Sleeping bag, a warm one. Down or synthetic is ok. If yours isn’t warm enough, you can rent one at REI. Plan on night time temperatures down to -15 F.
• Sleeping pad, foam or therma-rest style. A good pad really helps you keep warm. You can rent these at REI if you don’t have one.
• Ski poles, if you want them. Many people like to use them for hiking (and to help your knees on descents), but they’re certainly not essential.
• Snow shoes. The REI in Arcadia rents them, and the Caltech Y has three pairs. Any kind will do, though some are certainly better than others. The very long powder types will add unnecessary weight. Skis are also acceptable, but please let me know if you're going to use skis. Skins would be necessary.
• Ice axe. Pretty much any kind will do – try to get the lightest one possible. Typical sizes are 60, 65 and 70 cm. Longer ones are generally a bit more comfortable, but heavier. Taller people will want a longer ice axe, but if you don’t have your optimal size available then don’t worry about it. Leashes are optional for the type of climbing we’re doing; if you want one, a light cord will do.
• Crampons. For snow, almost any kind will do, but you probably want the lightweight, flexible strap-on crampons. If you’re taking plastic boots and only have step-in crampons, those are fine too. Do not use “in-step” crampons, which have only a few points in the middle of the boot (they don’t have front-points). Your crampons should have 10 or 12 points.
• Something to wrap the crampons in if you’re going to be putting them in your pack. You can buy rubber protective covers for $7 from REI, or just wrap them in a thick clothe. You can sometimes put the crampons on the outside of your pack.
• Sturdy boots. Leather or plastic are best; part-leather, part-nylon is unacceptable for winter. Your boots need to be stiff enough to accommodate your crampons (they do not need the special crampon groves, if you’re using strap-on crampons), they should also be reasonably waterproof, and they should be warm. Plastic boots achieve these requirements better than leather, but are less comfortable and more expensive. I recommend plastic boots because they will be warmer. If you use leather boots, do so at your own risk, and be sure to waterproof them just before the trip.
• Helmet, for rockfall protection. The specialty mountaineering helmets are nicest, but I think a bike helmet would be just fine also.
• Harness, for tying into the rope at the steep part near the summit. You want a light harness, without gear loops, and preferably with snap-open adjustable leg loops (so that you can put it on without having to step through the leg holes with crampons on), but any harness will do. The BD Alpine Bod is a good minimalist harness and also very cheap.
• Cord, for prussiks. We might be using this on the ropes near the top. I’d suggest 5 mm, but 6 mm is fine too. 7 mm is too large to grip on icy ropes. I’d suggest one or two cords, pre-tied with a double-fisherman’s knot. 8 feet should be enough for one cord.
• Locking Carabiner. Please take one locking carabiner to tie into. You do not need extra carabiners. If you don’t have a carabiner, please let me know.
• Belay Device in case we rappel.
• Shovel, for digging out campsite or for emergencies. If you have one, bring it. If you don’t have one, no need to buy one just for this trip.
• Two-way Radios if you have them. We’ll be using FRS and GMRS bands.
• Avalanche transceiver and probe if you have them (or can borrow them). You are not expected to purchase a transceiver (cost is about $300), but they are very useful if you're planning on much winter travel.

• Tent. It may be very windy, so a nice 4-season tent is preferred. If you only have a 3-season tent, then that’s life.
• Tie down cord for your tent – this is essential! The wind is fierce. Stakes will not work.
• Backpacking stove and matches. Either the canister type or the fuel bottle type is fine (e.g. propane vs. white gas, I think). We will need to melt a lot of water at night, so the stoves will get plenty of use. If you don’t have a stove, check and see if another tent group has an extra. The aluminum foil sheets that you can setup around your stove are essential for cooking in the wind.
• Fuel, for your stove. Take plenty – it’s our way to get water at high camp.
• Cooking pot, with lid. You probably only need one, and it will mainly be used for melting snow. Aluminum, or if you have it, titanium. You probably don’t need a pot-holder, since we’ll have gloves. You might want a serving utensil, but it’s not always necessary.
• Food. For breakfast, we’ll want to eat quickly. On the summit day, try to have a ready-to-eat breakfast that you don’t need to cook. For dinner, let your imagination run wild, but keep it light. Remember that because water boils at a lower temperature, any item that requires boiling water will take a while to cook. I’m not especially talented in this area, but a few possibilities, for those who are cheap and do not have discriminatory taste buds, are: couscous, buttery dried mashed potatoes, high protein (~30 g.) bars, summer sausage, cheese. Or for light-weight and convenience, the freeze-dried meals available at stores like REI. Hareem mentions another cheap option: ramen noodles, which are very light and have lots of carbs and you don’t need to have an extra bowl if you manage not to squish the packaging. If you want to take spaghetti (not especially recommended), the thin noodles and rigati style cook fastest.

• Long underwear, tops and bottoms. I use polypro, but I think there are newer (and better?) synthetics that have recently come out, and some people prefer silk, though I don’t think silk adds much warmth. Light-weight or medium-weight.
• Socks, thick wool ones (or synthetic). I also use polypro liners, but these are perhaps not as important if you have synthetic wool socks. Bring at least two pairs of thick socks; they will get wet, either via sweat or via snow melt.
• Pants, and perhaps waterproof shells. Unless you have expedition-weight long underwear, you’ll want insulated pants (e.g. fleece, or soft-shell). I will not let anyone wear jeans. For waterproof shells, the expensive gore-tex style ski pants are excellent. However, if it’s not in your budget, here are two alternatives: use either windbreaker pants (not waterproof) or cheap waterproof shells (not breathable); or use a cheap waterproof/breathable material (e.g. the Red Ledge fabric – pants for $30). For any kind of shell, especially the thin ones, be very careful about slicing it with your crampons. The best shells have thicker fabric on the inside of the calf. Sturdy gaiters also help. Full-length side zippers are very convenient.
• Gaiters. Sturdy ones; a strong fabric (like cordura, I think) on the inside of the calf is nice. I’ve never sliced through my OR Crocodiles with crampons, but I have sliced through a thinner kind (which I was borrowing. The moral: don’t borrow or lend gaiters).
• Upper layers. You can go surprisingly light for upper layers while you’re hiking, as long as you don’t stop much (or put on more layers when you stop). A fleece with a wool shirt might work.
• Down jacket for camp, and to wear during rest-stops. This makes life much more enjoyable. If you don’t have one, then take several fleece and wool jackets.
• Shell jacket. Very useful. There are newer light-weight versions (some intended for jogging) which are less bulky and are lighter, and there are bigger versions with lots of pockets and perhaps a bit more warmth. For this trip, any kind will do. Most people already have one, but if you don’t have one and it’s not in your budget, then you can make do with a cheaper non-waterproof windbreaker.
• Hat for warmth. Any reasonable kind.
• Gloves and mittens. During the day, there’s a good chance your gloves/mittens will get wet, so bring another pair for use in camp. Gloves and mittens are light, so my suggestions is take all the gloves/mittens that you own.. There are obvious advantages to both gloves and mittens, so pick your favorite (or take both). Reasonable waterproofing for your main pair is essential. Hareem recommends light fleece gloves because they’re dexterous while putting on crampons, etc., and because they dry quickly. Many people use a liner glove inside a thicker glove.
• Balaclava or scarf or neck gaiter. We can expect very strong winds near the summit, and any exposed flesh will be at risk for frost-bite.

• Sun hat (e.g. baseball hat) for the approach. It will be very bright on the snow.
• Sunscreen. Do not bring a large container. I just refill a small plastic container I have; REI sells nice small containers, while many people use an old 35mm film canister.
• Chapstick with a SPF. Your lips can easily get burned.
• Sunglasses, preferably very dark ones. You can use specific glacier models, or use Jeandrew’s method and put tape on the sides, or just use normal sunglasses.
• Headlamp. We’ll be starting the summit day at night, so you probably want a headlamp. It’s hard to beat the modern LED headlamps. You probably only need one headlamp; don’t bother about a backup. Bring fresh batteries.
• Batteries for flashlight (and camera). You could consider bring a backup set; batteries die very fast in the cold. Lithium batteries are lighter, last longer, and more expensive; they now come in AA and AAA sizes, available at larger stores and REI. I think they are about 3 times the price of alkalines, and 2/3 the weight. However, they are only 1.2 V (alkalines are 1.5 V) so your light won’t be as bright. Good rechargeable batteries (e.g. NiMH) are not as nice because even the best ones (e.g. 3000 mAh for AA size) still have less capacity than alkaline, and they are 1.2 V.
• Camera, if desired. Light-weight cameras are better for serious mountaineering.
• Small first aid kit. Pills are lightweight, so you can take small amounts of whatever medicine you want. I recommend ibuprofen (for all kinds of things) and ginkgo biloba (for altitude headaches). Gauze and tape for emergencies is also nice.
• Mole skin or athletic tape, for blisters. If your boots are new, then you can count on blisters. Athletic tape or duct tape can be put on before you hike as a preventative measure. If you use moleskin, bring a small knife or scissors. Waterproof tape is nice, so that the tape doesn’t come off once you start to swat.
• Small knife, if you want. Keep it light, if possible – no need for a hunting knife or very large swiss army knife. I’ll be taking a very small knife with plastic handle.
• Toilet paper and/or WAG bag (the kits the Forest Service gives you do dispose of waste). In a group of our size, we should be pretty responsible about this, and should definitely pack out our waste.
• Misc. Toiletries, e.g. contact solution, toothbrush, small amount of toothpaste. For contact solution, I have a small plastic bottle from REI that I put a few ounces of solution in – I would not recommend taking a large bottle. You’ll need to sleep with the solution so it doesn’t freeze. Prescription glasses are ok, but try to have some clip-on shades because it’ll be very bright.
• Goggles, useful if it’s windy. We will continue to the top in high wind (as long as it’s not a storm), and it’s no fun to have to turn back because your eyes hurt from the blowing snow.
• Personal utensils and bowl. You might not even need a bowl, depending on your food plans (i.e. you can eat dinner out of the big pot). If you’re having instant quaker oats for breakfast, the “paper” packets are actually reinforced with plastic, and will hold hot water, so you don’t need a bowl. For utensils, metal will work but plastic is lighter. REI sells nice lexan ones, but you can get very sturdy plastic ones for free from the condiments section at Wild Oats. If you’d like, bring a mug for hot drinks, or just use a water bottle.
• Compass. It’s very lightweight and cheap, so no reason not to have one.
• A whistle can be a nice thing to have in case you get separated from the group, or for another emergency. They weigh next-to-nothing.
• Map. I’ll pass these out and post them online.
• Water bottle. The widemouth bottles are nice because you can pour water into them easier. Any kind, but make sure it doesn’t leak.
• Snacks and lunch. Wild Oats and Trader Joes have lots of dried fruit, though not always for low prices (Lake Produce Center has some really cheap dried fruit). Dates and figs are relatively cheap. I personally don’t mind the energy gels (e.g. GU, CliffShots) but I don’t use them due to cost. You can never go wrong with chocolate or trail mix. I get ravenous while climbing, but a common effect of altitude is to decrease your appetite.
• Duct tape, for all-purpose jobs, if desired. It’s useful for blisters, torn clothes, torn tents, fixing snowshoes, etc. I generally carry athletic tape – you probably don’t need both duct tape and athletic tape. Hareem recommends carrying the duct tape around a nalgene; I’ve also heard of people carrying it around ski poles (I would not wrap it around an ice axe). Don’t take a full roll, of course.
• Watch. Very important for mountaineering. We’ll need alarms to wake us up in the morning, and in general we’ll need to know the time so we can plan accordingly. Not everyone needs a watch, but every subgroup should have one.
• Ear plugs for more restful sleep at night (unless you’re responsible for waking up to the alarm).
• Pee bottle for use inside the tent at night (definitely OPTIONAL). Some people like to use a bottle so that they don't have to go outside.
• Cell Phone (OPTIONAL). Cell phones can be very useful, although coverage in the mountains is very limited. With a large group, only a few people should take phones.
• Iodine for treating water. Many people don't treat alpine water in the Sierras, but many people do. The risk is up to you. You need one or two full tablets to kill giardia; you only need a small fraction of a table to kill everything else, except cryptosporidia (which isn't killed by iodine at all, although it isn't much to worry about if you have a healthy immune system). Note that iodine degrades over time, and you should get a new bottle after 6 months to a year. Storing it in the fridge or freezer slows the degradation.

• Webbing, carabiners, rope, etc. The leaders will have what we need.
• GPS is probably unnecessary on this trip and just adds weight.