Packing Lists
This article aims to cover the equipment required for a wide range of alpine trips. For a gear list tailored for previous Winter Club Mountaineering Trips, please see Mount Whitney Winter Packing List.
Being prepared with the correct gear is one of the most crucial aspects of mountaineering and climbing. The following is a sample list of gear for a generic trip. It should be emphasized that
- Gear should be chosen to suit the technical challenges, predicted conditions, and possible emergency conditions of the particular trip being undertaken.
- Each climber should maintain their own packing list and update it regularly . Only you can determine if you really need those rock shoes, that second pair of underwear, those heavier glove liners, that titanium spork, etc. There is no substitute for experience and this list is only an example.
Climbing Equipment
Item | Type | Notes |
---|---|---|
Accessory Cord | Technical, Ice , Snow | For prusiks. Try 6mm diameter nylon, and two strands of about 8' each, pre-tied into loops using a Double Fisherman's Knot. |
Avalanche Beacon | Snow | |
Avalanche Probe | Snow | |
Belay device | Technical, Ice, Snow | |
Crampon Storage | Snow, Ice | Although they can be strapped to the outside of your pack, it's better to have a purpose-built or improvised container for your crampons. See Crampons. |
Crampons | Snow, Ice | type (strap-on / step-in, front point style, etc.) depends on type of climbing |
Harness | Technical, Ice, Snow | |
Helmet | Technical, Ice, Snow | |
Ice Axe | Snow | The mountaineer's #1 tool |
Ice Screws | Technical, Ice, Group | Not necessary for Mt. Whitney trip |
Ice Tools | Ice | Not necessary for Mt. Whitney trip |
Locking Carabiner | Technical, Ice, Snow | |
Rock Climbing Shoes | Technical | if needed: often climbing is done in mountaineering boots, approach shoes, and/or crampons. Not necessary for Mt. Whitney trip |
Rock Protection | Technical, Group | Cams, chocks, nuts, runners, quickdraws, slings, etc. etc. for protecting rock (or mixed) routes. Not necessary for Mt. Whitney trip (leaders will have it) |
Rope | Technical, Ice, Snow, Group | Dynamic rope for leading technical terrain, thinner rope for rappels, etc. If you plan to rappel, make sure you have the appropriate slings / rappel rings. Not necessary for Mt. Whitney trip (leaders will have it) |
Shovel | Snow, Group | An essential tool! Metal blades are preferred. |
Snow Pickets | Snow, Group | An option if snow anchors need to be built. Not necessary for Mt. Whitney trip (leaders will have it) |
Snowshoes | Snow |
Clothing
Item | Type | Notes |
---|---|---|
Balaclava | Winter | or face mask, scarf, or neck gaiter. Useful for windy situations. |
Boots | Basic | The type of boot (trail runner, hiking boot, single or double mountaineering boot) depends on the type of trip. |
Down Jacket | Winter | or one or more warm layers |
Gaiters | Snow | |
Gloves/Mittens | Winter | Many options exist. Liners can be used under bulkier outer gloves or mittens. Remember that gloves get wet easily so extras are often a good idea. |
Goggles | Snow, Winter | Better coverage and wind protection than sunglasses in harsh conditions. Fogging can be an issue, so try ones with double-layers or with anti-fog coatings (or apply after-market anti-fog such as cat crap). |
Long Underwear | Winter | Tops and bottoms. |
Pants | Basic | Society dictates that you should wear pants. Zip-off nylon pant/shorts are efficient. |
Shell Jacket | Basic | Hard or soft shell (or even both) |
Socks | Basic | At least two pairs of both liners and outer wool/synthetic socks. The weight of the outer sock(s) depends on the temperature. |
Sun Hat | Basic | If you burn easily, consider bringing (or improvising) a hat that covers your neck as well |
Sunglasses | Basic | Especially if traveling on snow, make sure your glasses block all UV and block light from all directions, including the sides and bottom. You can modify your glasses with tape to block excess light. The Julbo Explorer is an example of the right kind of sunglasses. For long trips with harsh sun and wind, some people attach nose-protectors to their glasses (some glasses come with these), or make their own. |
Upper Layers | Basic | Merino layers, fleeces, softshells, etc. |
Warm Hat | Basic | Or even two if it's very cold! A good hat is probably the best way to stay warm, pound for pound. |
Warm pants | Winter | Fleece or otherwise. Army-surplus wool pants are a cheap way to go, and will keep you warm, but are much much heavier than fleece. |
Waterproof shell pants | Snow | For protection from wind and precipitation and also for glissading |
Large Personal Gear
Item | Type | Notes |
---|---|---|
Hiking Poles | Basic | optional. Snow baskets help in the snow. |
Large Backpack | Overnight | Internal or external frame. Bring some accessory straps so you can attach bulky items to the outside of your pack. |
Sleeping Bag | Overnight | Carry in a waterproof sack (a trash compactor bag works). |
Sleeping Mat(s) | Overnight | Inflatable mats/pads are lighter and very warm. However, they can be punctured. For snow camping, strongly consider bringing a closed-cell mat as well as inflatable one. Closed-cell mats can double as insulated seats for cooking etc. in the snow and many bring a small foam mat for such a purpose. |
Summit Pack | Basic | If also taking a large backpack, you may be able to replace the summit pack with the top of your main backpack, or your main pack itself. |
Water Bottles / Pouches | Basic | Plan according to availability of water, but 2L is usually the minimum. Be aware that water pouches' tubes freeze easily in the winter! |
Small Personal Gear
Item | Type | Notes |
---|---|---|
Blister kit | Basic | Whatever you use to prevent blisters, e.g. moleskin, sticky patches, duct tape, athletic tape, .. |
Camera | Basic | Optional. Extra batteries are a good idea. See Alpine Photography. |
Cell Phone | Basic | Optional, and you'll only sometimes get reception. Don't depend on it! |
Chapstick | Basic | Higher-SPF, less-pungent kinds like Lifeguard's Choice work well. In snowy settings, your lips will burn and puff up if you don't protect them. |
Compass | Basic | |
Drink Mixes | Basic | Optional. Sweet drink mixes are a good way to increase your hydration. Gatoraid works fine, but there are better mixes like gookinaid, endurox, accelerade, etc. (check out a bike store for options). Some brands claim that a bit of protein speeds up absorption, which may be true, but the mixes with protein make cleaning out the container much harder (the protein sticks to the sides, while sugar does not). As an added bonus, mixes may lower the freezing point of water. |
Duct Tape | Basic | Always useful. Can be wrapped around a water bottle. |
Earplugs | Overnight | Optional. |
Eating Kit | Overnight | Bowl, Spoon, Titanium Spork, etc. |
Entertainment | Overnight | Especially if you might be tent-bound for long stretches, a book or other diversion can be worth the weight. |
First Aid Kit | Basic | Ibuprofen, etc. On club trips, the leaders often have a big kit. |
GPS unit | Basic | Optional, and again don't depend on it! |
Headlamp + Extra Batteries | Basic | Light-weight enough (some are just tiny!) that it's almost always worth taking, even if there's only a small chance of being caught in the dark. Lithium batteries work well in the cold, and they are lighter than alkaline batteries, but they are expensive and have a lower voltage so make sure they are compatible with your device. |
Knife | Basic | Usually a small one (perhaps as part of a multi-tool) suffices. |
Lighters | Overnight | and/or matches. Probably worth it to bring a couple. |
Map | Basic | |
Misc. Toiletries | Overnight | Toothbrush, toothpaste, contact solution, etc. |
Pee bottle | Overnight | Optional, but it can be convenient, especially for long trips. It saves you from going outside in the cold during the middle of the night. Wide-mouth bottles recommended. |
Plastic Bags | Overnight | Trash bags, their heavier-duty cousins trash compactor bags, and resealable plastic bags are useful for trash, storing wet gear, and the like. |
Snacks | Basic | High in carbs, low in fat and protein. Try dried fruit or Gu packets. We have some suggestions at Favorite Backpacking Meals. |
Sunscreen | Basic | Bring your own, small container with only what you'll need. Surfers will tell you how 'Children's' sunscreen works well. At high-altitude and in snowy settings, you burn much faster than on the beach, so be very cautious and use a lot of sunscreen. |
Toilet Paper | Overnight | In some parts of the Sierras, like Mt. Whitney, you will need a "wag" bag from the Forest Service, which you use for waste. |
Watch | Basic | Might include fancy functions like an altimeter. A watch with an alarm is very important for early starts, unless you're the kind of person who naturally wakes up at 5 AM. |
Water Treatment | Overnight | Iodine tablets, steripen, pump filter, or optional if you'll be boiling water (or want to take a risk). Some people use chlorine tables. Pumps can be difficult in winter, when there is a chance they will freeze. A tiny dose of iodine kills all bugs except giardia (for giardia, use the standard dose). |
Whistle | Basic | Many backpacks include a whistle, but make sure it actually works! |
Camping Gear
Item | Type | Notes |
---|---|---|
Bear Canisters | Group, Overnight | While heavy, these provide peace of mind that you and your food will not be eaten by not only bears, but marmots, birds, and other creatures. |
Cooking Pot | Group, Overnight | |
Food | Overnight | For inspiration, see Favorite Backpacking Meals. |
Fuel | Group, Overnight | |
Stove | Group, Overnight | Many stoves come with aluminum shields to help reflect lost heat and block wind. |
Tent | Group, Overnight | Don't forget tie-downs and/or a snow anchoring system if needed! |
See Also
- Mount Whitney Winter Packing List
- Many gear lists at alpineascents.com
- Colin Haley, one of the world's top alpinist, has a gear guide (a few years old, but updated periodically) at CascadeClimbers.com: Colin Haley's gear guide
- The guiding service "Alpine Ascent" has a generic gear guide. This is a very short introdiction to common winter gear, not a packing list. Alpine Ascent's gear guide
- For a general introduction to backpacking and many more links, see e.g. this Guide for Beginner Backpackers