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Back to Equipment
Equipment considerations: One thing to consider is that you will not only carry your personal equipment, but also a portion of group food, group equipment and climbing equipment on your back over several miles and up thousands of feet. The goal is to bring only what you absolutely need to keep yourself warm and dry in adverse weather conditions. Try to trim the weight down by eliminating the extra gadgets and do-dads.
The quality of the gear you bring can either enhance or detract from your experience. The weather in the high mountains can be warm and balmy one minute and sub-freezing the next, even in mid-summer. Therefore, the equipment and clothing you bring needs to be of sufficient quality to keep you dry and warm as well as being durable enough to last through some hard use. Needless to say, your equipment should be tested through use prior to departing on an extended climbing trip.
Clothing considerations: The best clothing to bring is that made of synthetic materials such as wool, pile, fleece or polypropylene. These will keep you warm even when wet, will wick away moisture and will dry quickly . Please, DO NOT bring cotton clothing unless it is just a t-shirt or sun hat. Cotton has no insulating properties and does not dry quickly.
Health and fitness: Venturing into the high country demands a certain level of physical fitness. All of our courses entail a certain amount of walking, hiking, and climbing in what might be considered stressful conditions for some. Furthermore, the elevations will almost always be over 8,000 feet above sea level. The better physical condition that you are in the more enjoyable the experience will be. Train before the trip. Running, biking or even extended walking a few times a week before the course will help.
| Hardware |
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Sleeping bag with compression stuff sack - synthetic fill, rated to 15º F |
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Sleeping pad - 3/4 Ridge Rest or Therma Rest |
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Cup, bowl and spoon - large plastic insulated cup with top |
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Knife - Swiss Army or similar, preferably with a can opener |
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Water bottles - Two 1 liter Nalgene |
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Backpack - internal frame, 4500 ci or more |
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Pack cover - inexpensive poncho or coated nylon pack cover |
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Boots - waterproofed leather mountaineering boots |
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Gaiters- fit over boots to keep rocks and snow out |
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Adjustable trekking poles - (optional, but recommended) |
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| Clothing (use a layering system) |
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Socks - wool or sythetic |
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Shorts - nylon pair for hiking in |
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Long underwear - one pair, mid-weight synthetic top and bottom |
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Pile jacket - 200 weight Polartec |
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Shell jacket - waterproof/breathable |
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Shell pants - waterproof/breathable with full side zippers are best |
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Gloves - one mid-weight pair & one pair of liners |
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Hats - one pile hat and one baseball cap |
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Sunglasses and case- 100% UV blockage |
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| Personal Items |
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Sunscreen - at least SPF #15 |
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Lip balm with sunscreen |
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Headlamp - with two sets of batteries |
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Toiletries - toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc; keep it simple |
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Personal first aid kit - aspirin, ibuprofen, tape, band-aids and moleskin |
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Plastic bags - various sizes to line stuff sacks and keep things dry |
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Personal lunch food - GORP, energy bars, bagels, etc |
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Camera and film - (optional) |
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Book - (optional) |
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| Climbing Equipment (mountaineering courses only) |
| The following items are available for rent if you do not have your own: |
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Alpine ice axe - 70 cm |
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Crampons - versatile, step-in type |
| We supply the following items at no charge if you do not have your own: |
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Harness - adjustable leg loops to fit over layers of clothes |
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Locking carabiner - wide mouth |
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Belay/rappel device - Figure-8 or ATC |
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Helmet - climbing specific |
For questions or information please email or call (800) 642-5389
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Alaska
