Ski Mountaineering Gear List 

For day and multi-day ski mountaineering trips in Alaska

Comments

• Think light and count ounces. The easiest way to have better skiing is to carry less gear. Don’t bring unnecessary items such as booties, crazy creek chairs, thermoses, seven-pound backpacks, summit packs or heavy cameras. If you find yourself saying "It just weighs a couple ounces," then leave it at home.
• Temperatures may be down to 15° F at night, even in the huts.
• Follow this list closely. Give me a call or email if you have questions.

You Provide

• Travel to Anchorage
• Bush flight costs
• Lunch, snacks and trail drinks
• Personal ski and camping gear
• Available for rent: backpack, tent, beacon, shovel, probe, crampons, ice axe, harness

We Provide

• Guide
• Dinner and camp drinks in the mountains
• Cook gear (stoves, fuel, pots)
• Rope, ice screws
• Repair, first aid and navigation kits
• Emergency communication

Ski Gear 

􀀀 Skis. 93 mm minimum and 110 mm maximum at waist such as the Dynafit Manaslu or G3 Saint.

 

􀀀 Bindings. Dynafit or G3 Onyx bindings are preferred. Fritschi or Marker AT bindings will work, but are heavy and will compromise the trip. Telemarkers must have free-pivot bindings and must have expert telemarking ability and a high fitness level.

 

􀀀 Ski Boots. Alpine touring boots such as the Scarpa F3 (Dynafit compatible), Scarpa Maestrale or plastic telemark boots.

 

􀀀 Ski Crampons. Required. www.bndskigear.com sells ski crampons for odd combinations of bindings and ski widths.

 

􀀀 Skins. Cut to fit the skis, with metal edges exposed.

 

􀀀 Glop Stop. For spring and summer trips to reduce skin icing. Also consider hot-waxing your skins. 

 

􀀀 Poles. Lightweight & adjustable such as the Black Diamond Carbon Fiber Flicklock Poles. 

 

􀀀 Avalanche Beacon. Backcountry Access Tracker beacons are simple and effective.

 

􀀀 Shovel. Metal only. For our safety, absolutely no plastic shovels. 

 

􀀀 Probe. Must be 230cm or longer. Carbon fiber probes work well and are light.

 

􀀀 Ski Helmet. Optional, but recommended. 

 

􀀀 Ski Strap. Such as the Voile strap or BD strap. No velcro straps please.

 

Climbing Equipment 

Think simple, light and effective. Prussik loops are cheap, light, and multi-purpose when compared to a Petzl Mini Traxion or Wild Country Ropeman. Instead of single purpose crevasse rescue pullies, consider a DMM Revolver Carabiner. 

􀀀 Ice Axe. Have a light general mountaineering axe such as the BD Raven Pro, Grivel Air Tech Racing or Camp Corsa. All aluminum axes also work well. Too short (50 cm is best) is preferable to too long. No leashes or rubberized grips.

 

􀀀 Crampons. Aluminum ultra light crampons without anti-ball plates such as the BD Neve or Camp XLC 390 are best for ski mountaineering. Crampon bags and spike protectors work well for travel, but are too heavy for the backcountry. 

 

􀀀 Prussiks. Bring your familiar prussiks, or one continuous 40-foot piece of 6 mm Perlon accessory cord. Have at least two prussik  loops. 

 

􀀀 1 Cordelette. 18-foot length of 5-6 mm Perlon accessory cord tied with an in-line overhand. For anchors and rescue.

 

􀀀 Harness. Lightweight, such as the BD Couloir, BD Alpine Bod or Camp ALP 95.

 

􀀀 4 Locking Biners. At least one Munter (pear-shaped) biner such as the Petzl Attache, for belaying and rappelling with a Munter hitch. The remaining lockers can be screw-gates like the BD Positron.

 

􀀀 5 Non-Locking Biners. BD Oz or Neutrinos are light and functional.

 

Clothing

To lighten your load, think in terms of wearing all your clothing in extreme weather. The only exception would be a spare pare of socks, light gloves and sun hat. 

􀀀 Lightweight Underwear. Tops and bottoms.

 

􀀀 Schoeller Pants. Like the Patagonia Alpine Guide Pants.

 

􀀀 Insulated Wind Jacket. Schoeller or the Marmot Driclime.

 

􀀀 Windshirt. Nice but not required. Like the Patagonia Houdinini.

 

􀀀 Insulated Jacket. With hood like the Patagonia DAS parka.

 

􀀀 Gore-Tex Jacket and Pants. To stop wind, snow and rain. Since this is a shell, and not an insulating layer, get lightweight versions. The pants must have full-length side zips.

 

􀀀 Warm Socks. 

 

􀀀 Liner Socks. Optional. 

 

􀀀 Warm hat. Must stay down over ears.

 

􀀀 Balaclava. Essential for cold winter and spring conditions. Different than a Buff.

 

􀀀 Sun hat.

 

􀀀 Buff. To shade head from intense spring and summer sun.

 

􀀀 Liner Gloves. For hot conditions or to slide inside your mitts during super-cold conditions.

 

􀀀 Work Gloves. These will be your main gloves. Durable leather such as the BD Patrol glove.

 

􀀀 Mittens. For very cold conditions. Not needed for May and June trips. 

 

Personal Equipment 

􀀀 Backpack. For day touring. 35-40 liters is ideal. Such as the Osprey Mutant 38. 

 

􀀀 Headlamp. Small and lightweight for 1 am twilight reading or "just in case" events. Bring extra batteries.

 

􀀀 Personal First-Aid Kit. Simple and light including Ibuprofen, moleskin, molefoam, athletic tape, Band-Aids, personal medications, etc. The guide will have an extensive first-aid kit, so leave anything extra behind. Please indicate medical issues on the application and let your guide know about any medical issues before the trip.

 

􀀀 Glacier Glasses. With side covers or wrap-around. Regular sunglasses are not sufficient.

 

􀀀 Sunscreen. SPF 30 or better, 2 small tubes of 1 oz each. Such as Dermatone Z-cote.

 

􀀀 Lipscreen. SPF 30 or better, at least 2 sticks. Dermatone Z-cote Lips 'n' Face works well.

 

􀀀 Water Bottle. Two one-liter wide-mouth bottles. No bladder systems, which freeze or leak and will compromise the trip. Cozies help in cold winter conditions, but just add extra weight. If conditions are forecasted for near 0F, then a Thermos is recommended. 

 

􀀀 Compass. With sighting mirror and adjustable declination such as the Silva Ranger.

 

􀀀 Knife. Medium sized. No heavy multi-tools please.

 

􀀀 Lighters. Two adjustable lighters for stoves.

 

􀀀 Camera. Optional. Bring a simple and light point and shoot. Please do not bring large SLR cameras with extra lenses. Rig the camera on string to hang around your neck to keep warm during cold weather. 

 

Multi-Day Gear

􀀀 Backpack. 4-5,000 cubic inches. Keep it simple and light (5 pounds max), such as the Osprey Aether 60 or Variant 52.

 

􀀀 Sleeping Bag. Good to 15°F, with compression stuff sack.

 

􀀀 Thermarest. 3/4-length Prolite 4 works well.

 

􀀀 Tent. 4 season such as the BD Firstlight or Hilleberg Nammatj 2. No 3-season tents--they don't stand up to Alaskan storms.

 

􀀀 Cup. The lightest option is to drink from your water bottle and eat from a cut off Platypus or washed-out freeze-dry bag. If you're going heavy style, then I suggest the the GSI Fair Share Mug.

 

􀀀 Spoon. Lexan. No knife or fork.

 

􀀀 Pee Bottle. Nalgene 1.5 liter collapsible canteen.

 

􀀀 Warm Socks. Extra pair. 

 

􀀀 Freshette. Pee funnel is helpful for women. All women mountain guides use these.

 

􀀀 Toiletry bag. Include one small roll of TP in a zip-loc with a small hand sanitizer and lighter. Also absorbent foot powder—like Goldbond for warming feet. Do not bring soap, shampoo, deodorant, or cosmetics.

 

􀀀 Book. Pocket edition book, magazine, cards or iPod for killing storm time.

 

􀀀 Second Water Bottle.