GEAR LIST

You do not pack all your gear on any given trip. Depending on the adventure, you may wear some gear and leave some in the car or at home. Some items are optional, depending on personal preference and the nature of the trip. A group can share items in brackets [_].

ITEMS LEFT IN OR NEAR THE TRAILHEAD VEHICLE

  • Copy of trip itinerary, listing people in the party

  • List of equipment carried, including PLBs, etc.

  • Map and directions to the trailhead; weather forecast

  • Extra water

  • Refreshing drinks (optional)

  • Spare key hidden outside of or near the car (optional)

  • Pack scale for checking pack weight at the start of the trip (optional)

  • Clean, comfortable clothes for the drive home (optional)

ITEMS WORN OR CARRIED

An underlying assumption of this list is that you are starting cool, most likely in the morning.

  • Pack: day pack or backpack for overnight or longer trips

  • Boots; gaiters (optional)

  • Socks (synthetic or wool); liners (optional)

  • Brimmed hat

  • Base-layer top

  • Long-sleeved shirt

  • Base-layer bottoms (optional)

  • Underwear (optional)

  • Shorts (optional)

  • Lightweight nylon pants (zip-off legs optional)

  • Wristwatch altimeter

  • Trekking poles

  • Keys to trailhead vehicle

GEAR PACKED FOR ALL TRIPS

Keep Essentials 1-7 grouped and ready to go because they are typically small and change little from trip to trip.

  1. Navigation: map, altimeter, compass, [GPS: smartphone with GPS app or dedicated GPS device, (PLB, satellite communicator, or satellite phone], [extra batteries], [power bank]

  2. Headlamp: plus extra batteries [extra headlamp (optional)]

  3. Sun protection: sunglasses, sun-protective clothes, sunscreen

  4. First aid: including foot-care supplies, insect repellent (optional)

  5. Knife: plus repair kit

  6. Fire: matches, lighter and tinder, or stove (as appropriate)

  7. Shelter: tent, bivy, or emergency shelter (as appropriate and carried at all times)

  8. Extra food: beyond the minimum expectation

  9. Extra water: beyond minimum expectation or means to purify

  10. Extra clothes: beyond minimum expectation (detailed below)

CLOTHING

This section includes garments worn while hiking and extra clothes to survive the inactive long hours of a planned or unplanned overnight. Choices depend on probable worst-case weather; thus, none are optional.

  • Base Layer

    • Top(s) and bottom(s) to wear while active

    • Extra dry set for camp and to wear while sleeping

  • Midlayers

    • Synthetic shirt(s) and pants

    • Synthetic fleece (vests, shirts, or jackets)

    • Wool knit shirt(s)

    • Double-weave softshell jacket and pants

    • Puffy jacket (synthetic, down, or active insulation)

  • Shell Layers and Belay Jacket

    • Wind-shell jacket and wind pants

    • Laminated softshell jacket

    • Waterproof, breathable laminated softshell jacket

    • Hardshell jacket and pants (rain pants)

    • Belay jacket

  • Headwear, Handwear, and Footwear

    • Warm hat

    • Warm under-helmet hat.

    • Waterproof wide-brimmed hat

    • Balaclava

    • Buff or neck tube(s)

    • Gloves or mittens (extras), plus glove or mitten liners

    • Socks (extras)

    • Waterproof, breathable socks

    • Stream-crossing footwear

    • Gaiters (short, alpine, or expedition)

OTHER GEAR

  • [Dedicated GPS device suitable for extreme environments]

  • Lunch and/or snacks sufficient for the hike, climb, or trip

  • Water (minimum 2 quarts or liters)

  • Toilet kit: toilet paper, blue bags, hand sanitizer or wipes, [trowel]

  • N95 masks (optional, helpful for wildfire smoke)

  • Insect repellent (optional)

  • Local communication device (optional): whistle, walkie-talkie

  • Spare eyeglasses (optional)

  • Cup (optional)

  • Nylon cord (optional)

  • Camera (optional)

  • Extra batteries and/or power bank for electronic gear

  • Binoculars (optional)

  • Bandanna (optional)

  • Protective phone cover (optional)

OTHER ITEMS FOR AN OVERNIGHT TRIP

  • Sleeping bag, stuff sack, sleeping pad

  • [Tent], [tarp], or bivy sack (optional)

  • [Ground cloth] (optional)

  • [Food]

  • [Water container(s)]

  • [Group first-aid kit]

  • [Group repair kit]

  • [Stove, accessories, fuel]

  • [Pot(s), cleaning pad]

  • Spoon, fork (optional), bowl (optional)

  • Toiletries (optional)

  • Alarm clock or alarm watch (optional)

  • Clothes to wear in camp and while sleeping (optional)

  • Camp footwear (optional)

  • Pack cover (optional)

  • Hand and foot warmers (optional)

  • Thermos bottle (optional)

OTHER GEAR FOR SNOW OR WINTER ACTIVITIES

  • Spike traction devices (optional)

  • Powder baskets for trekking poles (optional)

  • Snowshoes (optional) or skis (optional)

  • [Snow shovel] (optional)

  • Avalanche transceiver (optional)

  • Avalanche probes (optional)

  • Crampons adjusted to boots (optional)

OTHER WARM CLOTHES TO CONSIDER

  • Base layer: heavier-weight top and bottom

  • Midlayers: additional and heavier-weight layers for insulation

  • Shell layer: sturdier or additional shell layers

  • Belay jacket: one for each climber (rather than shared)-increasingly crucial as temperature drops

  • Head, hands, and feet layers: more items that can work as a system, plus backups

  • Boots: more robust mountaineering boots

OTHER GEAR

  • [Spare sunglasses]

  • Leather gloves