Gear Lists

NO COTTON!

• Wicking: fibers that wick sweat away from body.
• Insulating: provides warmth even when wet with sweat.
• Shell: protection from wind, rain, snow.
• Extra layers: for warmth and to change into if you get soaking wet.

Clothing:

• Head: Warm hat, balaclava/fleece neck gaiter.
• Upper Body: Long underwear, warm layer (fleece or wool), rain shell (fully waterproof), insulated jacket with a good hood.
• Hands: lightweight gloves, medium weight gloves.
• Feet: Wool or synthetic winter socks. 2 extra pairs. Sturdy hiking boots (Gortex lined, Vibram sole recommended).
• Lower Body: Long underwear, waterproof pants/bibs.
• Extras: Carry extra base and insulative layer.
• Puff jacket

Gear:

• Sleeping bag (rated for 25 degree F. or below)
• Large pack (greater than 60 liters)
• Sleeping pad
• Tent or bivy sack
• Cook stove and fuel
• Cooking pot
• Bowl, utensils, and insulated mug
• Small headlamp
• Goggles (used for storms or if sunglasses are lost or broken)
• Sunglasses (prescription if necessary)
• Lip balm (with sunblock helps)
• Food and snacks (enough for trip)
• Water bottle (insulated helps prevent ice in  thermos in cold weather)
• Personal toiletry items (include toilet paper)

Please leave ipod-like devices in the car and turn off your cell phones.

Additional optional items:

• Snow/wood saw (optional)
• Pen, pencil, compass, fieldbook, map
• Compass and/or GPS
• Camera (optional)
• 50’ thin cord

Personal repair and emergency kit (including first aid):

• Fire starting items (lighter/matches, firestarter)
• Small multipurpose tool or pocket knife
• Ibuprofen or aspirin (for emergency in the field)
• Athletic tape
• Duct tape
• Mole skin for blisters
• Necessary knee braces, etc. (test to be sure they work for extensive hiking)
• Extra batteries for headlamps

Gear and Prep List

PREPARATION FOR FIELD EXPERIENCE: Heed the warning – No cotton… No cotton… No cotton! Please collect and organize this gear and bring it to the first day of class. If you have trouble locating any of the major gear items, please contact the instructor for assistance/direction. The course will be more productive and enjoyable if students put a concerted effort into being punctual and prepared for mountain travel.

Dress WISE:

• Wicking: Fibers that wick sweat away from body
• Insulating: Provides warmth even when wet with sweat
• Shell: Protection from wind, rain, snow
• Extra layers: For warmth and if you get soaking wet
• Head: Warm hat, balaclava/fleece neck gaiter. A light hat is recommended as well for the approach (ball cap for spring).

Clothing:

• Upper Body: Long underwear, warm layer (fleece or wool), rain shell (fully waterproof), insulated jacket with a good hood
• Lower Body: Long underwear, waterproof pants/bibs
• Carry extra base and insulative layer (puff jacket for trapping warmth when we stop)
• Lightweight gloves, medium weight gloves, heavy gloves/mitts.
• At least 2 pairs of socks, wool or synthetic.

In your pack:

• Pen, pencil, compass, field book, map
• Small headlamp
• Goggles (used for storms or if sunglasses are lost or broken)
• Sunglasses (prescription if necessary)
• Sunscreen (medium-size tube, portion out)
• Lip balm (make sure it is has sunblock in it)
• Camera (optional, share cameras)
• Food and snack sack (with high-calorie snacks and a quick lunch)
• Water bottle (1 liter minimum - hydration bladders tend to freeze)
• Personal toiletry items (includes toilet paper)
• Avalanche transceiver (worn on your body), shovel, probe
• Personal repair and emergency kit, including first aid (recommended)
• Fire starting items (lighter/matches, fire starter.)
• Multipurpose tool or pocket knife
• Ibuprofen or aspirin (for emergency in the field)
• Athletic tape
• Duct tape (bring enough, but not a pound.)
• Mole skin for blisters
• Necessary knee braces, etc. (test to be sure they work for extensive hiking)
• Extra batteries for headlamps and avalanche transceivers

Please leave ipod-like devices at home. Cell phones will be turned in airplane mode while we are in the field.

Snow Travel and Rescue Equipment

• Avalanche probe (available at Health & Fitness Center)
• Collapsible shovel (available at Health & Fitness Center)
• Avalanche transceiver (digital 457 kHz frequency) (available at Health & Fitness Center)

Ski

• Boots (touring boots recommended)
• Skis with touring bindings (please adjust binding to boots and skins to skis before the course); randonee or free heal gear is okay.
• Poles

Snowboard

• Split board with touring bindings and skins (please adjust bindings to boots and skins to board before the course). For students arriving at the course with snowboarding equipment, split boards are recommended, as compared to traveling with snowshoes. If traveling with snowshoes please have a means to attach your board to your pack - have this system worked out before the start of the course.)
• Boots
• Collapsible poles

Snowshoe

• Snowshoes (available at the Health & Fitness Center)

Snowshoes need to be adjusted to boots, please test thoroughly before the course. Snowshoes are not recommended for courses where deep, new snow conditions or steep terrain will likely be experienced. Please contact the instructor for more information.

Recommended, but not mandatory:

• Snow saw or folding pruning saw (approx. 40 cm blade)
• Snow thermometer (graduated in degrees Celsius), dial stem and/or glass/alcohol types are commonly used. Digital thermometers are acceptable
• Crystal identification screen-dark color, metal
• Magnifier (8x or 10x recommended)
• Folding rule (graduated in cm/2 m length)
• Compass with clinometer

 

Gear and Prep List:

PREPARATION FOR FIELD EXPERIENCE: Heed the warning – No cotton… No cotton… No cotton! Please collect and organize this gear and bring it to the first day of class. If you have trouble locating any of the major gear items, please contact the instructor for assistance/direction. The course will be more productive and enjoyable if students put a concerted effort into being punctual and prepared for mountain travel.

Dress WISE:

• Wicking: Fibers that wick sweat away from body
• Insulating: Provides warmth even when wet with sweat
• Shell: Protection from wind, rain, snow
• Extra layers: For warmth and if you get soaking wet
• Head: Warm hat, balaclava/fleece neck gaiter. A light hat is recommended as well for the approach (ball cap for spring).

Clothing:

• Upper Body: Long underwear, warm layer (fleece or wool), rain shell (fully waterproof), insulated jacket with a good hood
• Lower Body: Long underwear, waterproof pants/bibs
• Carry extra base and insulative layer (puff jacket for trapping warmth when we stop)
• Lightweight gloves, medium weight gloves, heavy gloves/mitts.
• At least 2 pairs of socks, wool or synthetic.

In your pack:

• Pen, pencil, compass, field book, map.
• Small headlamp
• Goggles (used for storms or if sunglasses are lost or broken)
• Sunglasses (prescription if necessary)
• Sunscreen (medium size tube, portion out)
• Lip balm (make sure it is a sunblock)
• Camera (optional, share cameras)
• Food and snack sack (with high-calorie snacks and a quick lunch)
• Water bottle (1 liter minimum - hydration bladders tend to freeze)
• Personal toiletry items (includes toilet paper)
• Avalanche transceiver (worn on your body), shovel, probe
• Personal repair and emergency kit, including first aid (recommended)
• Fire starting items (lighter/matches, fire starter)
• Multipurpose tool or pocket knife
• Ibuprofen or aspirin (for emergency in the field)
• Athletic tape
• Duct tape (bring enough, but not a pound)
• Mole skin for blisters
• Necessary knee braces, etc. (test to be sure they work for extensive hiking)
• Extra batteries for headlamps and avalanche transceivers

Snow Travel and Rescue Equipment

• Avalanche probe (available at Health & Fitness Center)
• Collapsible shovel (available at Health & Fitness Center)
• Avalanche transceiver (digital 457 kHz frequency) (available at Health & Fitness Center)

Ski

• Boots (touring boots recommended)
• Skis with touring bindings (please adjust binding to boots and skins to skis before the course); randonee or free heal gear is okay.
• Poles

Snowboard

• Split board with touring bindings and skins (please adjust bindings to boots and skins to board before the course). For students arriving at the course with snowboarding equipment, split boards are recommended, as compared to traveling with snowshoes. If traveling with snowshoes please have a means to attach your board to your pack - have this system worked out before the start of the course.)
• Boots
• Collapsible poles

Snowshoe

• Snowshoes (available at the Health & Fitness Center)

Snowshoes need to be adjusted to boots, please test thoroughly before the course. Snowshoes are not recommended for courses where deep, new snow conditions or steep terrain will likely be experienced. Please contact the instructor for more information.

Recommended, but not mandatory:

• Snow saw or folding pruning saw (approx. 40 cm blade)
• Snow thermometer (graduated in degrees Celsius), dial stem and/or glass/alcohol types are commonly used. Digital thermometers are acceptable
• Crystal identification screen-dark color, metal
• Magnifier (8x or 10x recommended)
• Folding rule (graduated in cm/2 m length)
• Compass with clinometer

Dressing for Comfort in the Winter Mountains

 

Some general principles for staying warm include:

• Avoid cotton or cotton blends in all garments
• Dress using the layering principle.
• Several lighter layers will be warmer than one or two heavier layers, including: wicking underwear against the skin; several light to midweight loose fitting insulating layers; a shell layer - a thicker, warm layer to add over the others for camp, when less active.
• Pay particular attention to your feet. In addition to double boots, vapor-barrier liner socks work for some, not for others.
• Pay attention to your hands as well. Mittens are warmer than gloves. Use the layering principle here too.
• Have dry clothes to wear to bed, and make sure your sleeping bag is warm enough so you don’t have to wear heavy (less breathable) clothing to sleep in. Have a change of socks and hat to wear to bed.

Clothes: NO COTTON

• Boots: insulated double boots with removable liners preferred. Type will depend on mode of snow travel. Double ski boots (alpine mountaineering or telemark), snowmobile or Sorel boots work well.
• Top and bottom wicking long underwear: polypro, treated polyester, wool, other synthetic, etc. 
• Socks: the most important factor is a good fit with the boots that will be used. A good combo is a polypro, nylon or silk liner, then a heavier wool/synthetic blend boot sock. Have at least one spare set.
• Fleece tights and/or pants, or wool pants
• Fleece vest and/or jacket
• Puffy jacket: synthetic batting (Polarguard, Quallofil, etc.) or down jacket, with hood preferred.
• Shell jacket and pants: waterproof/breathable such as Goretex or similar. Waterproof/ non-breathable ok if well ventilated
• Gaiters (can be rented from the Health & Fitness Center)
• Glove liners: polypro, fleece, or similar
• Heavier insulating gloves or mittens- wool, fleece, or similar
• Shell gloves or mittens that are waterproof
• Insulated booties that are down or Polarguard
• Hats: knit and/or fleece. Balaclava or facemask
• Neck gaiter
• Ski goggles
• Sunglasses

Housing/Sleeping

• Sleeping bag rated to 5 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, with synthetic batting or down (available in OL gear closet).
• Bivy sack to protect down sleeping bag from moisture in snow shelter.
• Self-inflating pad such as Thermarest, or a ½” closed cell foam pad (available in OL gear closet).
• Tarp: at least 8’x10’ for roof on snow trench
• Space blanket or similar sized ground cloth

Kitchen (Nutrition & Hydration)

• Liquid-fuel stove, such as Coleman Peak I or MSR. Avoid alcohol burner or butane stoves (reduced heat output in cold weather - available in OL gear closet)
• Stove base such as MSR Trillium or similar 
• Cooking pot large enough to melt snow in. 2-3 liters minimum, with lid and pot grip (available in OL gear closet). 
• Eating bowl with lid (tupperware or similar)
• Eating utensils, preferably not metal. Lexan works well.
• 1-liter water bottle with insulated cover. Clean wool sock works well.
• 5-1 liter metal insulated bottle (Thermos)

Camp

• Candle or candle lantern
• Sunscreen and lip balm- minimum SPF30
• Handwarmer packets
• Headlamp or flashlight w/extra batteries
• Personal first aid kit
• Personal hygiene items
• Butane lighter
• Pocket Knife
• Camera
• Hand/toe warmers (HotHands)

Snow Travel & Safety

• Nordic or alpine mountaineering (randonee) skis.
• Climbing skins for skis.
• Snowshoes: metal framed, with decking preferred (available at the Health & Fitness Center)
• Snowshoe crampons (depending on terrain).
• Ski poles: adjustable length preferred (available at Health & Fitness Center)
• Snow shovel (available at Health and Fitness Center)
• Avalanche beacon (available at Health and Fitness Center for OL classes or those who have taken Avi 1)
• Compass (available in OL gear closet)
• GPS (available at the Health & Fitness Center)