This blog is meant to be a resource for anyone participating in an Aspire skills course involving snow and glacier travel. Due to the continuous dialing-in of gear for alpine missions, and the endless trade-offs with comfort and conditions, these gear recommendations are not black and white. For Aspire participants, we will have a pre-trip briefing to fine-tune gear selections. Anytime you are planning to venture into the mountains, it is a good idea to consult with your team about a gear strategy once you have an idea of the route, the conditions, and the weather forecast.
Footwear
This may be the most important piece of personal equipment for your trip. When we move in the mountains, our main connection to the terrain is through our feet. As we move into more technical terrain, we will increase our security of movement by using crampons and ice axes, but the bottom line is that our movement and our ground purchase is our primary source of security. Having the proper footwear for the task is paramount.
- For Dakobed, we believe the conditions will be such that Trail Runners and Crampons (more on this later) will be adequate. Ensure your trail runners have plenty of life in their tread.
- For Kulshan, we will be traveling extensively on glacier, pumice, and varied surface conditions, and so mountain boots will be required.
- Mountain boots come in many different varieties, and for this course, a 3/4 shank mountain boot is recommended. This describes a boot where the toe has a bit of flex to it, whereas the arch and heel of the boot are rigid. The boot should have a heel welt, but likely no toe welt and a well defined lugged sole.
Clothing System
The ultimate gray area in many ways, is your clothing system, although for some things, it’s fairly black and white.
It’s up to you what you want to travel on-trail in. Bring your most stylin’ fastest mountain movement outfit for the approach and descent!
During the steep snow and glacier travel portions of the route, long sleeves that cover the elbows, gloves and pants are required to mitigate hazards associated with self or team arrests.
- Lightweight softshell pants are recommended. My personal favorite are the Arc’teryx Sigma FL pants. Fast drying, wind resistant, breathable, and lightweight are good things to consider.
Mountain weather is ever-changing and so having an assortment of layers is key. Make sure your layers pair well together, and can be worn all at once if needed. For a single overnight, we recommend only bringing one of each item listed on the packing list (Except socks, bring a pair of socks for each full travel day). Synthetic fabrics will perform better than cotton.
Sun Protection
In the alpine, there is very little opportunity for shade and the sun comes at you from all directions as it reflects off the snow surface. Having proper sun protection is more than just for your comfort, it is a matter of safety.
- Glacier Glasses –
- This is the most important piece of Sun protection, please take time to find a pair that fits your face. Glacier glasses have a darker tint than normal sunglasses and protect your eyes from harmful rays that may reflect off of the snow surface from the underside or periphery of your lenses. They should fit snug against your face, have side shields, and you should not be able to see much light seeping through from outside the rim. Light from above is okay, as you will likely wear a sun hat that will help protect you from above.
- Arriving without adequate glacier glasses could be a trip ender, as snow blindness is more easily prevented than managed in the field.
- Buff/Neck Gaiter –
- This versatile piece of gear can make a huge difference over the course of a full day in the mountains. It can help add extra warmth, protect from the sunburn that wants to happen under your chin, double as a headband or hat, and be used to make a pillow when it’s time to bivy.
- ProTip: Stuff your rolled up puffy jacket or insulating layer into your buff as an on-the-go pillow.
- In addition to these items listed, sunblock and a sun hat are worth their weight. Bring a small bottle of sunscreen for your face and consider wearing light layers to protect other exposed skin.
Safety Equipment
As I mentioned before, as we travel into more technical terrain, we need to think about increasing our security. Many hazards exist when traveling on glaciers and in the mountains, most of which can be placed into one of three categories: falling off the mountain, the mountain falling on us, or falling into the mountain. By equipping ourselves with the proper tools (In addition to meticulous route planning, continual assessment of conditions, and mindful travel) we can help to mitigate our exposure to these hazards.
- Ice Ax
- Lightweight and functional is key. Ice axes come in many different shapes and forms, but for the purpose of fastpacking, we want something that will give us purchase as we climb, and in the case that we need to stop ourselves from falling off the mountain.
- For general fastpacking, you will be fine with a 40-55 cm length ax with an adze.
- You will be glad for a shorter shaft when you are moving many miles on trail with this strapped to your backpack, and the Adze is more versatile than the hammer for glacier purposes.
- Some lightweight options: Hummingbird, Gully, LiteRIDE, Ride
- A very versatile axe, not as light: Sum’Tec
- I will likely bring one of these: Sum’Tec or Gully
- Aluminum Crampons
- Aluminum is lighter than steel. It is also less durable, but we will be mindful of only using crampons when the ground surface necessitates it. Crampons also provide much more stability and purchase on steep icy slopes than micro spikes do. These will help us from falling off the mountain.
- Given the nature of the terrain for each of our routes planned for this Aspire season, having legitimate crampons is a requirement.
- If you already own steel crampons, you may choose to use them if they are compatible with the footwear you will be traveling with.
- Note that for trailrunners, you must have strap-on crampons that do not require a toe or heel welt.
- For 3/4 shank mountain boots, semi-automatic or strap-on crampons are likely to be compatible.
- My recommendation: Leopard
- Glacier Harness
- Compared to a rock climbing harness, a glacier harness looks like a string bikini. It is basically the skeleton of nylon in a rock harness without the padding. The padding is omitted for a few reasons: it is not meant to be weighted for long periods of time, it is designed for alpine environments where insulating layers serve as additional padding, and its function is to be lightweight and non-restrictive to walking, skiing, or carrying a backpack.
- A harness paired with a rope, is a way to mitigate the hazard of falling off of or into the mountain.
- Investing in a good glacier harness can save a decent amount of space in your pack, and also be more comfortable during the climb. From personal experience, wearing a bulkier harness with a pack, over long distances causes some uncomfortable pinching on the hips.
- Climbing Helmet
- Head protection is important for all the categories of hazards we face. The important thing to consider in a helmet for glacier travel, is that it fits your head well, is lightweight, and breathable… enough so that you feel comfortable wearing it uphill and down. Make sure it is in good shape (no dents, cracks, UIAA approved, and manufactured within the last 10 years).
- Note that lighter helmets are usually more breathable and comfortable, but must be cared for, as the trade-off here is durability. Hard shell helmets are adequate for mountaineering, however they are less comfortable, heavier, and not as breathable.
I hope this gear discussion has shed some light on the nuances of packing for a fastpacking trip, and helps you get in the right headspace for how to make decisions about gear. If you are gearing up for a trip with Aspire, I look forward to continuing to dial in our pack contents together, and fielding any other questions that arise.
Thank you for dedicating some time to preparing for your trip. We appreciate you, the mountain appreciates you, and hopefully, you will appreciate the effort you put into setting yourself up for success!
-Julie Ann Holder.
This blog explores the mountaineering element of our skills courses. You can also dig in to the companion resource for fastpacking gear.
Want to join Aspire on the mountain and learn fastpacking and alpine skills? Check out these courses for 2022:
Glacier Peak Fastpack Course – SOLD OUT for 2022
Mt. Baker Summit Climb and Snow Skills Course
Julie Ann leads Aspire’s mountain based skills courses and fastpacking missions, while also working as a mountain guide in the North Cascades, and teaching wilderness medicine courses.