Travel Gear (What separates man from bears)

Headlamp

 

If we decide to start hiking at 2 AM (called an alpine start) you may need a headlight to see where you are going. Sometimes the full moon is out, but don't bet on it.

The point of an alpine start is to begin climbing the mountain while the snow is still cold and not slushy. The sun melts the snow during the day, and it is better to travel on hard ice than slippery slush. It also allows you to maximize your climbing time and return to camp before nightfall. If my group had not started climbing Mt. Rainier at 2:30 AM from 10,000 ft, we would have been coming back down the hill in potentially far inferior conditions.

Crampons

 Crampons give you the grip needed to walk across ice (or up ice as pictured to the left). They come in several forms, but I have only worn the strap-on crampons pictured to the right. They can be rented from REI, but sometimes they aren't even necessary.

 

Snowshoes

After a bit of investigation, the most popular snowshoe makers appear to be MSR, Atlas, Tubbs, Redfeather, and Crescent Moon. If I pick up a pair, they will be MSR Ascents. I need something with televators in case of hills. Televators are a small platform that makes snowshoeing up a hill more like walking up a flight of stairs.


The link below is a better guide than I could supply.

http://www.snowshoemag.com/first.cfm

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/lp2/snowshoes.html

Hiking Poles

I have hiked Mt. Adams without them twice. However, for the sake of stability and slowing yourself down while glissading, they are nice to have. I now own two pairs. Its nice to have a pair that will collapse down to a manageable size. Sticking long ski-poles onto your pack is not always the most

Sleeping Gear

Sleeping Bag / Pad / Tent / Bivvy Sack / Sleeping Bag Liner

My sleeping bag is a North Face Snowshoe rated to 0 degrees.

It provides plenty of protection from the elements, especially when I'm wearing my baselayer. If things get too cold, I will put on a hat and socks. However, that is a rare occurrence. I have considered making a sleeping bag liner out of fleece sometime in the future just to improve the performance of the bag in the cold. It would be nice, but unnecessary. Think about a buying a mummy bag like mine.

A sheet of egg carton padding works for a sleeping pad. It is light.

Another option is the Imperial Guard Snuggie (as seen on tv).

As far as tents go, I'm going to pick up a light, 3-season, 2-person tent. I would go with REI brand, Kelty, Black Diamond, Marmot, North Face, Mountain Hardware, etc. Its nice to have something simple that can be put up in the dark. The Marmot tent pictured (right) has only 2 poles, which makes it easy to setup. If you come mountain climbing with me, we'll talk tents and make sure everybody has a place to sleep. If we use larger tents, poles and other materials can be divided up amongst the group to inhabit the tent later on. A bivvy sack can be used instead of a tent to protect you from the elements, but they aren't necessary with a tent. Also, bears have easier access to your face.

Glissading Accessories

Glissading is the most efficient way to travel any mountain. Simply put, glissading is sledding down the mountain on your backside. I wear snow pants. Most everyone else jumps into a plastic garbage bag.

Glissading Down Mt. Adams

Glissading down Mt. St. Helens (The Wrath of Brendan)