Packing for the Backcountry
A friend of mine used to say that there’s no “golden key” for the perfect packing list and I think he’s right. There are plenty of backcountry ski equipment list floating around online and here’s one more. Hope you enjoy.
As a ski guide and avalanche instructor I have conversations about gear quite often. So in addition to an actual gear list, I’ve included some discussion on topics that regularly come up in these conversations.
So, down the backcountry gear rabbit hole we go.
First, let’s consider some important factors that will help you think critically about what you’re going to lug around. The contents of your pack should reflect; 1) your group 2) your objective 3) your plan 4) the weather forecast 5) the avalanche bulletin. There are other factors as well but you get the idea. If you’re new to the backcountry or struggle with putting together your kit before a tour this concept might be helpful.
Let’s talk about first aid. You could drive yourself crazy trying to formulate your perfect first aid kit. Believe me sometimes the night before a big tour in new terrain I am guilty of overthinking this to the max. Especially if I’m guiding and will be responsible for the safety of others. When that happens I think this; Do I have everything to treat 1) blisters, cuts/small injuries 2) a long bone fracture 3) a serious bleed 4) athletic injuries common in skiing/riding. If I can check these boxes, great. If can can check these boxes with a small and minimalistic kit, even better. What I avoid at all cost is carrying anything that I’m not absolutely sure when or how to use. Any kit is only as good as the its operator so be sure you’ve acquired some first aid skills helpful in the backcountry.
Some injuries will require evacuation so I ask a few more questions. 1) What will be needed to get the patient to mechanized access in the area we’re going to be touring? 2) Does the area I’m heading to have good cell coverage and if so, who am I going to call for help?
Many mountain ranges have search and rescue units full of talented, big hearted folks, eager, and at the ready to come help. Some do not and it might be days before outside help arrives. There is an entire skill set required to understand and competently evacuate an injured skier which you may or may not be equipped with. In either case humans are creative and resourceful and it’s in our nature to solve problems and to survive. Hopefully it’s a matter of sitting tight and waiting for help to arrive. But, if the task of evacuating a ski partner turned patient falls on your shoulders do your best to make a plan and be ready to work hard.
That brings us to the next consideration, having to spend the night out. In my mind sometimes less is more. If you’re considering carrying a sleeping bag and stove on a day tour, “just in case”, remember the words of alpinist/artist/writer Mark Twight, “The more prepared you are to spend the night out, the more likely you are to spend the night out.” Sounds strange but I tend to agree. The heavier your pack, the slower you will travel. You can’t bring the kitchen sink and sometimes a plan to deal with unexpected situations, even if it’s not perfect, is the best you can do. A good plan now is often better than the perfect plan tomorrow. For me this plan almost always includes carrying a big down jacket even if the forecast looks warm.
The repair kit is also a popular topic of discussion. We’ve got to be ready for equipment failure. Shit breaks and usually when it’s least convenient. My repair kit strategy starts with checking and rechecking my gear. I do this before the first day of the season, every morning before heading out the door, and each night when I’m drying out my gear. This has saved me more than once. I haven’t always been as diligent and got away with more than I’m proud to admit.
The catalyst for my attention to detail came one spring afternoon when I was leading a group of skiers down Mount Shasta’s “West Face”. I had just finished giving the group instructions to ski well, and to be conservative at the top as the snow was very firm for the first 300 feet or so. Not wanting anyone to experience a long fall I basically gave them the “ski like I ski until the next pitch” talk. As always we were dropping in one at the time and managing the hazards of firm snow deliberately. I dropped in and on my very first turn pulled the Dynafit toe piece completely out of my right ski…damn. I took about a 200’ ride before arresting my fall. My ski was on it’s way to camp with out me. My toe piece still firmly attached to my boot. I was uninjured other than a bruised ego and we all eventually made it down to camp ok. The snow below my fall was fantastic and I was bummed to have descend the 5000’ run on one ski. Shit does indeed break. However, this was my fault. Had I checked the torque on the mounting hardware before the trip I’m sure I’d have realized that my ski was compromised and that it’s rotten wood core was about release it’s once firm grasp on four 25 cent screws. I digress.
As far as the actual repair kit goes some folks overdo it, some under-do it. Obviously a repair kit for a short day tour looks different than one for a multi-day hut trip or remote traverse. Creativity and resourcefulness go a long way here. These days I look at my entire kit and ask; If I break a ski, pole, skin, boot, or binding do I have what I need to get back to a trailhead without mechanized support? Will it mean the end of the tour or will I be able to continue? Other things I consider are clothing repair, dead batteries, and broken crampons to name just a few. If you’re going to rely on your cell phone for navigation, camera, communication, etc. it can be a good idea to pack a small charger and to make sure it’s got a full charge before heading out. Again, I don’t carry anything that doesn’t serve specific purposes. More often than not the best repair kits are small, simple, and well thought out.
With all that said there’s no substitute for experience and knowhow. There’s also no shortcut for experience. The closest thing to a shortcut might be finding a good mentor or skiing/riding with qualified guides until you develop a deep bag of tricks. Taking and retaking avalanche courses and reading about what experts have to say is essential. These strategies will accelerate your learning curve quite a bit and improve your experience in the mountains.
Although each tour is different in it’s own way there are some items that almost always go with me in some form or fashion. Here’s my list for a day-long ski tour in winter.
Boots, poles, skis, skins
Pack, shovel, probe, beacon
Warm hat, warm gloves, light gloves
Sun glasses, sun hat, sunscreen
Helmet, googles
Food, water, hot drink
Base layers; top, bottom, socks (on my body, not extras in the pack)
Mid-layer; top only
Shell; top, bottom
Insulating/break layer; top (big down jacket)
Neck gaiter/buff/balaclava
First aid kit
Repair kit
Navigation kit; maps (paper or digital), compass, altimeter, GPS
Communication kit; radios on the same channel as my partners, cell phone
Field book, pencil
Snowpack & weather observation tools
I hope you find this blog post helpful. Leave a comment or send a message. As always, I’m here to help. Thank you for reading!