Please note:  This online gear list is only a guide.  Our gear lists are continuously updated to reflect the most current information and experiences with the gear for your trip.  Upon registration we will forward you an updated gear list to be used in preparation for your expedition or course.  

CLIMBING TOOLS
*[ ] Ice Axe w/Leash. General mountaineering tool. Sizing is important: under 5'7" use a 60cm tool; 5'7"- 6'1" use a 65cm tool; over 6'1" use a 70cm tool. (Too short is preferable to too long). No rubberized grips-they are heavy and do not plunge well into the snow. Make sure that you have a leash that is designed for use on a glacier axe. Please no technical leashes designed for ice climbing-they are too short, heavy, and not versatile. Suggested: SMC Himalayan or Charlet Moser Vanois or Grivel Pamir.
*[ ] Crampons. With flat rather than "cookie cutter" frame rails. Avoid anti-balling plates which are heavy and are useful only in very specific snow conditions. A combination heel bail/toe strap is a better system than a heel and toe bail system. Suggested: Charlet Moser Super 12 Rapidfix Lanieres, Grivel G12 New-Matic, or Black Diamond Sabertooths.
[ ] Prussiks. If you have attended an Alpine Ascents or other mountaineering course, bring your tied prussiks. Make sure you have one harness, one foot, one pack, and one rescue prussik. Or bring 40 ft. of 6mm perlon so a set can be made.
*[ ] Alpine Climbing Harness. Harness should fit over all clothing, have gear loops, adjustable leg loops and be reasonably comfortable to hang suspended in. Make sure you can get into the harness without having to step through any part of it. Suggested: Black Diamond Bod Harness or Alpine Bod w/ modifications of adding gear loops made with plastic tubing and cord. Make sure gear loops are installed prior to climb.
*[ ] 2 Locking carabiner. Pear or D-shaped automatic locking. Suggested: HMS Quicklock, or equivalent.
[ ] 3 Carabiners. Oval or D shape. Suggested: Black Diamond.
*[ ] Climbing helmet. Must be adjustable to fit, with or without hat or balaclava on. Suggested: Petzl Ecrin Roc, Black Diamond Half Dome, Edelrid Ultralight.

FOOTWEAR
*[ ] Double plastic climbing boots. Good quality plastic shells with inner boots Avoid tight fit with heavy socks. Suggested: Koflach Degree or Vertical, Scarpa Invernos, or Lowa Civetta. Comfort is key in buying plastic boots. Spend a little extra time walking around the store or take them home and wear them around your house to make sure the fit is right. A little big is always better than a little small.
*[ ] Gaiters. Suggested: Outdoor Research "Crocodiles" or "Expedition Crocodiles". Please make sure your gaiters fit around the plastic boot without being to tight around your leg. Gaiters should have heavy cordura on the inside of the leg. No lightweight hiking gaiters.
[ ] Wool or Pile Socks. 3 pair heavy-weight wool or synthetic socks (wool is warmer) to be worn over the liner socks. When layering socks, check fit over feet and inside boots. Remember to keep one fresh, dry pair of socks available at all times. It is very important to buy new socks regularly as they lose their cushioning over time. Suggested: Bridgedale, Thorlo, Smartwool, Patagonia. Socks with padded shins are especially nice with plastic boots.
[ ] Liner Socks. 3 pair of smooth thin wool, nylon or Capilene to be worn next to the skin. This reduces the incidence of blisters and hot-spots and makes the outer sock last longer before needing to be changed. They should fit well with your heavy-weight socks.

TECHNICAL CLOTHING
[ ] Lightweight Underwear. 2 pair tops & bottoms, Capilene, other synthetic or wool. No Cotton. Lightweight is preferable as it is more versatile (worn single in warmer conditions and double layer for colder). Zip-T-neck tops allow more ventilation options. One set of white for intense sunny days on the glacier and one pair of dark for faster drying gives the most versatility. Suggested: North Face Micronamics, Marmot DriClime, or Patagonia Capilene. Additional for women: Patagonia Capilita Trunks and Shaka Bra.
[ ] Expedition weight underwear tops, or fleece vest. For extra warmth.
[ ] Pile jacket. Mid- to Heavyweight pile (Polartec 200-300 depending upon cold tolerance). A full-zip version is easier to put on and has better ventilation than a pullover. Windstopper fleece is NOT recommended due to reduced breathability. Suggested: North Face Denali or equivalent.
[ ] Pile pants. Midweight pile (Polartec 200) with full separating side zippers (This is very important for ventilation and for ease of dressing up or down when conditions change in the middle of a climb). Suggested: Feathered Friends, North Face Denali or equivalent.
[ ] Medium weight Down Jacket or Extra Pile jacket. It will be very cold and windy. Suggested: North Face Summit, Nuptse or equivalent.
[ ] Gore-Tex or Synthetic rain/snow shell pants & shell jacket with hood. Two fabric systems exist:
Option 1: Gore-Tex Shell Pants & Shell Jacket with hood. For the jacket we highly recommend a long front zipper, a roomy rather than snug fit and underarm zips which go well below the armpit. We also require full separating side zippers on the pants. Suggested: North Face Mtn. Bib or Mtn. Light Pant, Mtn. Hardware Exposure Bib or Ethereal Pant, Moonstone Savage Bibs
Option 2: Two sets of jackets & 1 pair of pants. One Jacket of waterproof non-breathable fabric (coated nylon), and a second Jacket of lightweight breathable nylon. One pair of waterproof non-breathable pants with full separating side zippers. The lightweight breathable jacket is for windy conditions, the other non-breathable jacket is for protection from the elements. Make sure the pants have full side zips. This will help vent the pants, which is very important being these pants are made of a non-breathable material. Suggested places to purchase the second option: Campmor or REI. This setup is for a more humid and rainy environment and is ideal for the Cascades.

MITTS & GLOVES
[ ] 2 Pair Synthetic gloves. Bunting or fleece gloves which will fit comfortably inside mitts. A heavier fleece will do a better job of keeping hands warmer when wet than lighter polypropylene or Capilene. Suggested: North Face or Patagonia. If you can find gloves that are comfortably worn together you will be the happiest.
[ ] Pile Mitts. Either the liners from your OR mittens or an after market mitten will do. Make sure that you can fit one of your gloves inside the mitten with the shell over the top, three layers total.
*[ ] Shell Mitts. Seam Taped, Gore-Tex. We recommend that your mitts do not have a smooth or slippery palm surface. Outdoor Research makes mitts which offer a much better grip. Recommend: OR Modular Mitts w/single liner.

HEADWEAR
*[ ] Headlamp. Bring spare bulbs & batteries. No Halogen bulbs as they are more expensive, take more power and have a shorter life. Suggested: Petzl Zoom or Princeton Tec.
[ ] Glacier glasses with Side Covers. 100% UV, IR, high quality optical lenses designed for mountain use, must have side covers, leashes, and a nose guard is particularly helpful (Chums MelaNoNo is a good brand). No more than 8% light transmission. Suggested: Bolle, Bucci, Julbo Round "Arc"or Cebe. If you wear contact lenses we recommend packing a spare pair of glasses-it is a good idea to have these with "photo-gray" or equivalent light-sensitive material so they can double as emergency sunglasses. If you wear glasses we recommend prescription glacier glasses(gray or amber). Talk to your eye care professional to find out where prescription glacier glasses are avalible. Regular sunglasses are not dark enough and do not provide any side protection from the sun. For prescription Glacier Glasses, contact Black Diamond (801) 278-5533 or Opticus: www.opticus.com
[ ] Balaclava. Look for a simple lightweight model. Suggested: North Face or REI.
[ ] Warm Lightweight pile/wool hat. Both the hat and the balaclava should be able to fit under the helmet. Hat should cover ears. No Windstopper hats - they make it difficult to hear properly.
[ ] Baseball cap or other sun hat. One with a good visor to shade the nose and eyes. Synthetic is nice as it dries quickly.
[ ] 2 Bandanas. Used to shade your neck.

PERSONAL EQUIPMENT
*[ ] Backpack. Internal frame pack expandable to a minimum of 5,500-6,000 cu.in. Keep it simple and light, avoid unnecessary zippers, etc which add weight. Suggested: North Face, Kelty, Gregory, Dana Designs, Arc Teryx.
*[ ] Sleeping Bag. High quality with hood to at least 20oF. If you sleep cold bring a warmer bag. Goose down preferred over synthetic for bulk & weight. If well-cared-for, a down bag will last much longer than a synthetic bag. It should be roomy enough for comfortable sleeping but snug enough for efficient heat retention. A compression stuff sack is recommended.
*[ ] One Therma-Rest pad. One 3/4 or full length Therma-Rest pad. If you are over 6' a long is recommended. Make sure to include a valve stem and patch repair kit for your Therma-Rest. Suggested: Cascade Designs Therma-Rest Guide Light model
*[ ] One Closed-Cell foam pad. Full length closed cell is recommended. Suggested: Cascade Designs Ridge-Rest
[ ] Cooking gear:
Cup: 12-16oz. plastic insulated mug with snap-on lid (retains heat well and is spill-resistant in the tent). Some prefer a non-insulated mug for warming hands.
Spoon: Good quality tough plastic (lexan). You do not need a plastic knife and fork.
Bowl: Deep plastic with 2-3 cup capacity with lid. Recommended: Tupperware 3 cup bowl without lid.
[ ] Small personal first-aid kit. (Simple and Light) Aspirin (Extra Strength Excedrin is best), Antibiotic ointment, Moleskin, molefoam, waterproof first-aid tape, athletic tape, Band-Aids, personal prescriptions, etc. The guides will have extensive first-aid kits, so leave anything extra behind. Please let your guide know about any medical issues before the climb.
[ ] Sunscreen. SPF 30 or better, 2 small tubes. Make sure that the sun screen is not older than 6 months. Sunscreen older than six months loses half of its SPF rating. Suggested: Dermatone or AloeGator.
[ ] Lipscreen. SPF 30 or better, at least 2 sticks. Not older than 6 months. Suggested: Dermatone or Banana Boat.
[ ] Water bottles: 3 liters minimum capacity. We recommend
Two 1.5 liter & One .5 liter wide-mouth. Make sure your bottles are wide mouth. No water bags or bladder systems, they freeze.
[ ] Toiletry bag. Include Purell or other alcohol hand sanitizer, toothbrush, toothpaste, baby wipes. Do not include soap, shampoo, deodorant, or cosmetics. Include toilet paper. Store in a plastic bag. Also you will need another opaque bag to store used toilet paper. Toilet paper is optional, alternatives will be discussed.
[ ] Insect repellent. Strong deterrent from mid-July on, small bottle. Do not use insect repellant that is stronger than 25% DEET. Suggested non-DEET alternative: Green Ban.
[ ] Ski or trekking poles. Helpful for balance when carrying a heavy pack or if you have knee problems. Suggested: Leki Makalu or Black Diamond.
[ ] Swiss Army knife. Medium sized. Keep the knife simple. Suggested: Swiss Army Super Tinker.
[ ] 4 Trash Compactor bags. To line stuff sacks to keep gear dry & one large enough to line pack. Trash Compactor bags are made from a heavier plastic.
[ ] Camera gear. Optional. We recommend a small instant or point and shoot cameras. Please do not bring large SLR cameras with extra lenses. For the best pictures bring slow speed film, 50, 100, or 200. Simple and light. Disposable cameras also work well.

Gear for before and after the trip:
[ ] Large duffle bag with lock. Used for transporting your gear and for storage of extra gear at Alpine Ascents.
[ ] Travel clothes. A set of clean clothes is nice to have to change into after the trip.