Pickets Range Equipment

Published on 2004-8-7 by Michael Stanton

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The Equipment

Just for future reference, I thought I'd record what I brought along on the trip, and what our "group gear" was. Note that band-aids and duct tape only became group gear because I forgot to bring some, so we went through Theron and Aidan's supply of those items pretty quick! In the picture you see our Betamid tent, purchased a few days before the trip at Pro Mountain Sports. You can see my hiking poles holding it up (cheap REI poles, I go through two sets a year). Also two Black Diamond Ice Packs are visible, belonging to myself and Aidan.

We were really happy with our equipment. The only complaints were that we needed more duct tape, Aidan's full-shank boots were too heavy, and we kept losing water bags (by the end only I had one functioning water bag!). On a good note it's amazing how long a small GigaPower fuel canister will last if you just use it to bring water to a boil once per day. Even with an extended snow-melting session on the summit of Mt. Fury, we barely broke into our second fuel canister. Our dehydrated meals were especially good.

Party gear:

• small ice tool (3rd tool)
• 8.5mm 60 meter rope
• medium rock rack - cams, nuts, dyneema slings, nutrino carabiners, 2 pitons
• 2 ice screws, 1 snow picket
• 1 canister stove and pot, 2 small fuel canisters
• 1 bivy sack
• 1 Betamid floorless tent
• Advil
• Sleeping pills
• Duct tape
• Blister pads
• Maps, beta printouts

My terrain gear:

• aluminum crampons (Stubai)
• lightweight ice axe
• rock shoes (old 5.10 Spires)
• Hiking boots (Vasque Sundowners)
• Cassin Eolo Harness
• Helmet
• hiking poles
• Pack (Black Diamond Ice Pack), with back padding removed

My clothing:

• gaiters (OR calf-length)
• shorts with zip-off pant legs
• long underwear
• 1 short sleeve shirt
• 1 long sleeve shirt
• Tiny, cheap windbreaker ($10 in 1996)
• light fleece jacket
• Wool hat
• Wool gloves
• Liner gloves
• 2 pairs heavy socks
• 2 pairs liner socks
• 1 pair underpants
• 1 sunhat

Misc gear:

• Sunglasses
• Headlamp
• Sunscreen
• Knife
• 2 Garbage bags
• Altimeter watch
• compass
• Camera, 4 rolls of film
• Credit card, driver's license

My Food gear:

• 5 dehydrated meals, with packaging removed from 3
• Lunch Nutella, Bread
• Snacks power bars, goo
• 1.5 quart hydration bladder and tube
• Extra 1 quart hydration bladder
• Metal cup
• Spoon

My sleeping gear:

• 3/4 length Thermarest (doubled as pack padding)
• summer down sleeping bag (40 degrees I think)
• 6'x3' groundsheet
• Earplugs