Clothing and Equipment List

The following list of clothing and equipment is essential for your health and safety.   We will be traveling in remote and rugged country where our safety will be dependent upon our gear.   The weather is unpredictable and each person needs to be prepared for varying conditions.

Where it says WOOL, bring wool or one of the acceptable alternatives. Wool insulates when wet and allows for ventilation due to its fiber structure. Two good synthetic materials which are as effective as wool are PILE or FLEECE (some trade names include Polartec and Synchilla) and POLYPROPYLENE (or Capilene). Feel free to substitute either or both of these for any wool item listed below. However, they are usually more expensive so don't go out and buy them unless you are planning to use them afterwards. Please follow the clothing and equipment list as closely as possible. Make no other substitutions! This list is the result of years of experience in the mountains of the NW coast and everything has a purpose. If the weather looks cool or rainy cotton is bad news. Even if it is a hot day, the perspiration won’t dry quickly and can be uncomfortable. Cotton can even be dangerous if the temperatures drop as can happen any time in the mountains.

To decrease your costs:

  1. Borrow as much as possible.  Equipment is costly and unless you have hiked a lot you might be better off borrowing instead of buying what you may seldom use later.  The mountains are no place to be fashion conscious.
  2. Rent equipment from an outdoor or sporting goods store.  Good boots may be rented reasonably at REI. Check for proper fit BEFORE leaving the store. If possible wear them before the trip.
  3. Buy used gear.  Some excellent resources are Army/Navy surplus stores, Goodwill, Value Village, Salvation Army and second-hand sporting goods stores (such as Second Bounce in the Fremont district).
Keep in mind that everything must be carried on your back so watch the weight!!

With that, let's get to the actual checklist. We have two lists available, depending on whether or not this is an overnight trip.