I wear Patagonia R-1 poly gloves and TNF Gore "Windstopper" gloves and a light "Windstopper" hat, a poly scarf and light generic balaclava and goggles depending on the actual and forecast weather. I carry an assortment of insulating hats, from puffy down to polly helmet style layers and a motor sports poly and pile face mask. They weigh few ounces!

WHAT DAY-PACK DO I CHOOSE FOR SNOWSHOE DAY HIKES?
For snowshoe day hikes I use a Salomon Raid (Adventure) Race 300 pack. (This is the same pack I use in the summer.) It holds about 1,892 cu in and weighs about 1 pound, 9 ounces. It has good shoulder suspension and a good waist strap. This light and fast pack can comfortably carry the clothing, gear and water for winter one day snowshoe adventures. This pack has outside pockets for two Platypus one liter water bags. The pack accommodates an Essential insulating pad and a snow shovel handel  with side pockets and straps. (A new alternative is a GoLite 50L. The Saloman Pack sold out a while ago.)

The lite strong pack itself is not water proof in rain or snow conditions; I always carry a 2 oz. shower cap style day-pack cover for rain or wet snow days.

WHAT DO PUT IN MY DAY HIKE/SNOWSHOE WINTER DAY-PACK?
The first layer in the bottom of the winter day pack might be a two pound single wall two person tent for a possible stranding. Couple this with Patagonia Das Parka and pants and down booties for

Second layer in the bottom of my winter day-pack is a very light pair of Marmot waterproof-breathable "Gore-Tex" pants (9 oz). I do not plan to use these full side zip pants because rain is not forecast. I always carry a very light waterproof-breathable top and bottom except perhaps, on mid-summer days.

The next layer, stuffed into the winter snowshoe day-pack is a Patagonia Micro Puff synthetic fill insulation layer with hood (1 pound, 5 ounces) or a simple generic down or synthetic fill jacket (about 1 pound). These essential insulation layers are always carried. I always plan to stay warm and dry during an emergency stop for hours or overnight. I pack it near the bottom because I do not plan to become stranded. (No rain is forecast for this particular day, but I really like this Patagonia insulation. With the possibility of rain, I must always chose a synthetic belay jacket and not a down filled jacket.)

The Group First Aid Supplies - a bag of bandages and tape, WFA book and OTC meds, 12 ounces, is left behind. One of my experienced companions is a medical doctor and he always carries allot of stuff!  Put together your own personal and group first aid supplies.

The small bag of small Essentials goes in next. These small Essentials, 9 oz., (always carried in a loose net bag), contains a 2 oz. Petzl headlamp, extra Lithium batteries, two butane lighters and cotton-ball/Vaseline fire starter, toilet paper, a Clif Shot or two, a few 2x2 Band-Aids and Polysporin ointment and moleskin, a few over the counter meds, personal Rx for Vicodin for that overnight stranding with a broken leg, small sharp knife, one days supply of sun screen, etc. (Note that I do not plan to have fuel for a warming fire.)

Lunch in the form of a bagel, non fat string cheese and a couple of Clif Bars, (with some hard candies and a couple of Clif Shots and extra Clif Bars in reserve) in a very lite nylon stuff sack, 6 oz. goes in next. (I do not carry "Gorp", because my own body carries all the fat I might need for several weeks).

I always carry an Adventure Medical Kits Thermo-Lite 2.0 Bivvy Sac, 6.9 oz. You can not shelter on snow without a lite shovel, a winter insulating pad and a 6.9 ounce plastic insulated Bivvy Sac

The next layer, stuffed into the top-loading day-pack, is my waterproof-breathable Patagonia Rain Shadow hard shell jacket, 13 ounces, and Marmot pants. (See above for my Marmot waterproof and breathable side-zip pants.)

Extra hats for high altitude sun and for insulation and for wind protection, extra Gore-windstopper mittens, a light poly-scarf and or balaclava secured by a rubber band go in the top pocket. I also carry generic yellow lens goggles that go over my sun glasses on top of everything. I tuck a GoLite Wisp, 2 oz. wind shirt in the top pocket.

I carry map, compass and GPS in my pants pockets where they are very accessible. I carry a Suunto M3D declination adjusted (16 degrees in Central Oregon)  base plate compass, a loud plastc Acme referees whistle, a USGS Quad map with UTM coordinates and a Garmin eTrex 20 GPS and the ability to use them together.

I carry my 4 ounce Verizon Motorola digital cell phone in a top shirt pocket where I can keep the batteries warm and where it can see the cell towers. In very cold weather, I put the small simple digital cell phone in a pants pocket near my femoral artery where the batteries will not fail. If I must use it, I hold it inside a Gore "Windstopper" fleece mitten next to a chemical hand warmer in my Patagonia poly-pro gloved palm. Cell phones work well in most of the Oregon Cascades.

If I frequently may be beyond cell tower range, I carry a $100.00, 7 oz. "SPOT-2". Read about the new SPOT Satellite Messenger!  Friends who own a SPOT are high on my list of preferred partners!

I slip two liters of water in Platypus bags into the side pockets of my Solomon day-pack: Four pounds of disappearing water!  But the two Platypus bags only weigh two ounces when empty, not 12 oz for two empty Nalgene bottles! (I can carry the water bags inside my jacket in pockets built into this Patagonia designed technical clothing to avoid freezing.) I carry a Katadyn Mini Filter in summer and an MSR Pocket Rocket with MSR Iso-Pro 4 oz. canister stove and tea pot to melt snow for my own use.  Steve House notes that he makes sure he is well hydrated (this process may take 48 hours from de-hydrated) and he carries a at least two quarts of water for a one day climb.

My winter insulating pad is an inflatable Cascade Designs "Pro-lite 4" short-length, 17 ounce foam pad, strapped on the outside of the Solomon pack. An alternative is the Cascades Designs Ridge Rest three-quarter length ensolite pad, a bit bulky but only 6 ounces and it costs less!.

If my companions do not, I must carry a Life-Link snow shovel (1pound, 4 ounces) needed to provide shelter for a forced overnight. The shovel scoop goes inside the pack away from my back and the handle goes on the side, under the straps. Another option is to leave the shovel (and the snow cave) in the car and carry a Black Diamond two pound tent for two and a Patagonia DAS parka and puffy over pants.

I may carry a few wands to mark the way back if we are going exploring in the blowing winter snows, under the side straps, in the bottom side pockets.

My winter "snowshoe-hiking day-pack" weight before the shovel, is about five pounds plus four pounds of disappearing water!

We plan to be away from the cars for about eight hours; we are starting at 7AM. It is mid winter and the forecast weather calls for a 10 to 20-degree day with possible wind and low visibility. I am with three friends, two of whom own snowmachines!

WHAT DO I WEAR FOR A WINTER SUMMIT?
In very cold winter weather, I wear a long sleeved Patagonia Capalene "silk weight" under-shirt and a Capalene "2" second layer and and Patagonia poly boxers. Next layer is a Patagonia R-1 regulator fleece shirt. If I expect to be waiting allot, I may add a Patagonia R-3 pullover. I may add layers of Patagonia synthetic fill puffy insulation.

For very cold weather climbs I wear Patagonia Mix Master Pants ("stretch woven, windproof and water-resistant nylon face fabric laminated to R1® insulation for moisture transport and warmth in a clean, stretchy soft shell") .The Mix Master pants have built-in gaiters. I leave my very light waterproof breathable (Gore-Tex) pants and jacket in my pack since it is not snowing and my Mix Master pants and Koch XC 3SPF vest are wind-proof and breathable up to about 30 mph. I leave my waterproof-breathable top and bottom in my pack since it is not warm enough to wet out from rain.

I wear Patagonia R-1 gloves and TNF Gore "Windstopper" gloves and a light "Windstopper" hat (it fits under my Petzl helmet) and a poly scarf and light generic balaclava and goggles depending on the weather. Riding a snowmobile requires all of the above in below zero weather.

WHAT BOOTS DO I CHOOSE FOR KICKING STEPS AND FOR CRAMPONS?
I wear La Sportiva Makalu boots matched to my crampons and snowshoes. I use the standard double sox combination. The La Sportiva Makalu boots are not so tight as to impede my circulation causing cold injuries.

WHAT PACK DO I USE FOR COLD WEATHER CLIMBS?
I use a Black Diamond Sphynx 35L day-pack in the winter to carry extra fleece, full length R-3 insulating pad or better, shovel, pickets, crampons, ice axe, snowshoes and poles, helmet and harness, runners and gear. 

I need the more strongly constructed day-pack to hold my climbing gear (crampons, etc.) strapped to the sides and back. The Black Diamond Sphynx 35L day-pack weighs about 2 pounds 7 ounces and holds about 2,140 cubic inches. "Built from burly 420-denier nylon and Ballistics fabric, the Sphynx is tough yet weighs less than three pounds. A single removable aluminum stay, molded-foam back panel and a cushy waistbelt offer maximum support and comfort. Key features, including ice axe, crampon and rope straps, as well as Ice Clipper slots on the waistbelt, make this pack well suited for all-season climbing."

WHAT DO PUT IN MY CLIMBING WINTER DAY-PACK?
First layer in the bottom of my winter day-pack is the very light pair of Marmot waterproof breathable full side-zip pants because rain is not forecast. I always carry a very light waterproof-breathable top and bottom except perhaps, on mid-summer days when I carry the lightest TNF rain suit.

The next layer, stuffed into the climbing day-pack is a Patagonia Puffball hooded synthetic fill pullover (about 1 pound) for an emergency stop for hours or overnight. This jacket is in addition to my Patagonia DAS Parka, the last in and first out clothing layer.

My Leader's First Aid Supplies, (a bag of bandages and OTC meds, 12 ounces), is left behind because one of my experienced companions is a medical doctor and he always carries allot of stuff! Put together your own first aid supplies.

The small mesh bag of small Essentials goes in next. These small Essentials, 9 oz., contain a 2 oz. Petzl headlamp, two butane lighters and cotton fire starter, toilet paper, a Clif Shot or two, a few 2x2 Band-Aids and moleskin, a few over the counter meds, personal Rx for Vicodin, small sharp knife, one days supply of sun screen, extra Gatorade powder, marking tape, etc. Don't forget the sunglasses!

Next in is a small light nylon food bag. Lunch in the form of two pop tarts and a couple of Clif Bars, (with some hard candies and a couple of Clif Shots and extra Clif Bars in reserve (6 oz.) goes in next. (No "Gorp", as I my body carries all the fat I will need.).

I always carry an Adventure Medical Kits Thermo-Lite 2.0 Bivvy Sac, 6.9 oz. You can not shelter on snow without a lite snow shovel, a winter insulating pad and a plastic insulated Bivvy Sac

The next layer, stuffed into the top-loading day-pack, is my Patagonia full cut waterproof breathable Rain Shadow hard shell jacket, 13 ounces. (See above for my Marmot very lite waterproof breathable side zip pants.)

The next layer, stuffed into the top-loading day-pack, is my Patagonia DAS Parka. Description: "Our quintessential belay and bivy piece. The bombproof DAS, with its high-loft synthetic insulation, stays warm even when wet, sheds snow, and blocks wind. The shell fabric is a polyester quad rip stop that's extremely tough, durable, and light in weight. An Optipull hood fits over helmets, and the high collar insulates your face. Finer points: insulated hand warmer pockets, a zippered chest pocket, inside mesh pockets for drying gloves and a two-way front zip that lets you see your belay device. Treated with Deluge® DWR (durable water repellent) to shed moisture.  Patagonia’s proprietary durable water repellent fabric finish, Deluge DWR, lasts substantially longer than standard DWRs. Garments with the Deluge DWR finish have like-new repellency after years of extensive use. Ideal Uses: Ice, Mixed, & Alpine Climbing and Expedition Climbing".

I carry my climbing helmet, harness, runners and belay/rappel/rescue gear in a bag on top of the DAS Parka. Last in first out and first on before that long class four pitch.

Extra hats for high altitude sun and for insulation and wind protection, extra insulated mittens, a light scarf and or balaclava secured by a rubber band go in the top. I also carry generic yellow lens goggles that go over my sun glasses on top of everything. I tuck a GoLite Wisp, 2oz., wind shirt in the top.

I carry map, compass and GPS in outside pockets where they are very accessible. I use a Suunto M3 base plate compass and Acme whistle, USGS Quad map with UTM coordinates, Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS and the ability to use them together. I put the GPS in a pants pocket when it is very cold.

I carry my 4 ounce Motorola digital cell phone from Verizon in a top shirt pocket where I can keep the batteries warm and where it can see the cell towers. In very cold weather, I put the small digital cell phone in a pants pocket near my femoral artery where the batteries will not fail. If I must use it, I hold it inside a Gore "Windstopper" fleece mitten next to a chemical hand warmer in my Patagonia poly-pro gloved palm. Cell phones work well in most of the Oregon Cascades backcountry.

If I frequently, may be beyond cell tower range, I carry a $100.00, 7 oz. "SPOT-2" Satellite Messenger. Read about the new SPOT Satellite Messenger!

I slip two liters of water in Platypus bags into the top pocket of my winter climbing day-pack: Four pounds of disappearing water!  But the two Platypus bags only weigh two ounces when empty, not 12 oz for two empty Nalgene bottles! (I can carry the water bags inside my jacket in pockets built into this technical clothing designed by Patagonia to avoid having it freeze.) Steve House notes that he makes sure he is well hydrated (this process may take 48 hours) and he carries a maximum of two quarts of water for a one day climb. He expects to be somewhat de-hydrated when he returns to his rig. A possible option is carrying an MSR Pocket Rocket, small IsoPro canister, screen and an aluminum tea pot to make a little water from snow, if I have to overnight, about 16 oz.

My winter insulating pad is an inflatable Cascade Designs "Pro-lite 4" short-length, 17 ounce R-4 foam pad, and it straps on the outside of the climbing pack. An alternative is the Cascades Designs Ridge Rest ensolite three-quarter length pad, a bit bulky but only 6 ounces.

If my companions do not, I will have to carry a Life-Link snow shovel (1pound, 4 ounces) needed to provide shelter for a forced overnight. The shovel scoop goes inside the pack away from my back and the handle goes on the side, under the straps. The lite plastic shovel works with the ice axe; don't break the lite shovel. If you want to, carry a heavier aluminum shovel. There is still room at the sides of the Sphinx for my collapsed Leki LE three part hiking poles after I switch to my Black Diamond (1 pound 3 ounces) mountaineering ice axe. I can either strap my snow shoes to the sides of the Sphynx pack, or stash them when we get to the hard snow of the south east ridge of Broken Top.

I may carry a few wands to mark the way back if we are climbing in the blowing winter snows. (We need to find our snowshoes to return to our snow machines.)

My winter climbing day-pack weight before the shovel, is about seven pounds plus four pounds of disappearing water!

Of course, somebody else has to carry the rope(s).
--On Belay! Bob Speik
Copyright© 2000-2013 by Robert Speik. All rights reserved.

    WARNING - *DISCLAIMER!*
Mountain climbing has inherent dangers that can, only in part, be mitigated

Read more . . .
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