Being Prepared

[Ridgewalker]

With the recent death on Mt. Lafayette, I thought about what is being prepared. It seems that many people die because of lack of gear, cloths food etc. I normally bring an extra pair of socks, first aid kit, tent, sleeping bag or bivy sack if I'm heading up on the Presidentals or other high peaks in the region. It is also good to do layers, as many of you know I never leave the house without a layering system. So now I wonder what may people would pack for a day hike in the Whites.

 

[MtnMagic]

For 3 season day hikes: 80 - 100 oz of water, two (or 3!) sandwiches, snacks, wind/rain gear, hat, gloves, extra non-cotton t-shirts, wool socks, nylon pants and wool sweater, map & compass, lighter, dry tinder, headlamp, knife, 1st aid, toiletries, and misc items like moleskin, sunscreen, pins, cords, etc.

More if I am going above tree line, including a camera. I've met many hikers that carry little more than 2 liters of water in a fanny pack hiking Mts Avalon, Field, Willey & Tom in March. And others in late October with just small hydration packs hiking the 3 Bonds in a day. Yet some have more equipment than needed and still become a statistic.

 

[SilentCal]

MtnMagic's list covers quite a bit. I'd also like to add a spare set of shoelaces. While they have a primary purpose, sometimes they can be handy for pack repairs and hanging things up. I also have a small package of those trick birthday candles in my first aid kit. Sometimes they help to keep a fire going because they are so dammed hard to put out.

 

[MtnMagic]

And if by chance you do run into someone who's birthday it is, voila!

Yes, extra shoe laces. Once my old pack's belt buckle broke on Adams and I was glad to have them to help take the weight of my shoulders.

I forgot to mention insect repellant a whistle and a trashbag (multipurpose)

 

[Jaytrek57]

Try the "flex" plastic cuffs instead of shoelaces...more durable. I carry 4 with me on hikes.

Extra zip locks bags. These can be used as "vapor" barriers for really cold wet feet. It works very well.

Fire starter stuff? Yeah...I suppose. A bit overrated and over dramatized if you ask me....but I suppose it is small enough. Proper clothing and gear do a whole lot more IMHO. Starting and maintaining a fire...especially in the winter, is a skill/science that needs practice. If you don't know what you are doing, you "burn" a ton of valuable energy.

Duct tape (secured on water bottles). Sunglasses. Extra snickers bars. Banadana.

Yeah….I carry a cell phone as well. Never had to use it….hope I never have to. Understand it may not work….but perhaps it WILL… and I like that I MAY have options. Before I get flamed....although I learn something all the time in the woods...I like to think I am pretty prepared/experienced.

I love lists. :wink:

 

[smitty77]

The lists are great, but all the equipment in the world will do you no good if you leave your brain at home. Knowing when it's time to turn around and head for home can prevent a lot of tragedies in the mountains. Yes it can be fun to venture into poor conditions as it turns an ordinary hike into a challenge, but one must also realize things can go from bad to worse in minutes. Being vigilant about the weather and your overall condition cannot be overstated. Many people are just not aware of how your perception of a situation changes and how much your decision making process suffers when you're cold and tired. The mountains will always be there tomorrow, make sure you are too.

Stay safe and happy trails.
Smitty

 

[ChileMass]

I'd be interested to know what you all bring along for just a dayhike. Magic - if you're going out on one of your training runs, what extra equipment do you bring along? Minimal or as if you were planing an overnight (w/out the tent and sleeping bag, I assume)? I have been very much affected by the events of the past few months, so I want to make sure I am prepared even for dayhikes in good weather. Recommendations?

 

[Greg]

I'd be interested to know what you all bring along for just a dayhike. Magic - if you're going out on one of your training runs, what extra equipment do you bring along? Minimal or as if you were planing an overnight (w/out the tent and sleeping bag, I assume)? I have been very much affected by the events of the past few months, so I want to make sure I am prepared even for dayhikes in good weather. Recommendations?

CM - really depends on where and when you're hiking. For any trips above treeline in the summer, I more or less stick to the recommendations here:

http://www.outdoors.org/activities/hiking/hiking-gear.shtml

Obviously if I'm doing a summer dayhike in CT, I forego much of this. I typically always bring raingear however. Here's a similar list to work from in winter:

http://www.outdoors.org/publications/outdoors/2002/2002-winter-gear.shtml

Also, check your trusty White Mountain Guide. There are some good chapters early on which elaborate on what to bring based on season. Hope this helps.

 

[Eaglescout1985]

how about for those day hikes instead of a sleeping bag, just a fleece blanket? I love mine, if you don't use it for an emergency, its nice to lay out somewhere and just relax. its light and costs about $20-25 at ems.

 

[smitty77]

Lat year I did a few dayhikes with the baby up Wachusett and Monadnock, and found it useful to bring the following:
Plenty of water. (Carrying the boy is like carrying a full pack)
Lunch and snacks for the family.
A hat, sunglasses, Sun block & Bug repellent.
An extra shirt and socks for me as I sweat like crazy.
Plastic bags for dirty diapers. (This is when pack-in/pack-out stinks, literally.)
Wind or rain jacket for myself and the baby.
Pants for the boy in case he gets cold.
Diapers and wipes. The latter is good for cleaning dirty hands as well.

Other miscellaneous items fit in a small ziplock baggie:
Nylon cord, white medical tape, motrin/tylenol, band-aids, moleskin, 2" roller-gauze, tweezers, nail clippers, AA-size mag-lite, chapstick, and small bungee cords.

I also carry a cell phone and a swiss-army knife. I found a small nylon kite that rolls up into a small pouch at EMS on sale for $10. Only needs an 8 mph breeze to get it aloft, and I used it in Florida on the beach in a 15 mph wind with great success. The little guy loves it, and it helps give him and I a break if we find an open spot.

Keep in mind that when I hike with the baby, I only do so on days when the weather forecast is good and I'm usually not above the trees for extended periods and hardly more than an hours hike to get back to the car.

Smitty

 

[MtnMagic]

In the snows of winter I now bring a tent and sleeping bag if I'm solo as I wish to hike again. On my spring training hikes I purposely bring 100 oz (1 gallon of water = 8.3 pounds) and to make up for the loss of weight (tent and bag), I add 2, 4.4 pound weights to my pack.

Your pack is your "life saver." What you have in it is important. It is to get you out just in case something goes wrong and you or one of your party have to spend the night.

Then I hike to my favorite unrelentingly steep places and push myself to go faster. To me it developes my thigh muscles, is more aerobic, burns more calories, and makes me drink more water to quickly drop the winter weight I gain. When I go on summer hikes, I remove the 8.8 pounds of weight, pack as light as possible and zoom up to the summits with no problems (so far)!

 

[Max]

I'm a minimalist and don't carry very much. I rely on making conservative decisions as to when to turn back or continue ahead, especially in winter. In summer, I do lots of hikes, including the 34 mile Pemi loop with nothing more than a water bottle and some food. I rely on lightweight shoes and fast feet to bail me out.

OK, a little tongue in cheek, but truth be known I don't usually carry very much with me. If my time runs out, I figure I've got 30 years of good hiking behind me at least! :-?

Max

 

[Bumpsis]

The lists are great, but all the equipment in the world will do you no good if you leave your brain at home. Smitty

Smitty beat me to the punch. You can weigh yourself down with crap like a camel but if you don't use good judgement you're screwed. That includes being careful even with the little stuff like proper foot palcement (to avoid twisted ankles, ect) and other risks like bouldering. I solo quite often so I'm acutely aware of what a long haul it would be to drag myself off the mountain with a busted leg.
I also like to travel light on day hikes, so I take little more than food, water,adequate clothing (rain/wind protection), compass. headlamp, knife and some string. I'm always mindful of the conditions and strictly observe my turn-arround time. I've made stupid mistakes before, like getting caught in the dark without a light and then some, so I learned.

 

[Stephen]

The only recommendation I can say is to spend the money to have the right equipment. For example, get a headlamp rather than rely on the 2.99 walmart flashlight... having your hands free is invaluable.

On the other hand, there are some inexpensive items (like garbage bags) that serve multiple purposes and cost next to nothing to have (both monetarily and weight-wise.

The errors I've made? Too little water, too much food. I used to bring the whole WMG guide. Then I only brought write-ups of my expected trails. Now I'm considering bringing the guide due to the recent discussions on finding an "out trail". Though, since I'm a fair-weather hiker (no winter, no impending clouds, etc.), the alternate trail may be not as much of an issue. Also, forgetting gloves on Washington was a mistake... I used socks on my hands for grabbing the cold, wet rocks.

I've never needed my compass, GPS or water filter (now that I carry one). However I keep in mind the recent reference to terrorism: I have to get it right 100% of the time... the mountains need to fool me only once...


-Stephen