hiking with comfort in ULTRALIGHT?

[Gary Pikovsky]

Hello All,
I’d love to get everyone’s opinion on this early spring/winter kit for NE White Mountains and NE Mt. Washington list. The list is a bit unusual in that it’s requirements are a freestanding 2-person 4-season tent, xenon headlamp for night photography, SLR camera and favorite Polish Kielbasa for food, and a plush sleeping pad. I’m a diehard ultralighter and based my gear on Ryan Jordan’s recommendations to be the lightest stuff possible with above requirements. If anyone sees an opportunity to cut even a half ounce (hopefully pounds) please let me know ANY suggestions you may have. Thanks a bunch. Anxious to see what everyone thinks.

W O R N
7.8 – Base layer top (Smartwool lightweight zip-t)
2.9 – Windshirt (Montane Aero Smock (alt. featherlite smock forwider use range 3.0oz))
2.0 – Underwear (Patagonia Capilene)
7.0 – Midweight long johns (Patagonia Capilene midweight)
12.1 – Rain pants) (EMS GTX Paclite (full zips open) (alt. Montane Air Event 7.0oz – side zips / Wild Things Epic 6oz / GoLite Reed 4 oz – no sidezip / Montbell Versalite 7oz))
0.9 – Glove liners (Normal liners)
1.0 – Sock liners (FoxRiver)
1.9 – Socks (Smartwool Adrenaline 3/4 crew socks)
32.0 – Boots (North Face Fury XCR for summer / for other seasons – Millet GTX Trek 53.25oz))
1.6 – Bandana (Bandana with printed map)
10.6 – Trekking poles (REI Peak UL Compact Trekking Poles (includes custom bolt for camera tripod)

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WEIGHT WORN – 5 LBS

C L O T H I N G
5.5 – Vest (PossumDown Vest (alt Patagonia R2 8.0oz))
10.0 – Insulation Pullover (Patagonia Micro Puff Pullover (alt. Possudown sweater for summer 8.875oz / In winter – Millet Rescue Down parka 15.75oz))
9.5 – Rain Jacket (Montane Event Air Jacket)
7.5- Insualtion pants (Patagonia R1 bottoms (alt. In winter – Patagonia Micro Puff Pants 13.50oz))
2.9 – Shorts (Patagonia Long Haul Runners (alt. Sahara conv pants 12.5oz))
2.8 – Hat (Favorite oldschool ski hat)
1.5 – Balaclava, light (REI Balaclava liner)
1.4 – Mittens (Possumdown Mitts (alt. For winter – REI switchback primaloft mitt liners 4.125oz))
4.8 – Shell Mitts (REI Switchback mitt Large (thinking about OR Talus Mitts Large 2.9oz))
1.0 – Sock liners (FoxRiver)
2.9 – Socks (Smartwool hiking socks (used as extra in cold weather and for sleeping))
0.6 – Stuff sack for clothing (Bozeman Mountain stuff sack)

S L E E P + S H E L T E R
26.5 – Sleeping bag (WM Ultralite 6.0ft 20F)
1.6 – Stuff sack, sleeping bag (WM stuff sack)
21.6 – Pad (Insul Max Thermo Polarguard-lined 20 x 72 x 2.5″” high pad (the only pad I could sleep on for some reason))
1.9 – Foam pad, light (Gossamer Gear Thinlight 19.5 x 57 x 1/8″” (add when cold))
38.6 – Tent + stuff sack (Black Diamond Firstlight with custom Fibraplex poles)
1.0 – Stakes + guyline (Bozeman Mountain Lazr Hi-Vis Titanium Stakes / Guyline – Spectra 200, 4 strips pre-tied to tent stakes)
2.9 – Ground cloth (Gossamer Gear SpinnSheet cut to tent size)

M I S C
2.0 – Pack Rain cover (Adventurelite Pack Cover)
34.9 – Backpack (Internal Frame Osprey Aether 45 2800cu (with custom-made bungee cord attachments) prefer internal frame
36.5 – Camera (Canon Digital Rebel XT (28mm-300mm Sigma lens))
0.8 – Water bottle (Platypus 1L flexible bottle (rounded corners)
5.5 – Headlamp (Petzl Myolite 3 xenon/led headlamp with 3 Lithium batteries (warm xenon light used for night photography)
1.6 – Essentials (First Aid, duct tape, UPF lotion + Dr. Bronner’s + Aqua Mira in mini dropper bottle, mini toothbrush, TP, vitamins, mini pot cleaner)

K I T C H E N
0.3 – Spoon (Lexan spoon)
3.0 – Stove, windscreen (Snow Peak Giga Power titanium w/ piezo canister stove (for windy conditions, like canister stoves)
3.9 – Pot with foil lid/pan (Open Country Aluminium Pot 3.785 32oz (alt. Snow Peak Trek 700 Titanium)
0.9 – Stuff sack, kitchen (Snow Peak sack)

F O O D + F U E L
0.8 – Electrolytes (Emer’gen-C Lite, 2 packets)
5.4 – Energy Bars, 3 (500-690calories)
15.0 – Food (Backpackers Pantry Pad Thai + greens + Polish Kielbasa 1500calories)
16.0 – Water (Fill-in halfway usually – lots of sources on trail)
7.0 – Fuel (MSR IsoPro Butane/Propane mix)

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PACK WEIGHT (w/o perishables) – 14.5 LBS
FULL PACK WEIGHT – 17.5 LBS

OPTIONAL
19.0 – Crampons (Grivel Air Tech Classic Lite w/ antibott)
6.5 – Crampon bag (Petzl Fakir / Ragged Mountain Deluxe Crampon bag 4oz)
8.9 – Ice axe (CAMP USA XLA 210 Ice Axe 60cm)
4.0 – Ski Mask (Scott Split Six in pouch)
1.8 – Face mask (Seirus Combo Scarf Large)
1.5 – Glasses + Case (Glasses in a hard case)
0.5 – Towel (Lightload Towels)
2.3 – Gaiters (Integral Designs Event Shortie Gaiters)
4.4 – Water bottle insulation (OR Water bottle parka)

[Tim W]

Gary:

I’m not sure what you’re planning. Are you thinking of a February Presidential traverse or a few days in the Pemi in May? They’re two different animals. Above treeline in the winter would require different equipment such as a warmer sleeping bag and different boots while below treeline in May wouldn’t require two sets of fleece pants.

Going ultralight in the Whites means being willing and able to get out as soon as possible before the weather kills you.

[Gary Pikovsky]

Tim,
This list is definitely for early May to mid fall. Above treeline. The thing is, I’d love to ditch the fleece pants (no extras carried), but the weather in the Presidential Range behaves in spirals lately. Just yesterday they had 3F at night and 40F during the day. Maybe it calms down in mid May. Not sure. First spring here for me. Hope that clears it up. Any suggestions?

[Lloyd Graves]

Hi
The top of Mt.washington is in the 20’s and 30’s overnite recently, not 3 degrees F. Everything depends on what you want to do. In the valleys it is 60 degrees now in the day. The snow starts at 2500 to 3000 feet and is rotted with water flowing under at lower levels. You are going to get wet. Modify your list for curent conditions and try for more feedback. You are too hot for now and not enough for full winter conditions. Try http://www.viewsfromthetop for trail conditions and more info. Might want to ditch the excess pants for one pair of softshells. Can’t camp above treeline without 2 feet (I think) of snowcover.

[Lloyd Graves]

Looks like you only have one litre of water. How about two or three h2o’s so you don’t have to stop so often? How are you going to treat your water?

[Gary Pikovsky]

Lloyd, thanks for the tip. Do you live close to the Whites by any chance? Can you explain more what you mean by too hot. This gear list is for May 1 to mid fall. The fleece pants are in there for 5000 feet Hermit lake or Sphinx COL camping overnight – thought it could get nippy. I’d gladly ditch them. Just a little concerned for being warm when not moving in basecamp at night. Thinking about getting REI Sahara convertible pants. Any tips on clothing? Any specific pieces?

As far as water, I have Aqua Mira in tiny dropper bottles. There are plenty of water sources in the region and a lot of times you’re following a creek. So I thought I’d stop for a nice photo break, treat water and shoot a few photos. You think it’s too little to take?

[Lloyd Graves]

I live in Boston and have a fair amount of experience in the Whites but mostly in Winter and early spring. Normally you can check the weather forcast from the Mt Washington Observatory and narrow down what you need to take. The forcasts are only accurate for 48 hours though and there is a lot of difference from the mtn tops and the valley. Looks like you are just going on an overnite by the food that you are taking.
From your list it looks like you are planning on hiking in capaline with rainpants over that. Most of the time that is going to be on the sweaty side. You might think about replacing that combo with some soft shell pants with maybe the Wisp rainpants if it’s really wet or for an extra wind layer.
A static insulation layer can be nice. I don’t think you need the vest and the Micro Puff top. Maybe just the Puff. You can use a lighter weight bag if you use your insulation layer to sleep in. Nice when you wake up or have to pee, too.
I would bring at least two liter bottles. Then you can treat one and drink from the other. In camp you will want to be able to deal with more than one litre at a time.
You may or may not need crampons, snowshoes,or axe(hardly ever need axe) depending on where you are going. There is some ice now but usually you can get by without the crampons. On the Twinway and a few other places the snowshoes might be needed. The VFTT website will help you with trail conditions.
Your pad is really heavy. If you pick soft campsites maybe you could use a lighter one?
Remember no camping above treeline unless 2 feet of snow is on the ground. I think you have to make reservations at Pinkham Notch for Hermit Lake. Some of the stream crossings are difficult now.
Don’t get too caught up in the gear and have a good time.
I would get a bear cannister or hang your food. They won’t eat you but the population is exploding and it is only a matter of time before it is a problem and the bears will lose. Keep them wild.

[William Farris]

Gary- What caught my eye was your item:
REI Peak UL Compact Trekking Poles (includes custom bolt for camera tripod)

How did you make the modification and is it actually a monopod? I have sucessfully made a tripod with three LEKI poles using a homemade hub but it is not ultralight. -Bill

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