Private Backcountry Skiing

The details

What to bring

Mooney Mountain Guides Skiing Equipment List

To ensure an awesome experience with your MMG guide, it is important to arrive well prepared for our day in the mountains. The equipment list provided here might be a useful tool in preparing for our day. Remember luck favors the prepared. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call or email.

                                                                                                                                              ESSENTIAL:

• Weather appropriate clothing (see bottom of the list for a full checklist)
• Avalanche equipment
• Eye Protection (Sunglasses, Goggels)
• Headlamp
• Snacks, a sandwich, leftover pizza, snickers, gels, cheese, salami,
• Liquids to drink in a thermos/vacuum flask or insulated Nalgene Bottle. 2 liters minimum.
• Back Pack 30 – 40 Liters (Skiing specific packs are nicer to ski with, but not necessary)
• Touring Skis/Splitboard  

                                                                                                                                             CLOTHING:

Base Layer (Top & Bottom): There’s no way around it. You will sweat. Wear fabrics that wick moisture away from your skin. Unlike cotton that gets wet and stays wet, wicking fabrics help you regulate your core temperature and avoid overheating or chilling. A mid weight top with a light fleece layer are ideal. Mid weight bottoms with light fleece pants or R1 pants seem to work well for most people.

Insulation Layer (Top Only): Mid-layers add insulation to help retain heat that your body creates, and are worn between the base layer and outer jacket. Examples of insulating mid-layers include a fleece vest, a down sweater, or a synthetic jacket made of Prima Loft®. Jacket only. 200 to 300 weight fleece, heavy weight soft shells or light weight Prima-Loft sweater (and we mean lightweight!).  We often wear winter weight soft shell jackets and pants unless we need the additional protection of foul weather pants and jacket.  Winter weight being ‘lined’ or windproof.  They should have pockets, and long zippers, and a good hood. 

Un-insulated Waterproof & Breathable Shell (Top & Bottom): Forget about bulky coats. Wear an outer shell (over your base and insulation layer) to shed water and snow. Layering will give you more versatility, depending on the weather and your activity. Outerwear that is waterproof with increased breathability will be more adaptable and can help transfer moisture away from your body to keep you dry and protected from the elements. Jackets and pants. Event, Gortex®, or similar waterproof/breathable material. Jacket MUST have an integrated hood. Flimsy “stow-away” nylon hoods are not adequate. Full side zip on pants are very helpful.  I generally carry the jacket, but don’t always wear it.  And I only wear the pants if the weather is really wet with rain or wet snow.  If it’s that bad, we may reconsider our options. 

Belay jacket: ‘Over-it-All’ Hooded Down or Prima-Loft Jacket: This crucial layer is often added when you stop for a break. It helps to maintain your body temperature while you are resting and is essential for keeping you warm on those cold descents and during inconvenient breaks above treeline in high winds.  This layer is generally worn over your outermost layers.  Bring this regardless of the weather- it’s good emergency equipment. Examples include Patagonia’s DAS Parka/Hyperpuff, micro puff, ArcTeryx ATOM SV, Hardwear’s Compressor, Wild Things Belay Parka, and more.  Down is OK, but we prefer synthetic.  I like to use a Patagonia Nano Air jacket (Brooks Range Cirro Hoody, or a Patagonia Nano Puff, something like this, lightweight) and a medium weight Belay jacket.  It equals more versatility.

Gloves or Mittens and Glove Liners:
We recommend having 3 pair of gloves/mittens with you.  Glove liners are very useful for the more aerobic approach to your climb.  Gloves with a windproof/waterproof shell are a must for higher elevations and more technical climbing.  Mittens with a windproof/waterproof shell are essential for those colder temperatures at higher elevations (tip: I carry 2-3 pair of lighter climbing gloves like the BD Punisher , OR storm tracker, and OR Warrant/Lodestar, and a warmer pair of gloves for the belaying. )

Fleece/Wool Hat: This hat should cover your ears and can be made of fleece or wool. Remember to fit the hat so you can wear it under a helmet.  A plain hat works best.

Good Wool Socks: How many times have your feet been way too cold? Wool or wool blend socks are great natural insulators, even when wet. For most cold-weather sports, wear wicking liner socks and mid or heavy weight wool or synthetic socks. Make sure you fit footwear with heavier socks for more warmth. No matter how thick your socks are, if your footwear constricts your toes, your blood flow will slow down and cause your feet to be cold–fit your shoes accordingly.

 *Backpack: (40 liters/2,000-3,000 cubic inches is recommended, max 30lb load): A properly fitted pack will make your day 100 times better! It is essential to have a pack which has a hip belt to help support the bulk of the weight.  Use a pack large enough to stow all of your gear on the inside without having to strap any of your personal gear on the outside where it is exposed to the elements. Tip: Pack your pack with your gear before you arrive and make sure you still have enough room to stow your puffy jacket, gortex jacket, and extra warm layers for the initial hike in.  This will save an enormous amount of time in the morning!

Backcountry Touring Boots:  There are too many options to name. Best advice is work with a professional boot fitter.

Backcountry Touring Skis or Splitboard:  There are too many options to name. Best advice is work with a professional in a ski shop.

Ski Poles: The problem with collapsible poles is that the collapse. Choose wisely. Power baskets are essential.

Helmet Rated for Skiing:

Balaclava or/or Buff & Neoprene Ski Face Mask & Ski Goggles: Sun, wind, and debris protection for your eyes is very important while  skiing.

Lunch: Fuel your body. In the mountains, lunch starts when breakfast ends and ends when dinner starts. In other words, we eat all day. A typical climber or skier will consume about 3,500 calories during the course of a day. Pack foods that don’t freeze hard, cover all the food groups and are easy to eat. Pre-make peanut butter sandwiches, or bring last night’s pizza, and those oh-so delicious candy bars. Carry your bars inside your jacket to keep them warm and gooey. 

Liquids: Wide-mouth water bottles are recommended for winter. 2  liters is a minimum to keep us hydrated during the day. Please, do not use hydration systems, metal water bottles, or thin plastic, Poland Springs, narrow-mouthed bottles. All of these systems freeze easily making the water unavailable to you. A water bottle zippered insulator is a good idea for one of your bottles.  I usually put one of my 2 bottles in the sleeve of my belay jacket inside my pack. Lately I’ve been carrying 2 small vacuum flasks with Tea or warm Gatorade.

                                                                                                                             Optional Items

• Camera
• Light-weight thermos in place of a water bottle, filled before your arrival.
• Airbag Pack