What’s in my bag – Dale Remsberg
The gear you pack for a day of ice guiding can make or brake your day, or your back. It’s a gear intensive pursuit and with a little planning and preparation you can set yourself up for success. The gear will change from day to day and can vary greatly depending on objective and the weather. Below are three photos that catalog the actual gear I packed for a day of ice guiding.
Pro tip- Consider how cold your clients get when they gear up and try leaving the car mostly geared up on short approaches (5-15 minutes) or stopping short of a climb on the longer approaches (5-15 minutes short). By doing this you give some time for them to rewarm up while finishing the approach and all you have to do is flake the ropes and start leading. This will go a long ways in keeping them warm for the day.
- Ropes- on this day I had one client and we were doing a multi-pitch and I chose a single rope and a tag line. The tag line was rated as a half or twin which gave me some back up in case the primary single line was damaged. Twin ropes would have also been a good choice but requires more coaching on how to belay and manage.
- First aid kit- all the usual suspects with the addition of extra steri strips and wound closure glue.
- Packs- this is personal preference but the guiding I often do requires a longer approach so I like a large pack for approaching and then a small (12L) pack for on route.
- Boots- the forecast was warm so I went with the new La Sportiva Ice Cube, which is light and nimble and still fairly warm. The lighter the boot the less stress on the knees.
- Crampons- while I like mono points much of the time I chose dual points as the route was less traveled and the dual points create more stability for me.
- Top lid items- food, Emergency communications (delorme In Reach), file, headlamp, watch, eye protection, multi-tool and a small ditty bag with ibuprofen, sunscreen etc.
- Liquid- 1 liter bottle and a 750 ml thermos, which is enough for me for most days.
- Buff
- Helmet
- Harness- I will change the number of racking tools (Petzl Caritools) depending on the route.
- Ice screws- highly variably depending on the route. 9 for this this day with one 22cm and then a variety of sizes.
- Ice tools- Petzl Nomics with pick and small hammers. I like heavy toolsJ
- Draws- 7 total with two extendable, 4 quick draws and one locker draw.
- Assorted anchor and belay gear. And make sure to carry a v thread tool.
- Gloves- ahhhhh the gloves! So hard. I like an approach pair that will be ditched at the base, my Ferrari lead gloves, a second lead set for easier pitches and one set of belay gloves.
- Black mid-weight fleece- this is a route piece and goes under my outer lead layer. Not used on the approach to keep it dry.
- Light wind shell- I use this on the approach so I don’t overheat in my main outer layer.
- Arcteryx Gamma MX- This is one of my favorite outer layers and is a longer cut and will stay under my harness.
- Belay Jacket- This is always in my pack just in case.
- Light base layer- I approach in this under my wind shell and often carry a second to change into after a sweaty hike.
- Climbing pants
- Leg base layer- the thickness of this will change based on the temp and my approach time.
- Vest- Second warmth layer that is optional depending on how things feel at the base of the route.
- Hat- needs to fit under helmet
- Socks- I think socks are underestimated and under loved. I like to buy new ones every year and I’m always amazed how much warmer a new pair of socks are.
- Avy gear- many ice routes are in avalanche terrain and appropriate gear should be carried. Clients should be trained on basic companion rescue. I do take lighter gear than while ski touring and I feel that can be justified as lighter gear can benefit the leader and reduce risk. This is a tricky topic but put some thought into it and you will find it hard to justify not carrying rescue gear while in avalanche terrain.
