Climbing Equipment

When we signed up for this trip we thought we had just about all of the equipment we would need. We had good hiking boots, nice day packs, good down jackets and rain parkas, a couple of good hats and mittens. The porters will bring the camping and cooking equipment, all of the food, plus they will carry up to 22 lbs of our personal gear.

What else could we need? Here's a sampling of some of the things we'll need to bring:

• Base layer - moisture-wicking material such as polypro or capiline, at least one light weight and one heavy weight.
• Softshell jacket - a breathable, insulating and wind/water resistant layer, such as wind-pro, windstopper, etc.
• Hardshell jacket - a windproof, waterproof rain layer.
• Insulating layer - down or synthetic filled jacket.
• Pants - wind pants rated to 10 degrees, fleece pants, hard shell pants, gaiters.
• Gloves - light weight liners, and heavy weight with wind shell.
• Hats - warm hat, rain hat, balaclava, sun hat.
• Socks - I could go on and on about the socks.
• Pack (at least 40 liters volume) - needed to get a new one.
• Water bottles - at least 4 liters, plus iodine or chloride water treatment pills.
• Sunscreen (high spf, plus total sunblock), chapstick, sunglasses with side shields.
• Trekking poles, knee braces.

For at least one or two days we'll be wearing just about all of this stuff at once. Hard to believe that we'll be able to walk.