Equipment Checklist - Snow Camping

 

Personal Gear: Clothing  (NO COTTON!!!)

☐ 1 Windproof and Rainproof Coat Windproof and Rainproof coat with hood – should fit comfortable over all of your clothing
☐ 1 Windproof and Rainproof  pants Should fit comfortably over all of your clothing
☐ 1 Heavy Layer 300 weight synthetic jacket, coat or sweater
☐ 1 Medium Layer Mid weight poly fleece top insulation layer
☐ 1 Long underwear Synthetic tops and bottoms
☐ 1 Nylon pants
☐ 4 Pairs of Heavyweight socks Heavyweight wool or synthetic
☐ 4 Pairs of sock liners lightweight synthetic
☐ 1 Winter Boots Insulated and waterproof
☐ 1 Hat (winter weight) Stocking hat or balaclava
☐ 1 Headband Synthetic or Wool - headband or Buff
☐ 1 Gaiters
☐ 1 Gloves, heavy
☐ 2 Glove liners
☐ 1 Glover, rubber for igloo construction




10 Essentials - Winter (Snow)

☐ 1 Pocket Knife Durable locking blade acceptable but fixed blade knife is preferred
☐ 1 First-Aid Kit Small personal kit (half sandwich bag sized)
☐ 1 First-Aid Kit - Whistle Small pealess whistle for signalling
☐ 1 Extra Clothes Heavy Top and Bottoms, Head and Neck protection
☐ 1 Rain Gear Waterproof jacket and pants.  Jacket must have hood
☐ 1
Rain Gear - Shelter Mylar emergency blanket or bivy bag, tarp, insulating pad
☐ 1
Rain Gear - Shelter Maker Snow Saw and Shovel
☐ 1 Water Bottle 3 liter capacity in 2 or more containers
☐ 1 Water Bottle - water melter Way to melt snow (stove and pot)
☐ 1 Flashlight Replace batteries before trek.  Bring extra batteries and bulbs; headlamp preferred
☐ 1 Trail Food High calorie
☐ 1 Matches & Fire Starter 2 different types of fire starters. Small lighter, waterproof matches, ferrorod or magnesium bars are acceptable. 
☐ 1
Matches & Fire Starter - Tinder Fuel tablet or other longer burning tinder
☐ 1 Sun Protection - Sunglasses Doesn't need to be expensive.  Ideally protects peripheral vision. sunglasses or goggles
☐ 1 Sun Protection - Sun Screen Zinc Oxide & Titanium Dioxide works best
☐ 1
Sun Protection - Lip Balm Chapstick or similar; SPF of 25+
☐ 1 Map & Compass- Compass Working Compass; Suunto will work; waterless military lensatic compass recommended
☐ 1
Map & Compass -
Map
Coated Map; Ask SPL for map; USGS Quad Maps
☐ 1
Map & Compass -
GPS
Optional and does NOT Replace Paper Map and working compass; waypoints programmed
☐ 1
11th Essential - Repair Kit Duct Tape; small roll warped around pencil or water bottle; possibly also multi-tool, scissors, screw driver, cable ties
☐






Personal Gear: Sleep System

☐ 1 Sleeping bag
20° EN rating or better.  Down or synthetic fill.  Down is more expensive but lighter.  Synthetic is more forgiving it if gets wet. 
☐ 1 Sleeping bag liner Optional (depending on bag). Liner or blanket. Wool or Synthetic
☐ 1 Dry bag for sleeping bag
Your sleeping bag must be waterproofed in dry bag or contractor trash bag. 
Roll-top dry sack made of silnylon-type fabric, just big enough to fit your sleeping bag is ideal.
OR pack can be lined with trash compactor or contractor grade trash bag.
☐ 1 Bivy bag optional
☐ 1 Sleeping pad
Thremarest Ridge Rest or insulated inflatable pad; NOT optional in winter
☐ 1 Waterproof ground cloth
☐ 1 inflatable pillow (optional)
Inflatable pillow weighs only a few ounces and takes little space.  You can also stuff an empty pillow case or bag with clothing to make a pillow.




Personal Gear: Other Gear

☐ 1 Backpack large enough to carry all winter equipment
☐ 1 Pulk Optional
☐ 1 Large stuff sack Optional - Used to strap extra items to top of pack if needed
☐ 1 Straps Used to attach items to outside of pack
☐ 1 Dry bags (for sleeping bag, clothes)
OR 1 backpack rain cover +  1 dry bag
OR 1 pack liner
Backpack rain covers will shed most snow from Paddle sports Drybags are heavy but ideal, especially if using a pulk.  
☐ 1 Daypack Optional
☐ 1 One-gallon Ziploc freezer bags Freezer bags are more durable than regular Ziplocs
☐ 1 Bowl
☐ 1 Cup
☐ 1 Spoon Long handle
☐ 5 Personal hygiene kit Just the basics - don't forget brush and toothpaste
☐ 1 Shortie pad Cut down closed cell insulation pad - use to sit or stand on




Specialty Snow Gear

☐
Snowshoes
☐
Ski poles
☐
Snow saw

☐
Snow shovel
☐
Wands
☐
Poo Kit - Paper towels Regular TP just isn't good enough
☐
Poo Kit - Bag or tube Used to collect and pack out solid waste




Other Prep

☐
Necessary permits Parking, Wilderness, Snow, Camping, etc
☐
Paper and pen
☐
Emergency Money
☐
Emergency Plan Evac plan and emergency numbers
☐
Trip itinerary One set under car seat and one with a friend/family at home
☐
Weather forecast & Avalanche forecast
☐
PMA (Positive Mental Attitude)




Food

☐
Mountain House dinner Professionally made dehydrated meals are light and taste good.
☐
Breakfast-in-a-bag Hearty cereal or something equivalent
☐
Lunches First lunch will be consumed at trailhead and does not need to be packed away. 
☐
Days of snacks Packaged and labeled for each day.  1,200-1,500 calories per day.  Mix it up so you don't get sick of it
☐ 1 Butter It's not just for breakfast anymore
☐ 1 Stove Backpacking stove - Propane, white gas or isobutane.  If using isobutane, must know how to avoid canister freeze
☐ 1 Pot Large enough to melt lots of snow.  Lid and handle
☐ 1 Stove insulation Stove board and windscreen (do NOT use windscreen around stove over canister setup)




Group Gear (to be divided among patrol members)

☐
Pulk Used to carry extra gear or evac
☐
Emergency Tent
☐
Stove One heavy duty stove - propane or white gas
☐
Fuel Extra fuel
☐
Emergency Fire Starter - Scoutproof Road flare - adult use only!
☐
Large tarp Emergency shelter or for evac
☐
Heavy duty shovel
☐
Axe For cutting down trees, obstacles and ice
☐
Saw For fire wood and shelter construction
☐
Paracord Shelter construction, tying down equipment, "roping in" in blizzards
☐
Group First Aid Kit 1 per patrol
☐
GPS tracker 1 per patrol or any group that separates




Other

☐


☐


☐


☐


☐


☐


☐


☐


☐


☐


☐


☐


 

Packing Lists