Everest 2012: What To Pack

Screen shot 2012 03 20 at 10.56.50 AM

Have you ever wondered what climbers take with them, in terms of gear, for an Everest expedition? Then you’re in luck as a new article on the Beyond The Edge expedition site takes an in depth look at what one climber is packing for Everest this year.

The Beyond The Edge expedition is the team that I told you about last week that is led by Conrad Anker and will attempt the West Ridge this spring. The climbers have just arrived in Nepal and will spend the next few days getting their gear organized and making last minute preparations before they begin the trek to Base Camp. One of those climbers, ski mountaineer Hilaree O’Neill, shared her packing list for the trip and as you can imagine there is quite a lot of gear to carry along.

Hilaree’s list is a bit longer then some others due to the fact that she is bringing her ski equipment along as well. You can view the entire list, which spells out exactly which brand and specific model she elected to bring, by clicking here. Since the expedition is co-sponsored by The North Face, you will of course find plenty of their products on the list, but you’ll also find gear from Black Diamond, Scarpa, Dynafit and more. Hilaree even lists the technology she’s bringing alone (her iPad and iPhone are in her pack!) as well as her favorite foods that will help see her through the journey.

Considering the fact that most of these climbers will be in the Himalaya for upwards of two months, the list isn’t necessarily all that long. Still, it gives you a good idea of what they have in their packs and what they’ve found works best for the environments they are about to tackle.

Expect many more updates from this team as they get going. They are expected to hit BC around the 15th of April, which is when things should really start to get interesting.

Kraig Becker