Ice Climbing Gear List, 2016-2017




It's ice season! Full-on...


I seem to ice climb in binges. And December is looking like it'll hold a bunch of ice climbing for me. I have trips booked to Dubois, WY and the Canadian Rockies, with some other ideas floating around. This list works in those places, as well as ice venues like New Hampshire, Cody, WY, Ouray/Silverton, and Valdez AK. This list is primarily organized for guests on trips with me, but it should make sense for just about anyone.













(*- optional, depending on venue, conditions, and, to some degree, personal preference)

First, individual gear. Each climber needs stuff on the bulk of this list. At the end is shared, group equipment. On a trip with me, I can provide some loaner individual equipment, and I provide all the group equipment. In parentheses, for a number of items, are the exact products I use and recommend. I work with most of these particular companies and highly approve of their equipment. 

Hard goods/technical gear:


  • Helmet. (Camp Speed 2.0)
  • Harness. (Cassin Jasper)
  • Belay device with accompanying carabiner (Edelrid Jul to belay leader, CAMP Ovo to belay follower.)
  • 2 additional locking carabiners
  • Prussik loop/rappel back-up
  • Nylon, double length sling. 
  • Crampons (Cassin Blade Runner)
  • Ice tools (Cassin X Dream)
  • Trekking pole or two
  • *Ice tool tether (bifurcating “umbilical”). 
  • *Avalanche transceiver (BCA Tracker 3)
  • *Shovel (BCA B1 Ext)
  • *Probe (BCA Stealth 240 Carbon)
  • *Snowshoes (MSR Denali)

Daily kit:
  • 30L backpack (Camp M2)
  • Insulated 1 liter water bottle
  • Thermos
  • Snacks and lunch foods
  • Camera
  • blister and headache medicine. Whatever other medications you might need 
  • Hand and foot “shake-and-warm” packets. 
  • Headlamp

Clothing. Much of this is redundant, allowing for tailored selection given the day’s forecast and agenda. 
  • Ice boots. (Garmont Pumori)
  • 3 prs socks
  • long underwear
  • soft-shell climbing pants (Arc Teryx Gamma AR)
  • Hardshell pants (Arc Teryx Theta SV bibs)
  • *Puffy insulated pants 
  • Synthetic boxers/undies
  • Synthetic t shirt
  • Light fleece long sleeve (Patagonia R.5)
  • Heavier fleece. (Patagonia Piton)
  • Softshell jacket for approaching. (Arc Teryx Gamma MX)
  • Light “action” puffy jacket. (Arc Teryx Nuclei)
  • Heavier "action" puffy jacket. (Feathered Friends Eos)
  • Shell jacket (Arc Teryx Alpha FL)
  • Belay jacket. (Feathered Friends Volant or Helios)
  • 4 pairs of various light weight gloves, rotated for drying. (CAMP G-Hot Dry, CAMP GeKO Hot, CAMP GeKO Touch. Arc Teryx Alpha FL)
  • Belay mittens (CAMP Hotmit’N)
  • Warm hat for approaching
  • buff/balaclava
  • sun hat
  • dark lens glasses
  • light lens glasses
  • *ski goggles

Group stuff:
  • Twin/half ropes. (Petzl 7.7mm, 60m)
  • Single Rope (Mammut Serenity 8.7mm, 60m)
  • 12 ice screws. (One 10cm, one 22cm, the rest 13cm. Combination of Petzl Laser Speed Light and BD Express)
  • V-threader tool. 
  • Set of 'draws. 5 alpine style, 5 dog-bone style. With big carabiners. Camp Photon is the absolute best ice climbing carabiner made... 
  • Cordellete
  • First aid/repair/shelter kit
  • Satellite phone
  • camera
  • Portable boot dryer 
  • file for sharpening spikes
  • binoculars
  • Extra clothes
Jediah Portergear list, guiding, ice, instructionalComment