2019 Mt Adams Climb - Individual Gear Checklist

2019 Mt Adams Climb - Individual Gear Checklist

Updated Packing List for Mt  Adams Trip on 8/12 - 8/15/2019
(page revised on 8/4/2019)

Backpack
Day pack for summit day - to carry 2 liters, food, coat, gloves, hat, m-spikes
Hiking boots
Sleeping pad
Sleeping bag
Pillow (small - or use stuff sack)
Tent (borrow ward tent if you don't own)
Food (see expanded below)
Water filter (borrow if you don't own - we have plenty)
Two (2) 1-liter bottles
Stove and fuel (borrow if you don't own - we have plenty)
First Aid Kit
Hygiene/Toiletries
Microspikes - borrow if needed on Sunday pack check
Gaiters
Small tarp - in case we glissade
10 Essentials - some are covered by the above list

Clothing Expanded:

Shell coat
Insulating coat
Long-sleeve base layer top
Short sleeve shirt
Base layer bottoms
Shorts
Pants
Socks
Warm hat - fleece
Gloves
Cap - sunhat
Good Sunglasses
Bandana

Food Expanded:
Spoon - that's it, fork and knife not really needed


Breakfast:
All breakfasts - quick and easy - oatmeal, protein bars, etc.

Lunch:
All lunches should be trail-style food to be eaten on the go, thru-out the day. A bagel or tortilla-style sandwich is a great option. No cooking will be done for lunch.


Dinner:
All dinners should be just-add-hot-water to pouch style (Mountain House or variant) - no dishes to clean up. Freeze-dried or other dehydrated meals are best - the lightest weight. Do not bring metal cans or glass jars of anything! They are far too heavy!

Climbers need to replenish electrolytes after they expend energy. Nuun, Crystal Light, Gatorade and Propel are all good options. Gatorade will be provided. If you want something else, please feel free to bring it. Salt tablets are another good way to replenish electrolytes.

We will have options to choose from when you pick up food on Sunday night.




Clarification
A few items need clarification. The ward will provide the following items:
Microspikes
A 2-person tent
All food for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Filtered Water
Stove/Fuel - boiling water for meals
Blue Bags - we pick these up at the Ranger Station (used for hauling out our human waste)

Youth need to bring their own Monday sack lunch and dinner. Dinner will be eaten while car-camping on Monday night. Bringing "real food" is strongly recommended for Monday night. A no-cooking meal would be ideal. One example is bringing a sub sandwich with mayonnaise packets - add the mayo right before eating.

If you prefer to bring your own gear and food - that would be totally fine. One caveat is that all youth must have a tent partner. No one sleeps alone and all tents are 2-person tents.

If you have special dietary needs or restrictions, it is recommended that you bring your own food. Please contact youth leaders for a more detailed conversation about this, if needed.



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Updated Packing List for Annette Lake Trip on 6/14-15/2019
(page revised on 6/10/2019):

This list is specific to this Annette Lake trip. A great resource for a general trip packing list can be found here:
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/backpacking-checklist.html


Personal Gear

Backpack
Sleeping System:
-sleeping bag
-sleeping pad
-pillow (keep it small - 1/3 size of regular pillow is good)

Clothing (also called the Insulation System):
(upper)
-shell coat (prefer with hood)
-lightweight, warm jacket
-long-sleeve shirt
-short sleeve shirt
-warm hat (fleece is great)
-light gloves
-bug net for your head

(Lower)
-hiking pants
-athletic shorts
-bottom baselayer
-socks (2 pair, min.)
-swimsuit (optional)

Nutrition System (food listed separately)
-spoon! (fork and knife are not necessary)
-small bowl (may not be necessary, depending on your trail snacks)

Hydration System:
-1-liter water bottle (disposable is fine - Gatorade style bottle works great)

Sun Protection System:
-cap and bandana or sun hat
-sunglasses
-sunscreen (small bottle - most of the hike is shaded)

First Aid (leaders will bring extra):
-band-aids
-tape
-gauze pads
(start small - in a plastic sandwich bag - and improve with time)

Navigation:
-We will be hiking on a single, dead-end, well-maintained trail. Not much is needed, here. More training to follow.

Illumination System:
-Headlamp




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Old:
Here is a good start. We will refine this later:

1. 10 Essentials
1. Navigation
2. Sun protection
3. Insulation
4. Illumination
5. First-aid supplies
6. Fire
7. Repair Kit
8. Nutrition
9. Hydration
10. Emergency Shelter
2. Pack (50-65 liter)
3. Large garbage bag (to line your pack)
4. 2 sets of base and mid layers (no cotton!)
1. liner socks
2. Base layer shirt/pants
3. Mid layer shirt/pants
5. Insulation layer (no cotton!)
1. Fleece/puffy jacket
2. 2 pairs of gloves
3. 2 pairs of insulated socks
4. Beenie, ski mask, or balaclava
6. Shell layer
1. Rain gear
2. Gaiters
3. Waterproof boots
7. Sleeping bag
8. Sleeping pad
9. Personal items
1. Mess kit (utensils, mug)
2. Blue-bags
3. Toilet paper
4. Wipes
5. Sanitizer
6. Unscented soap
7. Tooth brush/paste
8. Hand warmers

2019 Mt Adams Climb - Gear Tips

2019 Mt Adams Climb - Gear Tips

Here are a few tips for your gear during preparation trips and during the actual climb.

Prep Hikes
McDonald Mtn, Mailbox Peak:

• Running shoes in good condition with reasonable traction work just fine. Trail running shoes are best. I do nearly all of my hikes in trail runners. Here are a few of my favorites
• Scott Kinabalu Trail Runner
• Brooks Cascadia
• New hiking boots - if you bought some new boots, this is a great time to break them in. You definitely need to know how your feet react to your boots. 

Camp Muir (Paradise, Mt Rainier NP)

• Please, please wear good hiking boots - no trail runners on this one. 
• Gaiters are strongly recommended. 
• Bring at least 2 liters of water per person. Good method - bring two, disposable, 1-liter bottles - one with water, one with Gatorade/Nuun/some electrolyte.
• Sun protection! Sunglasses, a sun hat, bandana, and good sunscreen are all a must. 

Misc:

• Hiking poles - they do help but are not required. I've tried them many times and I personally prefer to have my hands free - I don't use them. They are very helpful for balance and give you something to lean on when you're tired.
• Sunglasses - the sun is very strong high up on the mountain. Good, wrap-around sunglasses are a must. My favorite sunglasses for the mountains are the Julbo Sherpa Spectron 3. 
• Footwear - please size your shoes and boots with plenty of room. Your feet swell and increase in size (at least 1 size up) when you are walking on them all day. The downhill will also shove your foot forward in your shoe/boot. You do not want your toes hitting the edge of your shoe, in any condition. You should have 2 thumb-widths between your longest toe and the tip of your shoe.
• Socks - small, but critical item. Rather than describe - here is my absolute favorite: at Walmart, get the And1 brand, 12-pack for $10. I wear them for running, hiking, work, church - everything. For reference - any model of the Darn Tough brand is among the best you can buy -$20 per pair. Unbeatable performance, though.

Backpacks:

I love the Teton Sports brand (available on Amazon.) My go-to, big pack is the Teton Sports 4600 Outfitter. The 4300 Escape is also an excellent pack.

Hiking Boots:

The Asolo, La Sportiva, Garmont, Vasque and Danner brands are excellent options (we have at least one of each). Goretex lining is strongly recommended. We find good deals on the Sierra Trading Post website. 

Obviously, knowing the right size is critical. REI stores can be very helpful in getting the right fit. The Smith home also has many boot sizes to try on....

Sleeping bag:

Shoot for a temperature rating around 30-40 degrees F. The bag should be no heavier than 3 lbs. 

The Suisse Sport Adventurer bag ($28 on Amazon) has worked ok for us. Zippers like to break after 3 years of moderate use. But they are plenty warm to below freezing. We haven't found a go-to option that is perfect, yet.

Sleeping pad:

You need to choose from two main categories - inflatable or closed cell foam.

Inflatable - the Klymit Static V2 ($40 on Amazon) is a great option.

Closed cell - the Thermarest Ridgerest Classic ($20 on Amazon), is a great purchase that will last for a lifetime.

Gaiters:

These are critical for hiking in snow.

Please note - favorites listed above are not your only options. They are only meant to give you real-life examples. Please use your own judgment when purchasing gear.


Posted on 4/13/2019
Revised on 4/23/2019

2019 Mt Adams Climb - Fitness - Overview

2019 Mt Adams Climb - Fitness - Overview

Improving your level of fitness is the most important preparation you can do for the trip. You need a mixture of endurance and strength to carry yourself and your stuff up the mountain.

We have planned several day hikes and overnight trips to prepare our youth for the climb. With regard to fitness, these trips are only checkpoints or milestones. They should not be the only exercise sessions you do in your preparation. These trips only give you an idea of how you are doing.

Please make some sort of plan. Write down just enough of this plan to keep you motivated and give yourself direction. Here are some pointers for your exercise plan:

• Plan to exercise at least 3 days per week. 6 days is best - but 3 days should be your minimum. Sunday is an ideal rest day. 
• Focus your efforts on moving under your own power over long distances. Doing some in-place strength training is always a good idea! I do this at least 3 days per week. But keep in mind that your goal is to hike about 6 miles and climb over 6,000 vertical feet (over 2 days). Walking, running and hiking should be a primary focus with your workouts.
• Gradually increase your intensity. Increasing your intensity means either moving faster or going longer (greater distance). Start with what you can do now. Work hard and step it up each week. One rule of thumb is to increase your weekly mileage by no more than 10%. More on that later.

For reference, here are the basics of my current workout plan:

Monday - 4-5 mile run

Tuesday - Weight Training

Wednesday - Run - intervals

Thursday - Weight Training

Friday - 4-5 mile run

Saturday - Long Run and Weight Training

Sunday - Rest!

Again, this is just for reference. The key is doing something! Every day! 

More details will come. But for now - just get moving!

Posted on 4/13/2019

2019 Mt Adams Climb - Schedule Overview

2019 Mt Adams Climb - Schedule - Overview

Here is a current list of our planned trips.
created on 4/2/2019
updated on 7/6/2019

March 29, 2019 (Friday) - Night Hike - McDonald Mtn
April 19, 2019 (Friday) - Night Hike - Poo Poo Point (via Chirico Trail)
May 4, 2019 (Saturday) - Day Hike - Mailbox Peak
May 18, 2019 (Saturday) - Day Hike - Mt Washington
June 14-15, 2019 (Friday-Saturday) - Overnight Backpacking Trip
July 19-20, 2019 (Friday-Saturday) - Overnight Backpacking Trip
July 20, 2019 (Saturday) - Day Hike - Granite Mountain
August 12-15, 2019 (Monday-Thursday) - Mt Adams Climb


There are some physical requirements to be able to attend the high adventure trip this year. The following are requirements:

1. Must do Mailbox Peak - (or similar) (day hike) 1 time with 20 lb pack, with a leader
2. At least 1 overnight backpacking trip with a leader
3. Must do McDonald Mtn (day hike) with 20 lb pack, with Bro Smith

A thought about the prep hikes:
Added on July 6, 2019
  
We want all the youth to have a fair chance to attend. Simply missing one of the trips listed above does not disqualify you. If you have previous experience, outside of our group trips, please talk to one of our youth leaders.

Please also feel free to join us on the prep hikes, even if you don't want to (or can't) attend the Mt Adams trip.

A final thought about our overall purpose: Our group has really enjoyed these experiences of hiking and camping over the past few months. The reasons for these efforts are deeper than getting in shape or preparing for a high adventure. Among the top reasons is that hiking is one of the best opportunities to spend time with and get to know each other in the setting of God's beautiful world. The bonds and memories developed and strengthened through these trips run deep. These are bonds that we as leaders hope every single youth in our ward can develop and solidify. We gain a greater love for those around us and a greater to desire to connect with and serve them as we continue on the path that leads back to our Heavenly Father.

2019 Mt Adams Climb - Trip Details - Overview

2019 Mt Adams Climb - Trip Details - Overview

• 2nd tallest mountain in WA State
• Summit Elevation = 12,276 ft
• Vertical Rise (via the South Climb Route) = 6,700 ft
• Trip Length = approx. 6 miles total (one way). 12 miles roundtrip.

Day 1 (Monday, August 12, 2019):

Drive to the trailhead and camp near the cars.
Map to the trailhead is here. The drive is approximately 5 hours (260 miles).

Day 2 (Tuesday, August 13, 2019):

Hike to base camp, halfway up the mountain - Lunch Counter. Set up camp.

Day 3:

Climb to the summit and back to Lunch Counter.

Day 4:

Break camp. Hike down to the car. Drive home.


Please see the slideshow at the following link.

posted on 4/13/2019