The “Alpine Ready Pack” is Born

It is really worrisome when we see people on Mt Washington in the winter and they lack proper clothing, especially if they’re in a guided group. We wanted to make sure we’re never that group and have gone to great lengths to protect our clients from the sometimes unimaginable cold that grips that mountain and the winds that scour its barren tundra. It’s a small but mighty wasteland and it commands respect. People love that, and we want them to be safe seeing it firsthand.

In our effort to protect and prepare our teams, in addition to the very complete guide packs we carry, our clients can, for a very reasonable charge, carry what we call an Alpine Ready Pack. With it the client has to have only mountaineering boots, which can be rented locally, heavy baselayers, pants, and a shirt, and that’s it. In other words, if they’re opting for our Alpine Ready Pack, they’re all set. The contents — weighing in at worthy 23.6 pounds for the complete winter alpine kit with a day’s food and water in the XL size — are pretty impressive and truly designed to make sure we and our clients can handle unexpected situations should they arise.

This is what’s included in our smartly appointed Alpine Ready Pack (see photos to your right, or at the bottom if on a smartphone):

• Black Diamond Cold Forge parka.
• BD Hot Forge hybrid midlayer.
• Ragged Mountain fleece.
• Mountain Hardware hardshell pants and jacket.
• Outdoor Research overmitts with liners.
• Light hiking gloves, too, for five useful combinations.
• N-ferno balaclava.
• OuterU FaceGlove Classic.
• Wool watch cap.
• Bolle goggles.
• BD headlamp.
• Stuffsacks (organized).
• Hot packs (some like them).
• Whistle (attached to pack strap).
• Emergency pad.
• 50′ paracord.
• 5’x7′ soft-lined tarp.
• Food for the day, plus extra.
• Water for the day, plus extra.
• Microspikes.
• BD mountaineering crampons.
• MSR mountaineering snowshoes, if needed.
• Camp snow/ice axe.
• BD rock helmet, under some conditions.
• OR mountaineering gaiters.
• BD trekking poles with full grips.
• All in a compactor-bag-lined 45L Ozark pack with integrated cover.

Yes, the latter is a Walmart brand. It is an easily adjustable and cleverly appointed $30 pack. The designers ripped off all the best features on the market and put them in one awesome product. They took obvious shortcuts but we wisely brought them to Rich Page, owner of North Conway’s very own Gear Doc, for reinforcements and modification. Now these packs will last for years!

This pack, containing hundreds of dollars worth of gear, rents out for a mere $75/person/day (or $60/person/day without our food and water rations). This is for our Alpine Ready Pack. We also have a regular Ready Pack — weighing in at 14 pounds for the full-day winter non-alpine kit including food and water in the XL size — for most of our other adventures. It is the same stuff, just less, as needed for the adventure. Lighter or fewer layers, less technical gear, yet still everything you need for the day. Including food and water. The cost of our normal Ready Pack is $55/person/day (or $40/person/day without our food and water rations).

To protect the gear that protects you, Gear Insurance is also available for the Alpine and regular Ready Packs for $20 and $10/person/day, respectively.

To get yours, just request them right on our booking form during the process. Contents adjusted seasonally.