# What's in your pack?



## JCKeck1 (Oct 28, 2003)

So the BCA tracker is the gold standard of beacons.  Everyone's been claiming to put out a better one and this has been going on for years, but I haven't seen it yet. Not that it hasn't happened, but until it's actually been shown, don't buy the hype. 

Carry a full length probe - not one of those half sized ones stuffed into a shovel. I had one of those, but it would take minutes to just pull out of the shovel. That equates to a dead friend.

Carry an aluminum shovel. Yes it is heavier, but have you ever tried digging avi debris? It's like moving wet cement with rocks mixed in. If your plastic shovel breaks, your friend is dead.

Carry a small leatherman to help repair gear and open the back of your beacon when the batteries run out. 

Carry a small headlamp - it gets dark quick and early in the winter. 

Take a class the emphasizes staying out of avalanches. 25-50% of people caught in an avalanche die of trauma - all the rescue gear and knowledge in the world wont help nearly half of burial victims. Staying out is the most important knowledge.

That's a short list to get you started...
Joe


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## guide.jt (Jul 31, 2009)

i like to cary some chocolate... its quick pick up, 2 4 ft cam straps... you never know, a wistle, lighter, mirror(plastic) metal shovel... i carry a candle, i like to think if i had to make a fire i could, like 2 birthday candles, iodine tabs, you can get gardia from snow( wind blown poo) i usualy keep my booze in a metal bottle so i could boil water, oh booze, i like whisky, usualy for the hike out and drive home... haha... have fun. peace


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## the_dude (May 31, 2006)

i ride dynafit, so i carry the little heel adjuster piece and a couple of screwdrivers.
first aid kit w/ some basic supplies
tracker beacon w/ extra batteries
at least one extra layer of clothes and some glove liners
hat, leather gloves, and glasses/goggles
sunscreen/lipblock
some food and water plus a couple of emergency clif bars or snickers in case the day goes long.
matches, firestarter sticks, a pepsi can stove and fuel, and a grease pot so that i can melt water and/or build a fire if needed.
i use some old leki poles that i've had for a while. don't have the collapsible ones because i'm cheap and the other ones still work.
bca probe and shovel (aluminum)
inclinometer (or whatever the little card you use to measure slope angle is called)
my splitboarder friend always carries an extra strap and duct tape for his skins because they always seem to become unsticky on warmer days.
i'm sure there's other stuff that i'll rememer on the first day of the year.


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## JDHOG72 (Jul 18, 2007)

Did you buy it from the guy in GJ? Damnit that was the board I wanted! Anyway I got a Voile instead. 

CMC offers avi courses for a reasonalbe price. I hear they definately stress staying out of an Avi as Joe suggested above. 

I carry a little sponge with a chamois to clear goggles and a $5 snickers i bought from Beaver Creek.

BCA tracker beacon and probe
spare pin and binding strap
Alum shovel
Duct Tape


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## Porkchop (Sep 19, 2007)

headlamp for sure, metal shovel, probe. if your shopping for a beacon look at the range or how far away it will start to pick up another beacon. skin wax for the spring. ham sandwich in your pocket to help the dogs find you. a good snow saw will help with pits and stability tests. check out the caic website and be conservative. just like white water rescue is difficult even with best equipment and skill.


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## smurf (Mar 8, 2006)

Thanks everyone. Hopefully someday I'll see you out there.


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## Jahve (Oct 31, 2003)

Smurf once we get into the winter you have to come over to get sunday session of ridin in.. I am also going to be in gwood on and off over this winter so I will give you a call as I have some new terrian scouted out on the flat tops of all places.

Oh yea here is what I keep in my pack.. As you can see the "bulk" of it is wiskey, coors, ribs, and a .45... 











The other guys have hit most of the stuff I carry...

We are out sometimes 30+ miles so I take a few other things. In my pack I also take glow sticks, zip ties, spott, a small tool kit for the sleds, water, knife, extra balaclava, simple 2 way wal-mart radio, syphon tube, gps, extra battries, a tow kit for when we have skidoos around, rope, ice axe, heat packs 2 large for your belly and back, and 4 small for your fingers and toes.. Also a dry pair of wool socks, dry 1st layer, and a down sweater... If or when you spend your night out these things come real handy..


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## JCKeck1 (Oct 28, 2003)

I agree with lots above and just wanted to mention that my list was for short tours/side country. If I'm getting back into it, I'd definitely recommend more gear for the unexpected bivy. 

Also for beginners...don't forget a second set of goggles/sunglasses for hiking, because these will fog really fast once you stop moving and start going down. Extra AAA batteries are also a great call, but thankfully my headlamp runs with them, so I just call these my spares for my beacon if need be.

Bring a bit of ski repair stuff. Even a short tour can become epic if you're post holeing to your tits. And a safety kit...for the lighter.

Joe


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## Canada (Oct 24, 2006)

*Steel Shovel*

I've cut down a steel flat blade shovel. It probably weighs 10 pounds, but I've broken everything else I've used. I'll see if I can get a picture. I've never been a part of a rescue, but those times I've worked and practiced post slide, it sets up so hard, this gives me some comfort. Others will rip me for this, but ultimately I'm out there to get excercise.


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## elcaposwimteam (May 16, 2009)

Figured Id weigh in on this. Every person is going to have their own little backcountry "kit" ranging from a stainless steel bong to a .45. The necessities are still a beacon shovel and probe, but also a good head on your shoulders (99% of avalanches are human triggered). The Avalung is nice but is a tool to keep you alive while under the snow...they get ripped out of peoples mouths a lot, fill with snow or are just forgotten during the heat of the moment. A new direction for this whole avalanche safety is staying on top of the snow instead of being buried...hence the Airbag backpacks. Several companies make them but BCA has one for half the price of others. Jut what ive seen, heres what ive learned:
Steel Shovel-Everyone in your party should have one. Do you want to be relying on a plastic shovel to dig you out?

Probe no shorter than 260cm- Get a thicker, well built one. The thin ultralight probes self destruct. 

Beacon-Start looking at the 3 antennae (Piepes, Pulse, Ortovox S1 etc) models. The range and accuracy is far surperior over the old 2 antennae (BCA tracker) Word is the Tracker 2 will be released Dec 1st and will be BCA's three antennae. 

Just the bare basics. Skin/ski/binding repair, first aid kit, firestarterter, bivy, spaceblanket duct tape and a can of guiness are what i carry on almost every trip. Guiness is great because it can be enjoyed, then the can could be used for repairs. No amount of gear or money spent is going to keep you alive without knowledge and experience. Enroll in a minimum 1 full day avalanche class with field work!!! Showing beacon searches and doing them are two different things as well as most other aspects of backcountry safety. 
To safe snow and a deep year!


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## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

I have not been winter backcountry tripping for many years, but use to go after guiding hunters, after hunting season was over. Back then we used a 40 ft. to 50 ft. light weight polypropylene rope marked every 3 ft. with reflective/fluorescent/neon orange tape with a 4 inch lightweight, plastic whiffle ball attached to the end for a avalanche cord that floats on top of snow, in low light or dark conditions, you can use a flash light to illuminate the rope, plus in day light it also stands out. We also carried carbide chips to start fire, just add pee or water or place on snow to produce acetylene gas, add spark to make instant fire to ignite fire wood. For Shovel we used a G.I. folding trenching shovel, it is very strong. A 12 inch bow saw came in handy to cut tree limbs for shelter or cut fire wood from dead, dry branches. I know there is a lot of modern equipment out there but these items worked will back then. Also two or three friends to go with you is a must.


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## caseybailey (Mar 11, 2008)

Silverton Avy school. Hands down the best lab setting of any avy school in the state.


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## thunderfoot (Mar 15, 2009)

*thunderfoot*

Beacon wars have been out there for decades. As a guide for decades here is my suggestion.
Mandatory Pack Contents:
First aid kit
Repair kit suitable for your gear
extra goggles/glasses/base layers
food/ water
Beacon/shovel/probe
Bivy bag
BCA beacons are no more the gold standard than an F150 is to a truck.
Peips,Ortovox and Barryvox all make better units, get the best you can afford and learn to use it by rote
Silverton Telluride and San juan Mountain Guides offer excellent courses AAI certified. You will need the level I course
Any AAI ( aka AAA) certified course will give you a basic understanding of snow evaluation, route finding,(up and down) and rescue protocol.
Learn safe Backcountry travel so your beacon is never turned to receive. If it is self rescue is your best resource including extrication, first aid and egress.Have a plan.If not you will re visit the site for a body recovery.


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## smurf (Mar 8, 2006)

RDNEK said:


> Smurf once we get into the winter you have to come over to get sunday session of ridin in.. I am also going to be in gwood on and off over this winter so I will give you a call as I have some new terrian scouted out on the flat tops of all places.
> 
> Oh yea here is what I keep in my pack.. As you can see the "bulk" of it is wiskey, coors, ribs, and a .45...
> 
> ...


 
JV, I'd love to hook up with you guys. I've seen the pix here on the buzz of what you guys ride and its the stuff I dream of eventually doing. Def look me up when you come over my way. I'll PM you my #.


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## thunderfoot (Mar 15, 2009)

*thunderfoot*

smurf, 
any AAA (aka AAI) certified course will do you well. You will require a level I
Silverton, Telluride, or San juan Mountain Guides in Ouray, Co are the best As more avalanches occur here than anywhere else in the contiguous U.S. Registration is easy to find on line.
Beacon wars have been going on for decades. BCA is by no means the "gold standard" any more than a F-150 is for trucks. It's there and fine.
I like as a guide the Ortovox S-1 for its intuitive ease of use.
Barryvox and Peips also make superior beacons.Think range on receive.
Go metal for a shovel.
Pack contents should include:
First Aid
Repair kit for your gear
Goggles/glasses
Spare base layer and bivy sack
Compass, headlamp, batteries for beacon and lamp
28 beers/day/person
stove in case your ski pops freeze
G3 and Ortovox make excellent probes, calibrated for pits


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## Ringito (Aug 31, 2008)

The La Sal Avalanche Center in Moab has classes in January or February that tend to be a bit less expensive than other places just because we want to get people to take a course. They have great instructors and good avy terrain to learn about. 
Check here: Utah Avalanche Center | Keeping you on top
They will post when soon.
People have mentioned it above, but having enough tools and extra pieces of bindings and glue, screws, steel wool (to put into screw holes and start fires, too) and duct tape and wire are all critical to get you out of the backcountry when your stuff breaks --as it will.


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## Ringito (Aug 31, 2008)

Oops here is the link

Utah Avalanche Center | Keeping you on top


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## teletoes (Apr 16, 2005)

I’d add a small tarp for improvised shelter, blanket or evac litter. 

Also… put your shovel INSIDE your pack, not dangling on the outside where it’ll gash your head in a fall.


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