Backcountry Skiing Gear Checklist

SKI GEAR

• ☐  Skis (lightweight skis & alpine touring bindings / telemark skis / splitboard)
• ☐  Poles
• ☐  Skins
• ☐  Ski Boots (alpine touring ski boots)
• ☐  Helmet
• ☐  Goggles (sunglasses)
• ☐  Backpack (35+ liters - Mammut Trion Pro)

SKI CLOTHING

• ☐  Jacket (soft or hard shell)
• ☐  Down puffy jacket (light weight)
• ☐  Pants (ski touring pants)
• ☐  Gloves (at least 2 to 3 pairs, more is always better)
• ☐  Liner gloves
• ☐  Mittens (or just Mitten shells) (or both) depending on weather
• ☐  Hat (warm)
• ☐  Helmet hat liner / skull cap (merino wool)
• ☐  Buff (merino wool, or regular)
• ☐  Facemask (Seirus Neofleece combo)
• ☐  Socks - ski socks (merino wool)
• ☐  Extra pair of light weight ski socks (wrap them in a ziploc bag)
• ☐  Baselayer top (Rab Meco or merino wool)
• ☐  Midlayer (Patagonia R1 fleece hoody, BD Access LT Hybrid Hoody, etc.)
• ☐  Underwear (merino wool)
• ☐  Long underwear bottoms (merino wool) (optional)
• ☐  Super Warm down jacket (bivvy jacket for frigid temps) (Mountain Equipment K7) (optional)
• ☐  Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Sack (large/x-large) for putting wet gloves or layers into (optional)

AVALANCHE / SNOW SAFETY

• ☐  Avalanche Transceiver / Beacon w/ working (Duracell) Batteries
• ☐  Shovel
• ☐  Probe
• ☐  Avalung
• ☐  Air bag backpack
• ☐  Crampons (depending on terrain)
• ☐  Ice Axe (depending on terrain)
• ☐  Ski Mountaineering GEAR (harness, rope, caribiners, etc.) (terrain dependent)

NAVAGATION / BATTERIES

• ☐  Cell phone (preferably a Smartphone w/ a GPS app installed)
• ☐  Emergency Locator / Satellite Communicator (Garmin inReach, Spot Device)
• ☐  Battery backup to charge smartphone and/or rechargeable Headlamp
• ☐  GPS device (secondary device in case smartphone stops working)
• ☐  Extra batteries (Duracell) (for GPS device and/ or Headlamp)
• ☐  Map (topo map of area)
• ☐  Compass (a real one and also know how to use Compass app on your mobile phone)
• ☐  Print out on paper: Trail information / route plan / GPS coords (of parking area / summit / ski zone / etc.)  ALWAYS TELL SOMEONE WHERE YOU ARE GOING, PARKING and WHEN YOU PLAN TO BE BACK HOME.
• ☐  Pencil / paper
• ☐  Emergency phone numbers (rangers, park service, resort, local area, etc.)

SURVIVAL TOOLS

• ☐  Headlamp
• ☐  Lighter (mini BIC) and/ or waterproof matches / flint + steel firestarter
• ☐  Knife
• ☐  First-aid kit
• ☐  SOL Emergency bivvy
• ☐  Whistle
• ☐  Mini Stove / Pot / Fuel (MSR Pocketrocket 2 Mini Stove Kit)
• ☐  SAM Medical Splint / Roll (optional)

GEAR / REPAIR KIT

• ☐  Viole Ski Straps (2-4 rubber ski straps)
• ☐  Paracord
• ☐  Multi-tool

FOOD / WATER

• ☐  FOOD / SNACKS (Trail mix, Honey Stingers, Peanut M&M's, Snickers, Gels, etc.)
• ☐  Bag for food (waterproof)
• ☐  Water (hot), Gatorade
• ☐  32oz. Nalgene bottle w/ Insulated Carrier (and/ or Collapsible bottle or Camelbak)
• ☐  16oz. Thermos Insulated Stainless (for hot chocolate, coffee, or soup)
• ☐  Spork
• ☐  Napkin / paper towel
• ☐  Plastic bag for garbage (small grocery bag) 

WHEN NATURE CALLS - SUPPLIES

• ☐  Tissues / toilet paper
• ☐  Hand sanitizer (optional)

EXTRA WARMTH

• ☐  Hand warmers / Foot warmers  (at least 2)
• ☐  Boot Glove (optional)

VIDEO / PHOTO

• ☐  Video camera w/ Chest strap or Helmet attachment (GoPro, Sony Action cam, etc.) 
• ☐  Charge camera battery (don't forget Micro SD card or extra battery!)
• ☐  Point and shoot camera (optional)

RETURNING / LEAVE AT CAR

• ☐  Change of Clothes / Socks
• ☐  Food / Snacks / Munchies
• ☐  Gatorade / Water
• ☐  Favorite Après ski Beer(s)
• ☐  Extra set of Car Keys (give extra set to ski partner, or hide a key, or leave in car just in case you need to break a window)

IMPORTANT NOTES

ALWAYS let someone know where you will be going, where you will park and when you expect to return. YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND ON SOMEONE ELSE KNOWING WHERE YOU WILL BE. 

DO NOT RELY ON TECHNOLOGY: Do not depend solely on electronic technology (like an iPhone) in the backcountry, especially in cold weather.  Batteries can shut down quickly in cold temperatures. Cell phone coverage is often spotty or non-existent and GPS signals can be poor if tree cover is heavy. 

ALWAYS carry a compass and a map of the area you are entering – and know how to use them.

1. K2 Shuksan Skis (174cm) with Dynafit Radical bindings
2. K2 Mohair skins
3. Voile Ski Straps 9 Through 25 inches
4. Backcountry Access Tracker 2 Avalanche Beacon
5. Leki Aergon 2 Condor Backcountry Ski Poles
6. Grivel Air Tech Evo Ice Axe w/ Easy Slider (58cm) with Protogear insulated handle
7. Black Diamond Super Tour Probe 265
8. Dynafit ski crampons (90mm)
9. K2 Rescue Shovel Plus
10. Salomon Custom Air Helmet
11. Oakley E Frame Snow Goggles with clear lense
12. Original Buff from Backcountry.com
13. Seirus Neofleece Combo Scarf face mask
14. EMS beanie hat
15. Lightweight hat (extra / just in case)
16. Patagonia thin liner hat (for helmet or hat)
17. Outdoor Research Alti Mitts
18. Outdoor Reasearch Mt Baker Shell Mitts
19. Hestra Guide gloves
20. Kinco Lined Grain Pigskin Gloves
21. Black Diamond Mont Blanc Liner Glove
22. SmartWool Ski Socks
23. Darn Tough Padded Ultralight Ski Socks (extra pair / just in case)
24. Flylow Quantum Jacket (hardshell)
25. Mountain Hardwear Hooded Desna Jacket
26. Marmot DriClime Windshirt Jacket
27. Rab Meco 165 Long Sleeve Zip Tee
28. Mont Bell UL Hooded Down Jacket (recommend: Mountain Hardwear Hooded Ghost Whisperer)
29. Outdoor Research Trailbreaker Ski Pants
30. Dynafit Mercury AT Ski Boots with Intuition Pro Tour Liners
31. Grivel G12 Crampons - Cramp-O-Matic
32. Nalgene Wide Mouth Bottle (32oz) with Nalgene Bottle Carrier
33. Nissan Stainless Steel insulated thermos (16oz)
34. Map and Compass
35. Garmin GPSMAP 62s
36. Outdoor Research Dry Bag (for food) with Sea to Summit Spork
37. Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Sack (small for repair kit, batteries, headlamp, etc.)
38. MSR PocketRocket stove with MSR fuel canister (4oz or 8oz)
39. TOAKS Titanium 600ml Pot
40. Waterproof Matches
41. Kleenex Tissues pocket pack
42. First Aid Kit
43. Emergency Blanket