Expedition gear list

[ninjapuppet]

Nepal Expedition gear list 2013
So I originally had plans to do some peak bagging in Kyrgyzstan. Found out from some humble Siberian guides its -30C at our base camp ….. idea scrapped! Then an Italian by the name of Daniele Nardi and his Pakistani guide Ali Saltoro invites me to join them for the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat in December. For a mountain an overall 77% death rate theres no chance I was keen even going anywhere near this thing in the middle of winter! So we settled on something a lot more docile but still challenging for my level: a first winter ascent of Kyajo Ri in Nepal, and here is my expedition gear list for anyone interested. I have practically done a complete overhaul of my gear and gotten nearly everything from scratch this year.


Base Gear
North Face Duffel
Cilogear 60L/75L (for porters) + liner
Cilogear 30L day pack
North Face inferno -20F sleeping bag + reactor liner
North Face VE25 tent + Hilleberg Jannu + MHW Diretk 2 tent
Pillow
Neoair xtherm + zlite pad

Electronics
Petzl Nao headlamp
Garmin GPS
Contour headcam
Sony Nex-7
Kindle
iRiver mp3
iSatphone Pro satellite phone
i.sound power max battery
eeepad Transformer (laptop)
short wave radio (for BBC & CNN updates)
Goal Zero sherpa 50 solar kit
i.sound power max battery pack
Misc: Stickpic, scales, cables, spare batteries

HyGiene + First aid supplies

Cooking [we actually have 20 support staff for this expedition. All cooking is provided]
Utensils + Tupperware 1.5L box for a bowl.
2x nalgenes + Outdoor research bottle insulators
Nalgene canteen pee bottle.
1L thermos
Mainstay emergency rations [these are awesome!@!]
Several boxes of Gu chomps, gu bar, cilff bars.
Protein powder + supplements
Multivitamins [I’m not keen on being vegetarian]

MOUNTAINEERING
2 x BD cobra ice tools
70cm BD raven
Colour harness
Sabretooth Pro crampons
Leki corklite
Helmet
Silva compass/weather metre
Buck flashpoint knife
Jumars
Figure 8 belay
Julbo explorer sunnies
Julbo zebra goggles
Icescrews + grivel candela
Couple of slings + cordalettes
Misc: protectors, holsters, caritools, etc

CLOTHING SYSTEM
2 x powerstretch gloves
BD guide gloves
OR alti mitts
Ice breaker buff
OR (outdoor research) gorilla balaclava
OR sunrunner hat
Arcteryx bird head beanie
Serius face mask [awesome!]
Mountain hardwear Absolute zero Down suit
2 x sets of ivanhoe merino thermals
A couple of Icebreaker shirts
R1 hoody
Nano puff hoody
R4 fleece
Rab neutrino endurance down jacket
Ex officio boxers (so I don’t need to wash undies often)
Arcteryx waterproof pants
Neoshell waterproof jacket
Arcteryx gamma AR, and Gamma SV pants
WM down booties
Gaitors
La Sportiva SPantik boots + ?scarpa M3 boots for trek in


Major item of gear I’m looking forward to is getting a good play with is the direct 2 tent, and the sony Nex-7 and leaving behind the bulky 40D and 5D SLRs.

I get real lazy with trip reports, but very keen when talking about gear. Seems strange really, since gear is only gear. It’s only supposed to make life easier to enjoy the trip, but I see the trip as more of a chance to enjoy gear. If this stuff can withstand a serious Himalayan Mountain in the middle of winter, it should cope with most places i'll be heading to in future. I will surely be writing back about any gear failures that happen in the field.
It might seem like the himalayas have nothing to do with Australia, but alot of the gear which works really well in another region can easily be adapted for use in local Australian conditions, eg snowy mountains.

Just a note for people planning similar expeditions:
Generally I'm an ultralight walker, even sleeping out in kosciuzko and Bogong with a baseweight of 6kg. However for 3 of us, there are 15 porters carrying our gear on this himalayan trip so there is no need to go light.
Most of the major airlines do not have suitable baggage allowances for an expedition except Emirates (30kg) and Qantas (if you pay extra). Thai Airways to Nepal for example slug you with nearly $30/kg for anything over 20kg. Budget airlines like scoot are much more flexible allowing you to purchase extra luggage allowances to 40kg which I found very handy.

[wayno]

*&%$#! hell.. can't fault that gear. green with envy..

[Kinsayder]

Great stuff, NP! When are you heading off for Kyajo Ri? Like Wayno, I'm quite envious. I'm planning to do Mt Rainier in about 18 months but climbing in Nepal (Mera Peak would about do me...with a couple of lead up climbs like Cotopaxi and Mont Blanc) is a longer goal.

[weeman]

Very Jealous. What sort of temps are you expecting up on the high camps?

I'm planning to do a 7000m peak sometime next year, so your gear list will come in handy. Keen to hear how it all works out for you and good luck with the expedition!

[Moondog55]

Is the Inferno bag big enough to get into wearing the down suit?? Looks a little skinny or is the "Expedition fit" a wider cut for this assumption?

[north-north-west]

I'm planning to do Mt Rainier in about 18 months...

And I thought I was slow . . .

[Kinsayder]

And I thought I was slow . . .

I'm not sure if I follow.

[nq111]

Wow - what a polished gear list!

Would you hazard as a guess as to how many hours went into researching and collating all those items. Might make us other gear junkies feel not so crazy .

One thing - what are your thoughts on vapour barriers? Is it something you have considered (e.g. http://www.andy-kirkpatrick.com/article ... herm_socks)

[north-north-west]

I wish I was your size. All the tried and rejected gear you need to get rid of . . .

[ninjapuppet]

Kinsayder, my mate guides on Rainier and uploads a new pic each week. I think ive seen pics of that mountain from all angles over the past 3 years without even being there. Haha. He said its similar in technical difficulty to Aspiring except longer, so maybe you should give Aspiring a shot for good training.
As for Meru, I found a local company in Chukung that guides it for $500 for 3 people, rather than the $2000 most companies charge. Just make your own way up to Chukung and save yourself a whole heap.

Temps I expect at High camp should be within the capabitlities of my gear: maybe -10 to -30C. Much different than Kyrgyzstan where its already -30C at basecamp! That region in Kyrgyzstan often records the worlds lowest temps. Nepal generally doesn’t get extremely cold, but its more the winter snow dump that can hamper the trip success this January.

I can fit inside the inferno with the down suit but it’s a snug fit and the downsuit wont fluff up fully.

Kyajo Ri in spring:

[ninjapuppet]

And thanks Nq111 for reminding me about the VB. I already have integral designs VBL socks and will add that to the list (might have forgotten if you didn’t mention it). Will also grab myself a WM hotsac in the mean time. Funny that its not often mentioned on most expedition gear lists, but I think it’s a good idea. Need to also add a communication radio to that list too.

Just wondering if I could leave the R4 fleece behind due to the nano puff, and also leave the BD raven ice axe behind due to having fixed ropes and 2 technical tools.

Just another note on the mainstay ration packs: For anyone doing multiday walks, I would highly recommend this for emergency. It is essentially lemon flavoured lard to keep you going for 24 hours in an emergency. Packs super small and doesn’t require any cooking. Cheaper if bought in the US.

http://www.survivalstorehouse.com/vmchk/Survival-Packs/2400-Mainstay-6-pack/flypage-ask.tpl.html

[nq111]

I think the Vapour Barrier idea is still far from mainstream - but it seems many experienced 'thinking' climbers and walkers are getting into it.

I don't know the terrain but those BD raven don't look that great for standard glacier travel or the like? Just technical climbing tools.

You can import that stuff? I would have thought as food item quarantine would pick it up. Beats a bottle of olive oil. I would like to try that 'Plumpy Nut' that the aid groups use as a boost / emergency food.

[nq111]

Rainier is strait forward - at least by the peasant's route in good weather. Even I got up it with my only other glacier experience being a couple of routes on Shasta.

[Kinsayder]

Interesting thoughts. Whilst I wouldn't suggest that I'm comfortable with my level of ability/fitness I'm going to give a fairly decent shot. I think I should be fine too, I've got a program and diet and as long as I stick to it I should be okay. As for Mera, I think I'm okay with spending a couple of extra dollars. We encountered the locally based expedition companies whilst we were in Nepal a few years ago and, whilst I'm sure 90% of them are fine, I simply don't want to get stuck with the one that doesn't take a first aid kit (or something else equally important) along.

Oh and NP, is that your second Direkt 2?

[stu]

Nice one NP...I can now see why you have to hide things from the Mrs!
That's a looooot of very nice gear, I now feel better about my meagre gear kit.

What other expeditions have you done to be considered for a winter ascent of Nanga Parbat???

Jealous...sounds incredible mate.

[iGBH]

I hope the porters appreciate the cilogear packs.

[ninjapuppet]

What other expeditions have you done to be considered for a winter ascent of Nanga Parbat???

Ive done a bit of alpine climbing where everything is carried yourself, but I havnt been on any expeditions before where you have 5 support people per climber. Just that I've known the trip organiser for a few years. I have also heard of Daniele Nardi's name float around here and there, but after finding out how he just left his fellow team mate behind to die on K2 and went to sleep without telling anyone else, I am highly suspicious of his attitude.

for those with an hour to spare, and interested in what happened on the K2 disaster in 2008, this is a highly recommended video to watch:
Don Bowie is a world class climber. The italian team got back down to camp 2 and jumped into Don Bowie's sleeping bag, and left him outside to crouch in the vestibule with a broken leg.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zkC9IMQmYA

[Kinsayder]

Really interesting viewing, NP. Thanks for posting that. I kept thinking that perhaps the Google crowd might not be fully appreciative of what Chris Warner was recounting but with their questions at the end they showed that they did have something of an understanding of where he was coming from, which was nice. I wouldn't describe his words concerning the Italian team as glowing, as such. Brutal stuff.

[roysta]

I've just watched that Google/Chris Warner video all the way through.
That is just mindblowing.
It says so much about a lot of things, but for anyone in a forum like that it's perfect.
Thanks for the link Ninjapuppet.

[andrewa]

Um NP, why are you taking 3 tents?

And, have you actually tried the Mainstay pack? It reminded me of some guys I read about doing a prolonged trip who made their own "ultimate food item" which, when reconstituted with water, apparently looked like green snot - and they were going to eat it every day for ages!

A

[north-north-west]

Um NP, why are you taking 3 tents?

The Direkt is an assault tent. One for base camp, one for a halfway house.

Anyway, it's not like he'll be carrying them, so why not?

[ninjapuppet]

The Direkt is an assault tent. One for base camp, one for a halfway house.

Anyway, it's not like he'll be carrying them, so why not?

Spot on!
The bomber base camp tent, another tent for Camp 1, and then a third tent for camp 2 before the summit push, pending weather.
There will be alot of ups and downs between camps for acclimatization so multiple tents just save yourself the hassle of packing up and setting up tents between camps.

Also need to hire another sleeping bag + mat for base camp to save myself having to get it carried up and down the mountain a few times. Just couldnt fit it into my existing bags and they're only $1/day to hire anyway.