Mustagh Ata Expedition
The following checklist should help you with your packing. As a general rule, you should always try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum. The packed weight of your personal trek bag should be no more than 15 kgs./33lbs. If necessary, your mountaineering equipment can be packed in a second bag.
You must bring the following items:
Hiking boots
Mountaineering boots*1 - see ‘Mountaineering Equipment’
Snow gaiters
Overboots (recommended) *2
Trainers / sneakers or similar for camp use
Socks
Trekking poles
Spare laces
Down boots
Trekking trousers / pants
Salopettes
Windproof and waterproof overtrousers / rain-pants
Underwear
Long johns (thermal underwear)
Fleece or down trousers
Shorts
Thermal baselayer shirts
Fleece jacket
Windproof, waterproof and breathable jacket with hood
Warm jacket (down)
Sunhat
Warm hat and thermal balaclava
Sunglasses
Glacier glasses with side screening
Thermal gloves or mittens (2 pairs)
Warm and waterproof over-gloves or mittens
Backpack minimum 60 litres
Headtorch/Headlamp with spare batteries
Basic First Aid Kit - refer to trip dossier for details
Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.)
Water bottles 1 Litre (1 quart) x2
Selection of dry bags (to keep trek bag contents dry)
Strong plastic bags (minimum 60 litre) x 3 (for storing equipment at different camps on the mountain.)
3 – 4 season sleeping bag (for base camp use)*3
5 season sleeping bag (for use above base camp)
Thermarest or similar sleeping mat (for base camp use)
Foam camping mat (for use above base camp)
Washbag and toiletries
Antibacterial handwash
Towel
The following items are optional:
Sleeping bag liner
Swimwear (for hot springs)
Travel clothes
Insect repellant – (DEET)
Penknife (remember to pack all sharp objects in hold baggage)
Lightweight (eg plastic) cup and spoon
Small padlock (to lock trek bag)
Camera, media, spare batteries
Pee bottle
Mountaineering Equipment
Plastic mountaineering double boots
Ice axe
Crampons (with ‘step-in’ bindings and anti-balling plates)
Snow shoes
Mountaineering or climbing harness
Karabiners (2 x screwgate)
Sling (120cm. / 3ft.)
Prussik loops X 2 (5m. / 16ft. of 6mm cord makes 2)
Mountaineering boots required for this trip
Climbing at altitudes of up to 7500 metres, the temperatures can be very cold (as low as minus 30 degrees centigrade). Standard leather mountaineering boots are really not suitable for these cold, high altitude conditions. Plastic boots with insulated inners (eg. Scarpa Vega HA) and also the new generation of synthetic double boots (eg. La Sportiva Spantik, Boreal G1 light, are the best to keep your feet warm at altitude in these extremely low temperatures. Also, you can sleep in the removable inner boots to ensure warm toes in the morning! These boots are also designed to take step-in crampons, quickly and efficiently. This combination of plastic or double synthetic boots and step-in crampons is by far the most sensible option when considering a trekking peak climb. You must make sure that you are suitably equipped for these extremely low temperatures.
We recommend the use of overboots, or boots that have a built in overboot (eg. La Sportiva Olympus Mons, Scarpa Phantom 8000). You must ensure that if you use overboots your crampons can be fitted securely.
You will need to bring two sleeping bags for this trip. One 3 – 4 season bag will be used in basecamp. For the climb you will require a five season sleeping bag (minimum rating to –30°C) which may be left in a higher camp while the group returns to base prior to a summit attempt. Similarly you should bring two camping mats, one of which will remain in base camp.
For this trip you will also need a pair of snowshoes and a jumar.
Needle Sports (specialist mountaineering equipment shop)
Needle Sports is the English Lake District's foremost specialist climbing shop supplying mountaineering, rock, ice, alpine and expedition equipment worldwide. Internationally recognised as among the very best of the UK's top technical climbing gear retailers. They have a good range of equipment appropriate for this trip and offer knowledgeable advice both on their website and in store.
View >>http://www.needlesports.com/
