FORMS & GEAR LISTS

IMCS WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH YOUR CLIMBING GEAR, INCLUDING CLIMBING SHOES, HARNESS, HELMET AND ANY OTHER TECHNICAL GEAR REQUIRED FOR YOUR PARTICULAR COURSE.

Proper Equipment is an essential part of climbing. Weather in New England can be as unpredictable as anywhere, being properly prepared will insure you of a pleasant day or week out in the mountains. Clients are encouraged to use their own gear, although there is no course discount and all gear must be approved by IMCS.

You need to bring proper clothing for the weather along with additional items, which should include:

• A small confortable Day Pack*
• Water, 1-2 litres, camel back type hydration systems are great, the warmer the temperatures, the more water you will need.
• Food and snacks. Easy to eat and light.
• Clothing, shorts and a T-shirt will usually work for most summer days, but as many of the cliffs are in the shade by early afternoon, a windshirt, windpants, light fleece, and even a light hat may be necessary as well. When in doubt, bring it along and we can sort things out in the morning.
• Rainshell, light and compact*
• Approach shoes, sneakers or lightweight hiking shoes, remember you may be carrying these in your pack while you are climbing. NO sandals or open toe shoes!
• Bug Repellant
• Sun Glasses and baseball cap
• Sun Screen
• Camera
  

All of the above items are available for purchase at the IME Retail Store for a 10% discount. If you have any questions about the list or about equipment you may have, please call us before you arrive.

*These item are also available for rent.

IMCS PROVIDES ALL TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT FOR ALL SEASONS INCLUDING ROCK CLIMBING SHOES, PLASTIC DOUBLE BOOTS, HARNESS, HELMET, CRAMPONS, AND ICE AXES.

You Provide (required equipment)

Clothing is as important a piece of equipment as your boots and ice axe. Hypothermia is the leading cause of death in the White Mountains. Being properly dressed is essential to enjoying your outdoor adventures.

Layering is an important part of winter. If your sweat isn’t wicked away from your body for quicker evaporation, your body core temperature rises, producing more sweat. Sweat is what causes chills, chafing, and excess use of energy. When your body is not wasting energy producing heat to warm you up or producing sweat to cool you down, you will have more energy to hike and climb. This means more energy and endurance to go further, faster, and more comfortably in all types of weather.

Remember, you have to carry all your clothing with you, so packing efficiently is important. If you can’t wear it all at once, don’t bring it.

If you have questions about how many or which items to bring, please call 1-603-356- 7064. We expect that you will be dressed and ready to go upon arrival to your lesson.

*Indicates rental item is available from the climbing school or retail store. Please call 603-356-7064 to discuss rental needs before your arrival date.

Base Layers
Light to mid-weight synthetics, tight fitting and close to skin, tops and bottoms.

Over-Base Layer
Light-weight fleece or heavy-weight Techwick®. Power-Stretch and micro-fleece are ideal materials for this layer.

*Insulation Layer
200 to 300 weight fleece, heavy weight soft shell or Prima-Loft sweater jacket.

*Wind and Rain Layer
Waterproof/breathable pants and jacket, jacket with full waterproof/breathable hood, full side zip pants are helpful.

*Over-It-All
A.K.A. “Puffy” (Hooded, Down or Prima-Loft Jacket)

Gloves
3 pairs: 1 pair ski/ice climbing gloves, 1 pair of Mittens, 1 pair fleece or liner gloves. Waterproof/breathable is ideal.

Fleece Hat
One that will fit under a helmet.

*Backpack
2500-4000 cubic inches (45 – 65 Liters)

Wool/Synthetic Socks
Smart Wool Trekking Sock or heavy weight hiking weight. Some people like wicking liners too.

*Gaiters
Should fit around entire calf and be able to fit over a plastic ice climbing boot including your pant layers.

Balaclava
Fleece or wool is preferable, leave the neoprene for the face mask.

Neoprene Face Mask

Ski Goggles

Headlamp
LED is preferable.

Lunch
Peanut butter and jelly, left-over pizza, etc.

Snacks
Trail mix and energy bars.

Water
Wide-mouth bottle, 2+ liters a minimum.

Sunwear
Sunglasses and Sun-block.

Optional Items

• camera (point and shoot rather than SLR)
• light-weight thermos (1 liter max, with a hot drink in it)
• water bottle insulator (old “clean” socks work well)
• hand/foot warmers
• trekking poles
• money for souvenirs! (IMCS t-shirts, travel mugs, ceramic mugs and water bottles available)

Helpful Hints
If you are doing a multi-day program remember all this gear needs to dry overnight. If it will not dry over night please bring extra for the following day(s).

If there is anything on this list that you need to pick up, we’ll give you a 10% discount here at the IME shop.

Clothing

Feet:

• Wool or synthetic socks- that come up to mid-calf or higher
• Toe warmers- optional if you run cold

Legs

• Thermal layer: Synthetic or wool long underwear, your guide will let you know the day of your program if a thermal layer is necessary given the weather, conditions, and objective
• Moving layer – Soft shell pants recommended but skiing specific uninsulated hard-shells with good ventilation are also an option.
• Shell – Waterproof with with full or ¾ length side-zips (not necessary to have a second pair if you are using shells as your primary moving layer)

Torso

• Base layer- long-sleeved wicking layer, lightweight wool or synthetic
• Lightweight insulation and wind protection – many options work here such as a fleece or lightweight softshell, our preference is for the latter
• Mid-weight insulation – down or synthetic insulated jacket (hood preferred)
• Waterproof shell – single layer, no added insulation
• Belay Jacket- Heavy duty down or synthetic parka, must be large enough to fit over all other pieces

Hands

• Lightweight liner gloves
• Midweight gloves
• Heavyweight mittens or gloves-a two-part system with a shell and liner for waterproofing works best
• Hand warmers- optional if you run cold

Equipment
*items provided by IMCS if needed. Your guide will inspect your personal gear before the outing to ensure that it is appropriate for the day’s objective.

Study Materials

• *SAS Backcountry Field Book – provided by IMCS
• Pen + Pencil Notebook – “Write In The Rain” or other weatherised notebook recommended
• Laptop

Movement Set-up

• Ski Touring Boots / Split Boarding Boots / Insulated Winter Hiking/Mountaineering Boots Skis / Splitboard / Snowshoes- equipped with bindings that can transition from walk to ski mode
• Skins (as applicable)- sized and cut properly to your skis/splitboard
• Poles- must be telescoping or have other means of adjusting length – optional for snowshoers but highly recommended
• Helmet- required if you will be skiing or snowboarding
• Backpack- 35 – 55L capacity with adjustable hip belt. Backcountry ski specific packs with a separate compartment for avalanche probe and shovel are recommended but simple tube style packs (fewer exterior pockets) with a removable brain, ice axe loops, and crampon pouch are also a viable option.

Avalanche Kit

• *Beacon- an avalanche specific rescue transceiver. Recco Receiver built into your clothing is not a suitable alternative.
• *Shovel- must be modular with the ability to separate the head and the shaft for easy stowage.
• *Probe- at least 240cm in length, 280cm is recommended

Vision Gear

• Sunglasses- with side shields
• Goggles
• LED headlamp and spare batteries (also used as back-ups for the beacon – lithium work best in the cold)

Food and Hydration

• 2 liters of water with insulation such as the Outdoor Research water bottle parka. NO camelbacks as the tubes will freeze even when in a neoprene liner.
• Small thermos for hot drinks – optional but recommended
• Food- bring items that are quick and easy to eat on the go and have high calorific value. We will not stop for a formal lunch but rather be eating on the go throughout the day. Avoid fresh fruit and other items that have the potential to freeze. Plan for 1000 – 1500 calories for the day.