What kit should I pack for hillwalking, hiking and basic mountaineering in winter?
- Rucksack (H)
- Boot crampons (H)
- Food and drink
- Ice axe (H)
- Walking pole(s)
- Snowshoes (depending on aims/conditions) (H)
- Drybag/strong plastic bag
- Spare warm layer
- Spare gloves
- Helmet (H)
- Spare warm hat
- Compass
- Spare goggles/sunglasses
- Any personal medication
- Whistle
- Map
- Watch (ideally with an altimeter)
- Sunscreen
- Lipsalve
- Headtorch
- Mobile phone
- Survival bag
- Spare compass and map (L)
- Small spares/repair kit (L)
- Small first aid kit (L)
- Satellite messenger/PLB (L)
- Group shelter (L)
- GPS (L)
- Avalanche probe (H, L)
- Snow shovel (H, L)
- Confidence rope (L)
- Sling and HMS karabiner (L)
H = Hire locally? (Check availability)
L = Group leader
NOT ALL ITEMS ALWAYS NEEDED!
Winter hiking gear
This list is for winter hill walking, trekking and basic mountaineering, NOT winter/ice climbing. A decent backpack is an important part of your winter mountaineering gear – about 30-40 Litres is a good size. Make sure you pack at least one warm layer you can put on top of everything else, eg: a ‘belay’ or down jacket. Perhaps also a spare fleece and certainly spare mountaineering gloves and a hat. These should all be placed inside a waterproof drybag or strong plastic bag, along with your food and drink. A first aid kit should have items for treating blisters, deep cuts and broken limbs. What crampons and ice axe you pack depends on your aims and other equipment, but brands such as Grivel, DMM and Petzl are all good. A mountaineering helmet is important, together with your map and compass. A headtorch is a good idea, together with sunglasses and/or ski goggles. Avalanches in Scotland are a thing, but you may or may not decide to carry an transceiver. However, a probe can be handy if you plan on doing much digging in the snow. Finally, consider a wide-mouthed drink bottle or flask to avoid drink freezing and maintain proper hydration.
Are you a guest on an Arc Guiding trip?
Check with the guide when deciding what to wear/pack. Choose items from the list depending on the weather, route and type of group.
Ice axes, crampons and famous scenery
Also see:
FAQ
Using an ice axe to stop a slide (‘self arrest’) IS an important skill to practise. But learning other ice axe skills should mean self arrest is rarely needed.
On snow-covered mountains, there is a much greater risk of a fall, as well as falling ice or rock. Therefore, a helmet is a sensible precation.
Without experience, it can be hard to tell. Boots must be specifically designed to take a crampon safely. Therefore, get expert advice when fitting crampons to them.