Overview
When the Sierra Nevada is packed with snow, the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) can pose more than the typical endurance challenges. This has been a record snowfall year and thru hikers on the PCT will face barriers to completing the trail that could compromise safety, including steep, firm snowfields and trail navigation issues that are usually more benign.
Our two-day course will prepare you to meet the challenges of the trail and manage greater risks that will give you confidence to manage hazards and complete the 2,650-mile trail in good style.
Topics Covered
- Microspikes vs. Crampons - will microspikes be sufficient this year?
- Trail runners vs. crampon compatible boots. What is the boot of choice given the conditions?
- Strategies and skills for managing steep, icy slopes.
- Self-arrest using tools you're carrying, covering both ice axe techniques and ski poles and when it is appropriate to use each.
- River crossings - water could be higher than ever this year!
- Navigation/Route Planning (some trails will be completely covered by snow)
- Route timing - to avoid avalanche danger and post-holing in soft snow.
- Altitude Illness - how to prevent and how to recognize (HACE/HAPE)
- Snow camp craft - camping in the snow with lightweight gear
- Emergency Communication in remote areas - devices to consider and strategies for communicating with your emergency contacts (and support team)
Equipment
We'll provide the gear list for our Intro to Mountaineering course, but we encourage you to bring different gear items to test them out and decide what will work best for you during your trip.
Dates
Available Dates
Prices
See overview tab for pricing.Equipment
PCT Prep Course Equipment List
Please use this gear list as a guideline. You don’t need to bring everything on the list. However, we encourage you to bring any items to the course that you’re planning to use during your hike. If you’re in between different gear, bring it all and we can discuss the pros and cons and practice with different gear.
Mountaineering Gear
- Trail Runners and/or
- Climbing boots - Suitable for the Weather and Mountain; LaSportiva Trango, LaSportiva G5 or LaSportiva Nepal Cube, Scarpa Phantom Tech or Scarpa Mont Blanc
- Gaiters - Low Profile, Lightweight Gaiters; OR Flex-Tex II
Technical Gear
- Crampons, Steel OR Aluminum - make sure they are compatible with your boots!
- Microspikes
- Lightweight Ice Axe - An ultralight Axe for Steep Terrain; Petzl Ride, BD Raven Ultra
- Trekking Poles - Lightweight, Adjustable Poles with Baskets; BD Alpine FLZ Poles
- Headlamp - LED headlamp with fresh batteries; Petzl Actik Core
Head and Neck Layers
- Sun Hat - A Baseball Hat; Blackbird Mountain Guides Logo Hat
- Sunglasses - Dark Lens Glasses with Side Coverage; Julbo Shield
- Warm Hat - Lightweight Warm Hat that Fits Under Your Helmet;
Upper Body and Hand Layers
- Long Sleeve Base Layer - Lightweight, Synthetic/Wool; Patagonia SunHoody
- 2 Insulating Top Layers - Light to Midweight Insulation Layers; Patagonia R1, Nano Air
- Puffy (optional) - Midweight Down or Synthetic with Hood; Patagonia Fitzroy or similar
- Hardshell Jacket, Hooded - Waterproof, Gore-Tex, NOT insulated; Arc’Teryx Alpha FL
- Light Gloves - Light - Mid Weight for Warm Temps; Flylow John Henry Gloves, BD Tour
- Midweight Gloves - Mid to Heavy Weight for Cold Conditions; BD Legend
Lower Body and Foot Layers
- Socks - Midweight Wool/Synthetic; Darn Tough Via Ferrata
- Long Underwear - Wool/Synthetic “Long Johns”; Patagonia Capilene Air
- Waterproof pants (depending on weather)
Camping & Backpacking Gear (Bring whatever you’ll use on the trail)
- Sleeping Bag - Down or Synthetic Rated to 0F-20F; Feathered Friends Egret UL 20
- Sleeping Pad - Insulated Inflatable Air Mattress; Therm-a-Rest NeoAir X-Therm, X-Lite
- Compression Stuff Sack - To Pack Sleeping Bag; Ultralight Compression Stuff Sack 10L
- Backpack - Lightweight, Simple 50 Liter Pack; Patagonia Alpinist 50, BD Speed 50 - MUST FIT ALL OF YOUR GEAR AND FOOD
Food and Water
- Dinner - Your Favorite Freeze Dried or “Just-Add-Hot-Water” Meal for Each Night in the Field.
- Breakfast - Your Favorite Freeze Dried or “Just-Add-Hot-Water” Meal for Each Morning in the Field
- Hot Drinks - For After Dinner and During Breakfast; Instant Coffee, Decaffeinated Tea, Hot Cocoa, Tang, Whatever You Prefer
- Half Liter Nalgene Bottle - A Hard Sided Water Bottled that Can Act as your Mug For Hot Drinks and WAter Bottle During the Climb; Nalgene 16oz Wide Mouth Bottle
- Soft Water Bottle 1.5L - Flexible Water Bladder; Hydrapak Flux 1.5L
- ***Please bring at least one hard sided water bottle.
- Water Treatment or Filtration - Katadyn BeFree Filter Connects to Hydrapak Flux Bottles
- Bowl - Reuse your Freeze Dried Dinner Bag as Your Bowl, or Bring Another
- Spoon - 9” Long Handled Spoon (For Eating Food in a Bag); GSI Essential Spoon Long
- Snacks - Snacks and Lunch food for each day of the trip
Other Essentials
- Sun Screen (SPF 30 minimum)
- Lip Balm (with SPF)
- Hand Sanitizer
Optional
- First Aid/blister Kit
- Chemical Hand Warmers
- Hydration System - Flexible Water Bladder with Hose; Hydrapak, Camelback, Platypus
Group Gear
Blackbird Mountain Guides will supply all of the group gear for the trip, including:
- Guide’s First Aid Kits
- Wag Bags (Solid Human Waste Disposal Bags)