GHT Logistics.pdf

Gear.pdf

Campsites.xls

Tashi Labsta.pdf

Technical Passes.pdf

Starting on April 1st, 2011 Trauma and I set out to hike from the Easternmost 8000m peak in the world, Kanchenjunga, to the westernmost 8000m peak in the world, Nanga Parbat. This is a list of the gear we used during that journey. Our intent was to go as fast and light as possible and push the envelope of what was previously thought possible in ultra-light hiking in harsh environments like the Himalaya Range. We have since received a lot of messages about people asking what exactly we used in our self-supported style of trip. It should be noted that the gear we used has many limitations and parties trying to head into the Himalaya utilizing similar kits should make sure their experience and knowledge match the equipment being used. I think the gear we used is not for everybody and your tastes and level of comfort may differ than ours. This is meant more of a historical document than a ‘how-to’ article.

Apparel

Not much changed in this category than what we’ve used in previous trips together. We both have a good track record with using Icebreaker base layers and Montbell apparel, so durability was not a concern in those areas. Some finer things we considered were using shorts and pants with zippered pockets to mitigate any pickpocket potential while in KTM and other larger cities. Also, as much as possible we tried to find apparel that was muted and would not stand out in crowds as much as possible.

We both used slightly heavier rain gear than we normally would, given that we knew we would see consistent snowy conditions to start and then heavy monsoonal rains at some point. We both went with Montbell Outpace Parkas and Thunderhead pants. That said, our rain gear was still under a pound for the set and held up great to the rough conditions and pouring rains.

For handwear we went with a glove/overmitt combination. We varied the thickness of the inner glove throughout the trip to match the conditions we would see, but the overmitt was consistent piece that we carried. We used Leki Windstopper gloves and Icebreaker Quantum Gloves. The Leki’s had a great mix of dexterity and durability with their use of a synthetic leather palm. We knew we would be using ice tools with these gloves, so we scrutinized the palm design of gloves before settling on the Leki’s. The Icebreaker glove is just a simple liner glove for cold early mornings and around camp at night.

By far the most useful piece of handwear came from a 1oz pair of Mountain Laurel Designs event overmitts. Before leaving, we coated the seams and palms with SilNet by McNett to add durability and waterproof-ness. This worked marginally well as the SilNet had a tendency to peel over time, but consequently we had no issues with the mitts blowing out from abrasion. They did an excellent job of keeping hands warm and dry, while keeping pack weight to a minimum.

I think one of the most important pieces of gear to carry on any trip is the simple wind-jacket. We went with the new Tachyon parka from Montbell and it’s the most versatile 2.4oz you can carry. It’s amazing how much additional warmth is head in when you eliminate wind from the equation. They breathe well enough to not sweat out and are perfect for minimizing your bug stress since most biting insects can’t bite through them.

Insulating Layers

Again, one of the main concerns with this trip was how could we have the most versatile gear that is still light-weight and durable enough to withstand the entire trip? One strategy we came up with was the use of a double puffy system. We both used a thin synthetic inner puffy that could be worn during the day and not be affected by moisture and then a heavier down puffy for around camp for added warmth and sleeping. Trauma is notoriously a warmer sleeper than I am, so he went with a lighter set up using a Montbell Thermawrap and UL Dawn Parka combination. I, being slightly chilled more easily, went with the same Montbell Thermawrap, but with a loftier Camp ED 105 Micro Parka. For bottom layers we both just relied on a pair of Icebreaker wool tights and our rain gear for additional warmth.

One of the greatest benefits of going fast and light and using the entire day to travel, is once you get to camp you can do everything in the warmth of your sleeping bag, anything from cooking, to journaling, to planning the next day’s route. With this strategy we felt comfortable in carrying very minimal insulating layers. Our total weight of additional clothing and layers was just over 3.0lbs at our heaviest and 1.75lbs at our lightest.

Footwear

Trauma and I are both accustomed to wearing lightweight trail runners for the duration of our journeys. We find them to be simple, fast and nimble. Normally we can get 700-1000 miles out of a pair on good trail conditions and around 500-600mi on extended cross-country trips. Some of our main concerns on a trip of this nature were a) how would we get replacement shoes to ourselves, and what would we do in the event of a blowout? And secondly b) how would we negotiate the constant change in conditions given varied elevations in terms of having the proper footwear for the intended use? It was not uncommon for us to be sweltering in the jungle valleys by morning and then crossing a windswept, icy pass by the afternoon.

We found a compromise in using mid-weight Gore-Tex trail runners and boots with slightly beefier materials with minimal mesh and seams. For the beginning of the trip, in the coldest, snowiest conditions, I went with a pair of Oboz Firebrands and Trauma used a pair of Patagonia P26 Mid A/Cs. To compensate for the snow and add some warmth, we both wore Montbell Stretch Spats mini gaiters. This alone with our rain gear, did an exceptional job at keeping our feet both warm and dry. Our main strategy was to keep moving for the entire day to make sure our feet didn’t get chilled. We would stop only briefly for snacks and sunscreen. In our ability to move fast and light, we were able to avoid having to stop early and set up high camps to acclimatize. Sometimes this meant navigating high passes in white out conditions, but this was a risk we were willing to take.

After the Everest region and through the majority of the snowy conditions, we both switched out to our preferred lighter runners, given that we were ready to lay down some higher miles per day. I went with a pair of Oboz Sawtooths and Trauma a pair of Patagonia Release. Both of these models had a balance of durability, weight and ventilation. I think we both put around 800 miles this pair and both were about shot by the end of Nepal.

In any pair of shoes, we both relied on Superfeet insoles for proper support and comfort.

Packing

Granite Gear had specially designed a pack for us to use for this trip based on our specs and the conditions we would be seeing. Weight, durability and comfort in hauling heavier loads were are main objectives when working with Granite Gear. We also wanted ease in carrying technical tools and our alpine kit. What they came up with is probably one of the most state of the art backpacks on the market today. Made of pure spectra dyneema and with a few accents of cuben fiber, the pack material has the perfect blend of durability and weight ratio. We knew we could not afford to have any sort of pack failure on a trip of this nature, so trying to cut corners and use traditional weight saving fabrics like silnylon, lighter weight cuben fiber, or even Codura nylon blends would not have been acceptable. The frame sheet Granite Gear put together is nothing short of remarkable. Made purely of carbon fiber and based off their award winning Nimbus Topflex line of suspensions, this framesheet alone cut around a pound off of the suspension. Total weight for the pack was around 33oz with a volume of around 50-60L. Not bad for a pack you could literally drag through hell and back.

Exterior implements were kept simple and functional. A unique mountain tool/crampon strap system was versatile and based off the military’s tactile way of  modular attachment. Two stretchy side pockets as traditionally seen on Granite Gear packs and a simple lid were also utilized. This pack probably has the smallest hardware in terms of buckles and fasteners I’ve ever seen. No detail was left out in terms of where to shave a few grams here and a few grams there.

I believe Granite Grear is planning on distributing these pack (tentatively called the Snow Leopard) in a limited special order run coming soon.

We also used an assortment of Granite Gear’s Uberlite Cuben stuff sacks. They are about the lightest thing out there and being a bonded dry bag design, have the added benefit of keeping your gear 100% dry, which is always a sigh of relief when you pull a fully lofted sleeping bag out after a miserable soaking day.

Sleep System

In continuing our weights saving theme, quilts from Katabatic Gear were carried throughout the trip. The Sawtooth model we used is a 15-degree bag that weight only 24oz. I feel this bag has a very conservative rating, as I was still toasty warm even down into the single digits utilizing a single puffy. Not being accustomed to quilt use, Trauma started the trip with a Montbell Super Spiral Down Hugger #1 to mitigate any unnecessary last minute gear uncertainties. He later switched to the Katabatic quilt for the warmer India section later in the trip.

The advantage of using a quilt over a traditional sleeping bag is the obvious weight savings of no material under you and the elimination of the hood. By utilizing your existing insulating layers and hoods on parkas, you can easily customize the warmth needed based on the conditions you will see by opening up the quilt more or adding additional layers underneath. By using a conventional sleeping bag, you are limited by how much additional clothing can be worn inside before you start to compress the down from the inside out. This function was key when trying to utilize a single bag in nighttime temps between 0 degrees and 80+ degrees as we had seen throughout the trip.

In addition to the quilts, Katabatic also supplied us with custom bivys using Cuben Fiber for the floor and Pertex Quantum for the top fabric. The bivys added some slight warm, helped eliminate drafts and added an extra level of moisture management when we were sleeping in our cramped shelters at night. When we were at lower, balmier elevations, the bivy alone was perfect for sleeping comfortably in. One added bonus was while sleeping in some of the teahouses or village huts was how the bivy helps keep fleas and other biting insects at bay. Gods send on those hot restless nights!

For sleeping pads and groundsheets we went with simple plastic UL Ground Sheets from Mountain Laurel Designs when using our tarp, and Thermarest Prolite 3 XS pads. Both held up without incident for the duration of the trip.

Shelter

This may be where we went the most extreme, or unconventional, with our gear selection. Normally when you think of Himalayan expeditions you think of 8+lb 4-season behemoth tents, not ultra-light sub 2lb tents and 13oz Cuben Fiber Mids! We knew from our past experiences with ultra-light distance hiking that more emphasis should be put on campsite selection and strategy than purely on the shelter alone. In going with a fast and light style of travel we knew we could get up and over passes in a single day, thus eliminating the need to speed days acclimatizing at higher, more exposed elevations. Also we were diligent in finding sheltered locations and utilized our landscape whenever possible to our advantage.

The shelters we carried were a prototype Big Angus Fly Creek UL 2 which weighed around 1lb 10oz. In needing the added coverage and protection of a double wall tent, we carried this through the high and snowy eastern Kanchenjunga area. We saw our coldest temps (0F) and camped on the most snow using this shelter. The shelter was the perfect blend of weight and space. It was just large enough for both of use to sit up inside and have all of our gear tucked under the vestibule.

For the majority of the trip we used a Mountain Laurel Designs Duomid made from Cuben Fiber. Weighing in at only 13 oz, this was by far the perfect shelter to carry for the bulk of the trip. We could utilize a lot of teahouses through the majority of the popular trekking areas and the Mid provided plenty of storm worthy protection to sit out the worst of the monsoonal rains. We had a few memorable nights in the Langtang area where I didn’t know it was possible to rain any harder! Fast to set up and tons of interior space, the added ventilation in a tarp configuration blended well for the second half of the trip. Additionally we could use our trekking poles for supports instead of needing to carry dedicated tarp poles.

For India Trauma switched out to the Easton Kilo Tent. Similar in design and weight of the Fly Creek, but with potentially a bit more rain protection, Trauma went with this shelter for the anticipated heavier monsoonal rains at that point in the trekking season (mid June). Being a two person shelter, still at only 2lbs, the extra interior space was nice to spread out in during those in climate nights without the need to carry a heavier designed shelter.

For tent stakes we had a mix of Easton Nail stakes and Ti skewers from Mountain Laurel Designs.  This gave us a good balance of weight and strength. While camping on snow, we utilized rocks and our ice axes, pickets and trekking poles for deadmen.

Cooking

For cooking we used a modified Primus Gravity MF II. We modified it by removing the heavy stock legs and fashioning a homemade pair out of a coat hanger. I think this brought the weight of the stove down to around 7oz. We used our spare tent stakes for pot supports, or rocks when the ground was hardened or on snow. Some aluminum flashing made for our windscreen. We intentionally took this stove because of it’s multi-fuel capabilities. We burned mostly canisters, but also a bit of gasoline in the beginning of the trip. We intentionally took the smallest fuel bottle we could find (0.5L) to save weight and carried additional fuel in 2L Evernew bladders. The idea being that if and when we needed to carry large volumes of fuel, it would be ultimately lighter and save pack space to use the bladders. This worked marginally well. I don’t think water bladders are intended for more viscous liquids like gasoline, as it was common to ‘smell’ the fuel while hiking, even though we couldn’t detect any leaks. It was a bit risky, too, carrying all of our spare fuel in bladders, given their tendency to puncture over time and the limited fuel supplies throughout Nepal.

Knowing what fuel we would find and how often was one of our biggest concerns before beginning the trip. We were told to expect to only be able to find dirty kerosene outside of KTM and places to refill would be few and far between. We started off in Taplejung carrying 5L of gasoline we managed to find in Baratnager. We were planning on using this fuel supply for 3 weeks or until we got into the Everest region. Apparently, as we were told, it ‘might’ be possible to skim some fuel from expeditions summiting Makalu, but this was not to be relied upon. Hindsight, given that our intended route through the Makalu region and over the 3 high passes had to be detoured given the unusually high snow levels this past spring, I can only assume what we might have found in the region for fuel and thoughts on things we would have done differently next time.

If we were to do the trip again, we might have gone sans stove all together, or possibly use an alcohol stove for those just incase times. The style of trekking in most areas of Nepal is teahouse to teahouse and the need to boil water in less needed to be self-reliant. The teahouses typically have a full menu of western styles platters and meal options. Even in the ‘in between’ sections of Nepal, between the popular trekking areas, it’s not uncommon to knock on a villager’s door and ask for a meal or a pot of hot water, that is if your Nepali is up to snuff. The areas I think you would want to be totally self reliant would be through the Makalu Base Camp area over the 3 high passes, through Upper Dolpa and maybe the far west areas of Simikot. Any popular trekking area (Kanchenjunga, Everest, Annapurna, Manaslu, Langtang) is going to have teahouses so save yourself the weight and enjoy a hot homemade meal that will benefit the local economy. There’s always Dhal Bhat to savor as well!

Secondly I would only carry canister fuel if I had to do it again. I’m not sure how readily available cooking alcohol is, but we did see canisters in multiple areas throughout Nepal. You can find both the 8oz and 16oz bottles. Anywhere in the tourist trekking area of Thamel in KTM, Pokhara had canisters, shops along the Annapurna circuit, and Namche Bazaar in the Everest region. The hard thing to figure out is how to get your canister to your trekking destination. Technically it is illegal to fly with canisters onboard any plane in Nepal, but given the state of Nepali security and the amount of canisters I see in areas that don’t sell canisters, it is very possible to sneak canisters onboard. I don’t see any real risk of the canister exploding given the fact that the planes usually fly lower than the mountains the canisters are heading for. I’ll leave that moral ethic for you to decide, but there were multiple occasions where we were hoping security wouldn’t find our canister stashed in our packs pre-boarding so we would have a means to eat when we returned to the GHT after our resupplies. Taking buses is always a more time consuming, albeit, legal way to transport fuels.

For cooking, we had a tough time deciding whether to use one large 2L group pot or two smaller 900ml solo pots. The notion of having to both eat the same meal every night was less than appealing, especially for Trauma, since he lives on pasta and I can’t eat gluten.  We opted to start out carrying the group pot and one Orikaso bowl in order to save full and ate meals that just needed to add boiling water. This worked well, but often meals were not fully cooked through and we only had 1 pot. For the second half of the trip we switched to each carrying an Evernew Titanium 900ml pot and used this for the remainder of the trip. It worked well if one person began cooking the other person’s meal, while the other person put up the shelter. Usually by the time the shelter was up one person’s water would be boiled and then the process could begin for the second. If you don’t have any dietary restrictions, then ultimately I think one group pot would be the best way to go.

Water and Hydration

Trauma and I both treated our water with a Steripen  Adventure Opti. Trauma also carried some Aqua Mira as a back-up means of treatment incase our batteries died. I almost never go about treating my water in the backcountry, but was glad to have a means to treat water in Nepal. Oddly I treated the most water anytime we were near villages, since this is where I saw the most potential for contamination. It is quite common to see people washing or using the village stream as a toilet. Once we got higher in elevation (above 3500m) or away from villages, I started going sans treatment, but I probably had the most stomach issues on this trip than on any trip previously. The Steripen worked perfectly into our travel style. It is the fastest way to treat water, adds no taste, and is light and small. Be sure to fly over with an ample supply of the CR23 batteries, as they can be hard to find once in Nepal. We were able to find a few spares in KTM and Pokhara in a camera supply store, but I wouldn’t always count on that.

For water capacity we both just used a plain plastic 1L bottle we found in KTM before heading out. Look for a wide mouth bottle if going this route. It is much easier to fill than a similar narrow mouth bottle and about as light as you can get for the capacity. We each carried an additional 1.5L Evernew water bladder. Water was plentiful throughout Nepal and I can only think of a few instances outside of camp where I felt the need to haul additional liters. On average we were carrying 0.5-1L of water.

Electronics

Here’s a list of the electronic we carried and our thoughts.

Canon S95 Camera – Amazing camera! Full manual settings without the weight and bulk of an SLR. Would recommend this camera to any long distance hiker that wants a balance of performance and weight. Also has full HD video capabilities.

Iridium  9555 Satellite Phone – Our means of getting in touch with the outside world in the event of an emergency. It’s the smallest and lightest Sat phone on the market and was easy to use. Neither of us is very tech savy, so sending texts of our position and status was about as ‘techy’ as we got. I believe there are ways to link messages to twitter and RMS feeds, but to be honest, I don’t even know what an RMS feed is? Heck I don’t even own a cell phone! Glad we had this and would recommend anyone to do the same if you are heading to far off remote areas.

Contour HD1080P Video Camera – To be honest the S95 camera took better footage and had better sound AND was HD. We didn’t have much time prior to the trip to play around with this video camera and our footage suffered because of it. There is no screen to see what you are shooting, only a laser like pointer to guide you and the sound quality was pretty poor. The best advantage we had was getting footage during in climate weather since we carried the waterproof case for the Contour. There is no sound with the camera while it’s in the case, but it was nice to get some footage of the harsh conditions we were seeing at times.

Power Monkey Explorer Solar Charger – Again, this was a little bit of a let down. Slated as one of the smallest and most powerful solar chargers on the market, hindsight it would have been easier and lighter to just carry extra batteries. These things work best if they are sitting in direct sunlight all day and not bouncing around on the back of a pack all day, like how we were travelling. I recommend trying to find things that charge in all the same manner, whether it is AAA batteries, mini USB, etc. This will really cut down on the adaptors needed and make things much simpler. Surprisingly, there are also a lot of outlets and means to charge electronic in teahouse, so factor bringing wall chargers into what will be the most efficient and lightest way to go about charging your electronics.

Headlamps – We went with two different models. The Princeton Tec Apex Pro for sections where we would need the additional light for alpine starts and the Princeton Tec Byte for around camp and general use. Both headlamps worked great and were a good balance of weight and performance. The plus side to the Apex Pro was that it also used CR23 batteries; similar to the Steripen we were carrying. Most teahouses in the popular regions have solar power, but even then, make sure you have a decent headlamp for Nepal. Even in KTM it’s not uncommon for there to be power black outs and you are relying on your headlamp to get things done at night, even in you hotel room!

Garmin Geko 301 - We took this to record waypoints. I see no other use for a GPS unit in Nepal. Even using 150,000:1 scale maps, the navigation is pretty straight forward in Nepal. The trickiest part is finding your way into and out of the larger villages. Having waypoints for certain intersections could be helpful, but asking locals is probably just as reliable.  Otherwise common sense and a bit of adventure is your best tool.

Toiletries

Probably the biggest thing we were concerned with in this category was the sun exposure we would see at higher elevations. We found relief in this by using Headhunter’s Sunscreen and Warpaint zinc oxide. Neither of us had ever thought of using zinc for long trips, but I think we are both sold on the idea. Ultimately you can carry fewer product for more coverage. I think we only used (1) 1oz jar of zinc for the entire 57 days in Nepal. I don’t think either of us experienced any burning, which is saying a lot give my previous track record with cancer inducing blistery burns!

For medications we each carried an assortment of multi-vitamin pills, Vitamin I for aches and pains, Cipro for diarrhea, Diamox for altitude sickness and some herbal pills for general health and well-being.

Misc.

One thing we carried that we normally would not have was a beefed up repair kit. Heading into the Himalaya with the ultra-light gear we were planning on using, it was wise of us to be prepared for any issues or repairs we might come across.  That said, our entire ‘repair kit’ weighed about an ounce! Things we carried were some Tenacious Tape from McNett, a basic sewing kit and some super glue. Our trekking poles also had some duct tape wrapped on them.

In the entire trip there were only a few repairs we needed. A small rip on my bivy fixed with tenacious tape. A snapped link bar on my crampons, fixed with a voile strap salvaged from our Granite Gear packs. And lastly a blow out on the heel of Trauma’s trail runners, memorably fixed with some super glue and a found shoe on the street!