Cathy Tibbetts

Khumbu Gear: What to take on a trek to Everest

Peter Potterfield's List: Things I took, and a few things I wish I had taken, on the 1997 trek to the mountain. Specific brands are noted when they performed especially well. (These items are for the trek only, and are obviously not to be considered for climbing above 18,000 feet. In fact, while this gear is chosen for its utility from Lukla and back again, and will see you comfortably to base camp, some of it begins to reach the end of its temperature/hardiness range upon arrival at base camp.)

1. Clothes:
   1. Outer Layer:
   1. Down jacket with hood, light- or mid-duty
   2. Waterproof/breathable parka or anorak, light- or mid-duty (I prefer pullovers; lighter but do the job just as well) Waterproof/breathable full zip pants

   1. Inner Layer:
   1. Lightweight polypro or polyester zip turtle neck (Capilene)
   2. Lightweight polypro or polyester long johns (Capilene)

   1. Main Layer:
   1. Midweight polypro or polyester shirt, crew or henley neck (You wear this everyday, so consider taking two)
   2. Lightweight, loose fit polyester trousers (North Face Tek-Wear guide pants)
   3. Midweight Polarfleece trousers, lower-leg zip optional
   4. Midweight Polarfleece jacket or pullover
   5. Polyester or cotton hiking shorts, optional (These can be handy or useless depending on weather)

2. Hats & Gloves, etc:
   1. Lightweight polyester glove liners
   2. Midweight polyester gloves (Patagonia) or pile mittens (OR) Coated nylon over mitts (OR) (This may seem like a lot of gloves, but you want to have exactly what conditions call for, and a spare pair is prudent)
   3. Baseball hat or cotton sun hat
   4. Pile hat with ear-flaps

3. Socks & Underwear, etc:
   1. Bandanas (3)
   2. Cotton knit underwear, boxers or long leg briefs (4)
   3. Cotton socks (3)
   4. Wool socks (3)
   5. Synthetic liner socks (3)
   6. Long sleeve cotton T-shirt to sleep in (Cotton makes no sense on the trail, it gets wet and is slow to dry, but I think synthetics such as Capilene or polypro get clammy in a sleeping bag)

4. Footwear, etc:
   1. Lightweight hiking boots (low-cut okay) as far as Lobuche or Gorak Shep
   2. Beefier leather or Gore Tex hiking boots suitable for light snow for higher (Some people like to take Sorrel pack boots, but that only makes sense if you're hanging at base camp)
   3. Light duty gaiters
   4. Down or Polarguard booties, optional for those whose feet get cold Sneakers, optional but very useful in lodges, in Kathmandu, etc,. (Note: Know your feet before you go; I saw people trek the whole route in sneakers, and saw others trek the whole route in heavy hiking boots. My suggestion is to go as light as you can on footwear without hurting your feet, so low-cut but somewhat supportive hiking or walking shoes work best below Pheriche, you need something beefier higher up.)

5. For Pre-Trek and Post Trek in Kathmandu:
   1. Comfortable long sleeve cotton knit shirts (2)
   2. Jeans or loose fitting cotton trousers (old Dockers)

6. Gear:
   1. Sleeping bag, 0° to -20°, down or synthetic
   2. Sleeping pad, full length (RidgeRest Deluxe or Thermarest or both) Pack, 1500 cubic inches minimum
   3. Duffle bags with PVC bottoms & sides (1 huge or 2 medium)
   4. Trekking poles (1 or 2)
   5. Headlamp (Petzl)
   6. Small flashlight (MiniMag)
   7. Water bottles, 2
   8. Water bottle for use as pee bottle
   9. Toiletries bag or small ditty bag for toothbrush, soap, comb, floss, etc.
   10. First aid kit, small, or small ditty bag for vitamins, aspirin, prescriptions meds, Diamox, sterile hypodermics, etc.
   11. Repair kit w/ few feet of duct tape, needle & thread, etc.
   12. Extra pair prescription glasses in hard case
   13. Sun glasses in hard case
   14. Glacier goggles in hard case
   15. Towels, two small
   16. Double-A batteries (24)

7. Miscellaneous:
   1. Passport, travel documents and extra passports photos, 6 sets
   2. Camera & film, etc. to suit
   3. Walkman/Discman in a padded case: CDs/tapes (12)
   4. Paperback books (take a lot and don't get attached to them, they are useful for trading)
   5. Small belt pack for documents, tickets, money: essential for trek -(I hate these things and think they are totally dorky, but they are really useful on the trek; I carried my documents and valuables in a zippered case in my pack, which meant I either had to dig around for it every time we stopped, or had to bring my pack with me; the belt packs are the way to go.)
   6. Notebook, spiral bound, 5X7 or smaller, for journal and notes
   7. Nepal guidebooks
   8. Schneider map of Khumbu region
   9. Small padlock or combination lock for duffle bags, 1 or 2
   10. Medium padlock for tea-lodge cubicle doors
   11. Plastic bags (6 large Zip Locks, 3 waste basket size, 1 garbage size); stuff sacks and ditty bags as needed.
   12. Wash 'n Dri's, 100, for handwashing before meals, etc.
       
   13. Throat lozenges
   14. Cold medicines
   15. Prescription medicines
   16. Diarrhea medicines (lomotil and Cipro used to work well but those Khumbu bugs are getting resistant)

— Cathy Tibbetts, Mountain Zone Correspondent

MARATHON DISPATCHES