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| Cathy Tibbetts
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Post-Race Marathon Hints Tuesday, April 20, 1999 6:28 am (PST)
For those of you thinking about doing the race, a few tips:
The gear list the race organization sends you is a joke. Use MountainZone.com's Editor & Publisher Peter
Potterfield's. It is perfect.
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.)
Clothes:
Outer Layer:
Down jacket with hood, light- or mid-duty
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
Inner Layer:
Lightweight polypro or polyester zip turtle neck (Capilene)
Lightweight polypro or polyester long johns (Capilene)
Main Layer:
Midweight polypro or polyester shirt, crew or henley neck (You wear this everyday, so consider taking two)
Lightweight, loose fit polyester trousers (North Face Tek-Wear guide
pants)
Midweight Polarfleece trousers, lower-leg zip optional
Midweight Polarfleece jacket or pullover
Polyester or cotton hiking shorts, optional (These can be handy or useless depending on weather)
Hats & Gloves, etc:
Lightweight polyester glove liners
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)
Baseball hat or cotton sun hat
Pile hat with ear-flaps
Socks & Underwear, etc:
Bandanas (3)
Cotton knit underwear, boxers or long leg briefs (4)
Cotton socks (3)
Wool socks (3)
Synthetic liner socks (3)
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)
Footwear, etc:
Lightweight hiking boots (low-cut okay) as far as Lobuche or Gorak
Shep
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)
Light duty gaiters
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.)
For Pre-Trek and Post Trek in Kathmandu:
Comfortable long sleeve cotton knit shirts (2)
Jeans or loose fitting cotton trousers (old Dockers)
Gear:
Sleeping bag, 0° to -20°, down or synthetic
Sleeping pad, full length (RidgeRest Deluxe or Thermarest or both)
Pack, 1500 cubic inches minimum
Duffle bags with PVC bottoms & sides (1 huge or 2 medium)
Trekking poles (1 or 2)
Headlamp (Petzl)
Small flashlight (MiniMag)
Water bottles, 2
Water bottle for use as pee bottle
Toiletries bag or small ditty bag for toothbrush, soap, comb, floss,
etc.
First aid kit, small, or small ditty bag for vitamins, aspirin,
prescriptions meds, Diamox, sterile hypodermics, etc.
Repair kit w/ few feet of duct tape, needle & thread, etc.
Extra pair prescription glasses in hard case
Sun glasses in hard case
Glacier goggles in hard case
Towels, two small
Double-A batteries (24)
Miscellaneous:
Passport, travel documents and extra passports photos, 6 sets
Camera & film, etc. to suit
Walkman/Discman in a padded case: CDs/tapes (12)
Paperback books (take a lot and don't get attached to them, they are useful for
trading)
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.)
Notebook, spiral bound, 5X7 or smaller, for journal and notes
Nepal guidebooks
Schneider map of Khumbu region
Small padlock or combination lock for duffle bags, 1 or 2
Medium padlock for tea-lodge cubicle doors
Plastic bags (6 large Zip Locks, 3 waste basket size, 1 garbage size);
stuff sacks and ditty bags as needed.
Wash 'n Dri's, 100, for handwashing before meals, etc.
Throat lozenges
Cold medicines
Prescription medicines
Diarrhea medicines (lomotil and Cipro used to work well but those Khumbu
bugs are getting resistant)
Cathy Tibbetts' Additional Running Gear:
A good running pack which can double as your day pack. Avoid blistered
shoulders and run with it before you go. There's a mandatory list of things
you need to run with. I use a Moletracks System Endure 2 which is designed
for running.
Don't count on the highly touted Medical Team for anything whatsoever.
They don't even bring cough suppressants or sinus meds and there is nothing
available past Kathmandu. They're stingy with the antibiotics as well so
bring everything no matter what the race organization tells you.
Bring Tang to kill the taste of the tepid tea they shove in your tent in
the morning.
Bring plenty of Power Bars and your pre race food. Our pre race meal was
1/2 ounce of yak cheese, boiled potatoes, and a dry piece of cake topped
with the leftover breakfast marmalade! Race aid stations have only granola
bars.
Ladies, shorts are absolutely unacceptable. I used Supplex Trousers from
RaceReady, which are light, protective, and dry quickly. They also have
pockets which (trust me) are handy to keep toilet paper stashed for
quick access.
Fleece is required. Use the windproof stuff. The jacket from Jagged
Edge is excellent. It has a snug fit in the waist so you aren't lugging
around extra bulk, yet has plenty of shoulder room.
Bring old gear and give it to your porters at the end of the trip.
Cathy Tibbetts, Mountain Zone Correspondent
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