Ski Mountaineering Kit List

Personal Gear

• Skis, fitted with ski touring bindings and set up ready for your own boots. A medium waist of around 80-90mm and turn radius of less than 20m is ideal for most tours where a variety of snow conditions will be encountered.
• Ski touring bindings fitted to your skis, ideally with brakes attached.  Dynafit, Plum or Kingpins are generally the most popular in Chamonix.
• Poles (non telescopic ski poles are generally better unless there is a lot of mountaineering on the tour)
• Ski Boots, heavier weight touring boots for improved ski peformance, lighter for climbing & saving energy!
• Skins (modern skins in good condition, Black Diamond or Gecko glueless recommended), must be fitted accurately to your skis
• Transceiver with fresh batteries. Should be a modern digital transceiver e.g. Barryvox Pulse / S
• Shovel (with a metal blade, plastic blades don’t work!)
• Avalanche Probe
• Harscheisen – ski crampons – couteaux (choose your language!), must be compatible with your ski bindings
• Lightweight rucksack (35-45L). Think about how you will attach your skis to it when mountaineering
• Tough & windproof ‘soft shell’ trousers are ideal but you will still need an outer shell layer for bad weather
• Lightweight thermal top and light soft shell or fleece jacket
• Waterproof / windproof jacket and trousers
• Spare warm layer / light duvet jacket
• Gloves, thin dexterous pair and a warmer thicker pair (mitts not really recommended as too clumsy)
• Warm hat, sun hat & neck gaiter / ‘buff’ (to protect your neck, lower face and nose in cold windy conditions)
• Goggles
• Sunglasses, sun cream & lip barrier stick
• Personal blister kit, any required medication, painkillers and plasters
• Velcro ski tie, important for carrying skis on your rucksack
• Headtorch, lightweight model like ‘Petzl Tikka’
• Mobile Phone
• Camera ? Think about making your camera highly accessible whilst skiing / skinning as once in your pack you may not want to get it our and team member may not want to wait for you to do so!
• Food (snacks) & water bottle (at least 1L)

Additional Equipment Required for Steep and / or Glacial Terrain

• Ice Axe
• Crampons
• Harness
• 2 X Prussiks
• 1 X 8ft Sling, 2 X Screw-gate Karabiners, 2 X snap link Karabiners
• 1 X Ice Screw
• Petzl micro Traxion or Ropeman or similar device with clutch / pulley for crevasse rescue
• Helmet

For Multi-Day Hut to Hut Touring

• Larger Rucksack ?
• Spare socks
• Spare Shirt (or buy one in a hut when you start to get smelly!)
• Tea bags ?
• Wash kit, very small and lightweight
• Sheet sleeping bag, as lightweight at possible
• Earplugs, for noisy huts!
• Cash (which currencies?)
• Credit Card
• BMC / Austrian Alpine Club / Reciprocal Rights Hut Card
• Passport?
• Insurance details – see our Insurance FAQ

Group Gear – Provided by the Guide…But Carried by the Whole Group!

• First aid kit
• Group shelter
• Rope
• Spares kit (separate list below)
• Guidebook / Topo
• Map & Navigation Apps
• Phone numbers for huts, weather, emergency, tourist info

Spare Equipment – Provided by the Guide

• Spare telescopic pole
• Spare skins (size?)
• Leatherman (pliers, knife, screwdriver, can opener!)
• Super glue
• Wax ?
• Scouring pad / scraper ?
• Cord
• Plastic ties
• Strap with buckle
• Duck tape
• Spare screws or replacements for equipment that commonly breaks
• Spare transceiver batteries (AA or AAA?)

Please follow our Sanglards Ski Hire link below to access your 15% discount (more in quieter periods), or tell them in the shop you have a booking with High Mountain Guides for the same discount. Sanglard’s have shops in Chamonix, Argentiere Les Grands Montets & Vallorcine.

Ski Mountaineering