Glacier Trekking
Article index
- Ice Axe: Between 55 and 70cm in length depending on your height (available for hire)
- Trekking poles can be very useful, but are NOT a substitute for an ice axe
- Crampons inc. Anti Balling Plates (available for hire)
- Boots & Gaiters – A B1 (i.e. flexible) boot. Although boots can be hired, I would avoid this if possible and have your own boots to keep blisters to a minimum.
- Warm Hat
- Gloves and Spares
- Headtorch with fully charged battery. A Petzl Zipka or similar LED torch will cover most eventualities.
- Water Bottle: 1 litre minimum, many people prefer to carry 1.5 or even 2 litres. Hydration systems such as the Camelbak often freeze on cold mornings, when a thermos flask may be more welcome. Please avoid use of the Platypus system, which is prone to catastrophic leakage
- Sunglasses (protection level 3 for high altitude)
- Suncream & Lip salve
- Sunhat
- Harness (available for hire)
- Sleeping bag liner - cotton or silk
- Rucksack: between 30 and 45 litres capacity. (available for hire)
- Waterproof Top
- Waterproof Bottoms: a full side zip is useful to be able to get them on and off over crampons and or boots
- A layered clothing system comprising base layer, mid layer and fleece. Temperatures can range from sweltering on hut walks down to -10 with a stiff breeze, so whatever you choose it needs to be versatile. If it’s a hot season, then shorts may be good for hut walks, or alternatively a pair of trousers with zip off legs.
- Good quality socks and a couple of spare pairs as we could potentially be in huts for a few days.
- Snack food – fruit or crunchy bars are better than chocolate as a rule. Biscuits to take with afternoon tea are good too (see below).
- Brew Kit – it’s cheaper to buy hot water in huts and then add your own tea bags, coffee, hot chocolate etc., than buy ready made drinks.