Hey guys,

I just joined this forum and this is my first post. I am taking 6 days mountaineering course at Mt. Baker on August 18 -23 through AAI company.
I got a gear list for this course but about the clothes, it doesn't say which is mandatory and which is optional and how many each item to bring. It said to bring hiking sock, short underwear, baselayer bottom, baselayer top, midlayer top, softshell pant, softshell jacket, hardshell pant, hardshell jacket, and insulated synthetic hooded jacket. My question is which is mandatory and which can be optional depend on the weather or so for August or all of them are mandatory? Also how many should I bring each item like how many softshell pants I need to bring? I want to pack small to have space for others and carry lightest as possible during the trip.

That is a lot of unnecessary clothing for August.

Here is what I take, the brands are pretty irrelevant. This kit weighs (when gear is shared) less than 30 lbs. Budget about 2 lbs food, per day.

Clothing
Head
Warm hat Smartwool beanie
Sun hat Mesh, white baseball cap
Sunglasses Cebe glacier glasses
Headlamp Black Diamond, extra batteries

Hands
Warm gloves Smart Wool leather wool insulated
Liner gloves Cheap poly pro (2 pair)
Thin soft shells REI one

Feet
Boots Kayland Super Ice Evo
Warm socks Goodhew Warm (x 2 pair)
Gaitors Hillsound

Legs
Briefs Icebreaker boxer briefs (2 pair)
Tights/long johns Patgonia mid weight
Pants EMS lightweight

Torso
Long sleeve shirt Patagonia light weight Capeliene - long sleeve, zip tee
light fleece jacket Marmot DriClime
Shell Montbel Versalite
Belay Jacket Patagonia Nanopuff

Personal climbing equipment
Harness BLack Diamond Couloir
Small locking biner Black Diamond (x2)
Ice axe Petzl Summit Evo
Crampons Grivel Air Tech hybrid (aluminum rear, steel front)
Prusik slings 5mm
Picket 24" MSR Coyote
Pulley SMC
Double length sling 120 cm spectra
Alpine draws x 2
Locking carabiners Mammut x2

Personal camping gear
Sleeping bag Stoic - 30 degrees
Backpack Montbel Balance Light 40
Sleeping pad Evazotte
Water bottles 1 Nalgene, 1 bladder
Bowl Tupperware
Spoon Titanium
TP

Essentials
Knife Buck with 1/2 serrated blade
First aid kit Blister stuff, analgesics, athletic tape, asthma inhaler
Sunblock Aloe Gator Gel
Lip balm SPF 15
Lotion Coconut oil
Lighter Small Bic with guard removed
Map Local
Compass Brunton

Shared climbing equipment
Rope 50m, 8.5mm Sharp

Shared camping gear
Stove MSR Pocket Rocket
Fuel 16 oz butane cannister
Pot 1 liters
Windscreen/heat exchanger Foil
Lighter Small
Tent Betamid
Trekking poles Atlas
Tent stakes MH Soft stakes

ExcitableBoy wrote:That is a lot of unnecessary clothing for August.

Here is what I take, the brands are pretty irrelevant. This kit weighs (when gear is shared) less than 30 lbs. Budget about 2 lbs food, per day.

Clothing
Head
Warm hat Smartwool beanie
Sun hat Mesh, white baseball cap
Sunglasses Cebe glacier glasses
Headlamp Black Diamond, extra batteries

Hands
Warm gloves Smart Wool leather wool insulated
Liner gloves Cheap poly pro (2 pair)
Thin soft shells REI one

Feet
Boots Kayland Super Ice Evo
Warm socks Goodhew Warm (x 2 pair)
Gaitors Hillsound

Legs
Briefs Icebreaker boxer briefs (2 pair)
Tights/long johns Patgonia mid weight
Pants EMS lightweight

Torso
Long sleeve shirt Patagonia light weight Capeliene - long sleeve, zip tee
light fleece jacket Marmot DriClime
Shell Montbel Versalite
Belay Jacket Patagonia Nanopuff

Personal climbing equipment
Harness BLack Diamond Couloir
Small locking biner Black Diamond (x2)
Ice axe Petzl Summit Evo
Crampons Grivel Air Tech hybrid (aluminum rear, steel front)
Prusik slings 5mm
Picket 24" MSR Coyote
Pulley SMC
Double length sling 120 cm spectra
Alpine draws x 2
Locking carabiners Mammut x2

Personal camping gear
Sleeping bag Stoic - 30 degrees
Backpack Montbel Balance Light 40
Sleeping pad Evazotte
Water bottles 1 Nalgene, 1 bladder
Bowl Tupperware
Spoon Titanium
TP

Essentials
Knife Buck with 1/2 serrated blade
First aid kit Blister stuff, analgesics, athletic tape, asthma inhaler
Sunblock Aloe Gator Gel
Lip balm SPF 15
Lotion Coconut oil
Lighter Small Bic with guard removed
Map Local
Compass Brunton

Shared climbing equipment
Rope 50m, 8.5mm Sharp

Shared camping gear
Stove MSR Pocket Rocket
Fuel 16 oz butane cannister
Pot 1 liters
Windscreen/heat exchanger Foil
Lighter Small
Tent Betamid
Trekking poles Atlas
Tent stakes MH Soft stakes

Thanks for a useful list! I kinda suspected that the gear list from AAI was pretty much for August. It nice to have double confirmation. About the softshell pant and shirt, did you only bring 1 or it 2 or 3 pair for 6 days on mountain?

I only bring one pair of pants; softshell. No hard shells, no 'extra' pants. Also, regarding softshell jackets, I own one and wear it resort skiing and on the bus to work. For the backcountry I think there are many better options than a stretch woven softshell jacket. Something like the Marmot DriClime windshirt is lighter, more compressible, just as wind and water resistant, breathes well, and makes a good outer layer in mild weather and a mid layer in cold weather. Its nylon shell makes a slippery layer so you don't feel bound up when you are layered up.

The only 'extra' clothing I bring are an extra pair of glove liners and socks. On a long trip another pair of undies.