What mandatory items do YOU carry in your pack?

I bring cookies. Great big monster cookies with dark chocolate, milk chocolate, toasted nuts, raisins, coconut, oatmeal and real butter. I make lots of these ahead of time and pull them out as needed. So far, so good--tasty that is and easy on my budget.
If I'm in a pinch I always go for Cadbury Fruit and Nut chocolate bars which I purchase at Bartells when they are on sale for cheap.
Other trail food would be Fritos, because I want something salty and crunchy.
I know it isn't weight efficient, but when oranges are in season I ALWAYS have an orange, there is nothing more refreshing than a cold, sweet, juicy orange.
My newest trail mix: Costco's dried pineapple, Dole date pieces, honey roasted peanuts, banana chips and Blue Diamond Lime and Chili almonds (the whole can so you get all the extra salt/seasonings to coat the rest of the ingredients). Sweet, zippy, chewy and crunchy all at once.
Tuna Guys brand Tuna. I don't eat the other meats, so this is my standby. Sprinkle with a seasoning if you like, but this stuff is akin to canned chicken--only available in Gig Harbor to the best of my knowledge though. And not cheap, but worth it for trips.
I also make some kickass crunchy granola bars, but I don't share the recipe.

As for the rest of my pack:
Down Jacket always goes
First Aid kit which includes a tube of diaper cream for blister prevention and sunscreen
Avy gear standards and skins of course
Multipurpose tool
Tealight candles for light or starter
Matches
Flint fire starter
Headlamp plus extra batteries
Emergency blanket
Baling Wire (stored in the tin can)
Empty tin can (suggested in Mike and Allyn's backcountry ski tips as a "pot" of sorts--grip it with your multipurpose tool pliers.)
Duct Tape (wrapped around pole)
Water
Potable Aqua iodine tablets in my first aid kit
Wool hat and balaclava
Liner gloves, spring gloves and winter gloves
Extra pair of socks
Extra long underwear top and bottom
All stuffed in a trash compactor weight garbage sack

Geez, no wonder my packs always so heavy . . . ???

Enjoy this thread.

the diagonal ski carry -- STINKS!  BLEAH!  POOOOOOHHHHH on the diagonal ski carry

I am sorry but I can not stand by and have the diagonal ski carry disparaged so!  I grew up on the diagonal ski carry and it has always served me well.  It is the only carry for climbing traverses on steeper slopes.  It keeps your skies safely off to the side if you are riding on a snowmobile.  It is the best carry for short portages and you can alternate sides (on most packs) just to mix it up.

These are all qualities in addition to the kick ass "quiver pull" that Pin mentioned. So please reconcider the diagonal ski carry, you may learn to love it with time and practice.   

I too must stand up for the diagonal carry. My pack, a Dakine Chute has both A frame and diagonal. A frame for the long haul but diagonal gets you up the bootpack quicker than the others and results in  more fresh turns on a powder day.

As to food , I've been experimenting and hard salami and  those little cheeses in the wax covering is working well and this coming from a previous GU fanatic. Snickers is still king though, never leave home without one!

I am also coming to the conclusion, that a nice melon is the perfect first food at the end of a hot spring or summer tour. A nice big slice of melon is so good. I also recommend the BBQ burritos from the Ashford garage but only after they have been cured under the heat lamp in the display case for a good 12 hours. Yummy!!

I also always try to carry a lot of common sense, but that gets thrown out pretty quick.

I also always try to carry a lot of common sense, but that gets thrown out pretty quick.

I've actually seen that leaking in a steady stream out of the bottom of your pack as you leave the trailhead, Scottie  




Just kidding... of course... you know that.... right? 

I'm sorry to disparage the diagonal ski carry. I have a couple of things working against me -- 1.) i'm not european, and b.) I'm pretty new to the whole "ski carry" business anyway.
Perhaps a better approach would be to say, the learning curve for the diagonal ski carry sucks.
Maybe I'll spend some evenings in my living-room working on that quiver-move. I still can't even remove my skins while my skis are still on my feet. Well, I can, but usually it involves falling, throwing of poles, swearing a streak that'll melt the snow... etc.

I still can't even remove my skins while my skis are still on my feet.  Well, I can, but usually it involves falling, throwing of poles, swearing a streak that'll melt the snow... etc.

Hang on... is there some OTHER way to do it that I'm not aware of?