Gear advice/suggestions on Light Ski-mountain pack

You'll save a lot more weight by changing up your bag, as well... but a -20? Yeah, if you sleep cold, you'll still be packing a heavier bag. What kind of pad are you using? Take a look at the Exped down mats that OR makes, if you haven't. They're a big enough boost in warmth that you might be able to get away with a lighter bag.

I'm not a big fan of the Deploy shovels. They're nice and compact, but the handles are very short and serious digging would be pretty rough after a short time, I feel. The connection between shaft and blade, while I'm sure it's solid, also feels a little too loose to me. Just my opinion.

I have a Life Link Guide shovel, which has a nice big blade and D grip -- I've been happy with it so far, but it's not a "light" shovel. BCA makes some smaller shovels which feel better and have longer handles than the Deploy series -- my wife has one and it's treated her well.

Don't forget to think about comfort and fit when getting a pack. I have an osprey pack that weighs around 3 lbs 7 oz and when I get around 35lbs in it it feels like I am carrying 70. I bought a Mont Bell pack last year that weighs 4 lbs 2 oz and 40 lbs feels like nothing. My son on the other hand uses the osprey and it fits him great.

Something I did when i used to more climbing was to weigh all my gear. When I bought new gear I would look to buy something lighter. Also make a list of what you take on a trip and when you get back check to see what you didn't use (not including safety gear) and remove it. I've shaved around 20 lbs doing this.

sukiakiumo -  If you put less pad between you and the snow you'll need an even bigger sleeping bag. 2nd the Exped down pads. Are you sleeping wearing all the extra clothing you bring as well as the -20 bag? You're in WA? Wow you're cold!

How about cutting down on all the stuff that everyone in your group is carrying? Do you all really need all the 10 essentials/trip packing list? At least coordinate it with your tent partner and eliminate unnecessary duplicates?

Fuel weighs way less than the weight of water you can make with it? With a jetboil you can even melt snow on the go.



Here's some other lightweight ideas:

www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32966

www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.p...ight=glacier+harness

There's some really good recommendations among the rabble over there, don't be scared off by the chest thumping.

www.promountainsports.com specialize in this stuff make's Lou's wildsnow ideas look like car camping.

My wife has banned me from promountain sports as I am unable to resist high priced minimalistic, lightweight gear.
Even if not buying, its worth a visit to get ideas on the state of the art.

I book I would recommend for understanding "fast and light"  is ;
" Extreme Alpinism, Climbing Light Fast and High", author Mark Twight, published by the Mountaineers.

Although related to alpine climbing it's lessons equally apply to ski mountaineering and it is considered the seminal work about this subject. Twight was, in the 90's ,one of the world's leading alpinists who transformed ideas regarding  alpine climbing from the concept of slow plodding mountaineering with heavy loads, into one day or continuous" night naked" assaults .

Once read , it will change the way you think about packing and the gear you carry.

PNWbrit: Haha. yeah I don't really sleep that cold. That was a present from the parents before I graduated from highschool. I'm still a grad-student, and filling out the gear is a piece-by-piece endeavor. I have a 40 deg summer bag also, but that won't come out for another month or two.

As for group-whittling for gear, that is something that i've tried to encourage, but sometimes it has been a bit hard to convince everyone, especially if they have their own brand-new stove, or doodad, to leave it and use a different one.

And the on the go water heating: sounds like a great way to have continually hot coffee!

Scotsman: Already purchased and read a few weeks ago. I have been doing my best do implement some of his strategies. I don't know how I like the 'don't use caffeine' rule for its diuretic properties... Also I have yet to do a 24-hour light-is-right push on something. That sounds like a good challenge in the near future.

snowdawg: Good point. I'll be sure to try things on with weight before I actually buy them, if I can.

In general thanks all, this has been very useful for me. Now to go to promountain, drool over everything and hopefully not max out my credit-card.