Over the past 13 years of backcountry skiing I’ve developed a bit of a routine with my packing for days of ski touring. While the contents of my pack vary slightly based on the weather, snowpack, or the day’s objectives, the primary contents remain relatively the same day after day. Generally speaking, everything that I bring with me for a day in the mountains is stuff that I deem absolutely necessary, there is very little fluff or extra weight.
One thing I always try to do is put heavier items towards the bottom of the compartment and as close to my back as possible, this helps keep your center of gravity low and prevents your load from becoming “top-heavy”. After all the larger items get packed, I use soft items to stuff into the gaps and fill in the unused space. Puffy jackets, gloves, and hats are all good for stuffing. My helmet gets attached to the outside of my pack, I always make sure it is connected in 2 spots so that it isn’t flopping around as I skin. I also try and keep things that I’m going to want to use several times during the day easily accessible. Snacks, camera, sunscreen and chapstick all go into either the small top pocket on the main body of the pack, or into one of the small zippered pockets on the waist belt. Finally, I try and pack the same way every time I go out, this way it becomes a habit and I don’t have to fumble around through all of my gear to find what I need because I know where it is.
Want to know mare about WHAT goes into my pack for a day in the backcountry? Check out my last blog post for Deuter HERE.