Gear/Resources/Logistics
Gear/Resources/Logistics
Gear Lists
Ski Moutaineering ⎜ Alpine Climbing ⎜ Ice Climbing ⎜ Rock Climbing
*For use as general reference; subject to change. Ask me about specific gear requirements for each outing/objective. Shopping links/websites for many of these items are included below.
SKI MOUNTAINEERING KIT
(*Denotes a Basic Glacier Kit, or the minimum gear required for any guided tour involving glacier travel)
ON THE BODY
Backcountry Skis/Spiltboard*
Boots*
Bindings*
Helmet
Goggles*
Avalanche Transceiver*
Collapsible Ski Poles*
Daypack*
Overnight Backpack
Mountaineering Harness*
Ice Axe*
Balaclava or Neck Gaiter
ON THE HARNESS
Belay Device
Hollow Block/Prusik Loop*
Locking Carabiner, Belay Loop*
Locking Carabiners, Gear Loop*
Non-locking Carabiners and/or Quickdraws*
Double Sling 120cm*
Cordelette and/or Petzl Connect Adjust style lanyard or tether looped through your harness*
Rope Clamp/Emergency Ascender (Tibloc)
Ice Screw(s)*
Pitons
Wire Nuts
Cams
V-thread Tool
Micro Traction Pulley
INSIDE THE PACK/JACKET
Probe*
Shovel*
Ski Straps*
Smartphone with GPS*
Sunglasses*
Water Bottle*
Food/Snacks*
Boot Crampons*
Down Jacket*
Inclinometer (Card or Phone App)*
Rope/RAD LINE (ask your guide)
Climbing Skins
Ski Crampons
Analog Compass
Emergency First Aid Kit
Climbing Knife
BASIC ALPINE KIT
(*Denotes optional gear and/or gear used on specific tours involving glacier travel)
ON THE BODY
Climbing pack*(+/- 3000 cui)
Mountaineering/Alpine Boots
Rock Shoes (for long routes)
Helmet
Climbing Harness
Ice Axe (<60cm)
Ice Tools (2 on long ice routes)
Avalanche Transceiver*
Collapsible Ski Poles*
Overnight Backpack*
ON THE HARNESS
Belay Device
Hollow Block/Prusik Loop
Locking Carabiner, Belay Loop
3-4 Locking Carabiners, Gear Loop
Non-locking Carabiners and/or Quickdraws
2 Single Slings (60cm)
2 Double Slings (120cm)
Cordelette (5-6 meters of 6mm or 7mm of pure nylon cord)
Prusik set (one waist loop and one foot loop)*
Rope Clamp/Emergency Ascender (Tibloc)*
Ice Screw(s)*
Pitons*
Wire Nuts*
Cams*
V-thread Tool*
Micro Traction Pulley*
INSIDE THE PACK/JACKET
Boot Crampons (10 or 12 point, flat point crampons)
Water Bottle
Smartphone with Camera and GPS
Sunglasses
Climbing Knife
Headlamp (w/ extra batteries)
Food/Snacks
Water-Resistant, Breathable Shell with Hood
Emergency First Aid Kit*
Toiletries (medications, sunscreen, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)*
Analog Compass*
Camelback hydration system or similar*
Probe*
Shovel*
Climbing Skins*
Ski Straps*
Down Jacket*
ICE CLIMBING KIT
(*Denotes optional gear and/or gear used for specific routes/conditions/objectives)
ON THE BODY
Mountaineering/Alpine Boots
Boot Crampons
Climbing Harness
Climbing Helmet
Daypack
Ice Tools
Trekking Poles*
Insulated Pants*
ON THE HARNESS
Belay Device
Hollow Block/Prusik Loop*
Locking Carabiners (2)
Non-locking Carabiners (4 Wire Gate)
Single Sling 60cm*
Double Sling 120cm*
Cordelette and/or Petzl Connect Adjust style lanyard or tether looped through your harness*
Rope Clamp/Emergency Ascender (Tibloc)*
Ice Screw(s)*
V-thread Tool*
INSIDE THE PACK/JACKET
Sunglasses
Climbing Knife
Smartphone and/or Camera*
Water Bottle*
Food/Snack*
Emergency First Aid Kit*
Hand Warmers and/or Extra Pair of Gloves*
Warm Puffy with Hood*
ROCK CLIMBING KIT
(*Denotes optional gear and/or gear used for specific routes/conditions/objectives)
Rock Climbing Shoes
Helmet
Climbing Harness
Belay Device
Prussik Loop/Autoblock
Locking Carabiner, Belay Loop*
3-4 Locking Carabiners, Gear Loop*
Non-locking Carabiners*
Quickdraws*
Single Sling (60cm)*
Double Sling (120cm)
Chalk Bag
Water Bottle
Smartphone
Sunglasses*
Food/Snacks
Insulated and/or Wind-resistant and breatheable Jacket*
Gear up with these high quality/high performance brands. You can get most everything you’ll need for skiing and mountaineering from my incredible sponsors:
(Click on individual icons for website links)
Helpful Resources
INSTRUCTIONAL BOOKS
Mountaineering, The Freedom of the Hills, The Mountaineers (the climbing bible)
Alpine Climbing, Techniques to Take You Higher, Kathy Cosley and Mark Houston (the classic alpine climbing/mountaineering textbook)
Backcountry Skiing: Skills for Ski Touring and Ski Mountaineering, Martin Volken, Scott Schell, and Margaret Wheeler-Farmer (concise and focused, but rigorous in its depth; an excellent training manual)
The Ski Guide Manual: Advanced Techniques for the Backcountry, Rob Coppolillo (excellent and insightful book: written from a guide and/or team leader perspective)
Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, Bruce Tremper (the world’s best-selling avalanche education book, from one of the world’s foremost experts)
Avalanche Essentials, Bruce Tremper (an abbreviated version of the above, covering the core fundamentals of avalanche awareness, mitigation, and rescue. A must read!)
Wilderness Navigation, 3rd Edition, Finding Your Way Using Map, Compass, Altimeter & GPS by Mike Burns and Bob Burns
Training for the Uphill Athlete, A Manual for Mountain Runners and Ski Mountaineers, Steve House, Scott Johnston, and Killian Jornet
Climbing Knots, Nate Fitch and Ron Funderburke (handy pocket guide to essential climbing knots)
GUIDEBOOKS
Alpenglow by Ben Tibbetts. An inspiring book of photographs, stories and drawings describing the finest climbs on the 4000m peaks of the Alps.
Mont Blanc and the Aiguille Rouges, A Guide for Skiers, Anselme Baud. A classic by one of the sport’s great pioneers. —French Alps
Mont Blanc Off Piste/Hors Piste, Francois Burnier and Dominique Potard —French Alps
Mt. Blanc Freeride, Domenico Guisto and Georgio Passino —French Alps
Freeride Verbier, Gilbert Crettaz —Swiss Alps
Ski Mountaineering in the Dolomites, Francesco Tremolada —Dolomites, Italy
The Art of Shralpinism: Lessons from the Mountains, Jeremy Jones (professional snow/splitboarder; founder and president of both Jones Snowboards and Protect Our Winters) —Global
USEFUL WEBSITES
BIGGEST LINES a huge online resource for backcountry/off-piste skiing and snowboarding; offers a comprehensive inventory of the world’s biggest ski lines (200+ routes), and includes maps, trip reports, local beta, exposure/difficulty ratings, imagery, gear tips, clothing tips, and other relevant information.
STRAVA* highly detailed backcountry mapping guide, with relevant beta and (two-dimensional) maps for hiking and ski touring adventures. *Strava is in the midst of a rebuild, and currently does not offer the same level of quality or useful features it once did with the original version of FATMAP, which it absorbed in 2024. Some other, very good mapping applications to consider currently: OUTMAP; RealityMaps; Google Earth.
Mont Blanc Lines a project by climbing photographer Alex Buisse to “exhaustively document the climbing and skiing routes on the most iconic cliffs and mountains in the world.”
Alps Insight excellent mountain sport resource guide focused on alpine climbing, trail running, cycling, hiking, and ski touring in the alps (mostly Switzerland and the Dolomites of Italy).
Animated Knots animated instructional videos on essential knots for climbing and ski mountaineering
News and Videos for Ski Touring and Mountaineering by Petzl, one of the world’s leading manufacturers/suppliers of climbing equipment
Samsara Experience online fitness training and coaching (and snow safety workshops) from famed Exum guide Zahan Billimoria
WEATHER FORECASTS and AVALANCHE ADVISORIES
Meteo France Accurate and precise snow and avalanche forecasts for all mountain regions in France
Chamonix Valley Weather Forecast from the official Chamonix-Mont-Blanc website (in French and English). Excellent graphics showing cloud cover, ceiling, visibility forecasts and avalanche warnings (France)
La Chamoniarde/Office de Haute Montagne Mountain Conditions Report from the Office de Haute Montagne, Chamonix (Local office dedicated to providing mountain information and awareness; training; search and rescue) (France)
Valle d’ Aosta Bollettino Neve e Valanghe Valle d’ Aosta Snow and Avalanche Bulletin (in Italian and English). Includes information on weather and avalanche conditions in the greater Courmayeur Valley and the Skyway area of Mont Blanc de Courmayeur (Italy)
White Risk and SLF Snow Maps WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), excellent resource with very good data and easy-to-read maps and graphics. Very useful navigation feature included. Subscription required. (Switzerland)
Open Snow Graphical, accurate quick reference guide to precipitation, snow quality, snowpack depths, and weather forecasts for ski resorts around the world. Subscription required. (Global)
Logistics
LOCAL MAPS
(Drop Pin Location: Bottom Station of the Aiguille du Midi Cable Car, Chamonix, France. Click on pin to open in Google Maps. Click here for Google Earth 3D)
Chamonix Valley and the Mont Blanc Massif, looking south. The village/ski resort of Courmayeur is located behind Dent du Geant/Tour Ronde. Map courtesy of Chalet La Foret, in Les Praz. Click on image to expand.
GETTING HERE
(and around)
Transfer Options:
Geneva Airport→Chamonix→Geneva Airport*
TRAIN
SNCF (French National Railways)
SBB (Swiss Federal Railways)
Mont-Blanc Express (the super scenic, century old railway line connecting Martigny, SUI and Chamonix, FR)
BUS
SHUTTLE/CAR HIRE
Numerous Options Available
Use the transit feature on Google Maps; compare rental car rates on KAYAK.com; or visit the Geneva Airport website for more info and/or a directory of rental car agencies and private shuttle services
*Though Geneva Airport (GVA) is your best bet for the fastest and most frequent airport transfers and number of daily flights, Milan (MXP), Torino (TRN), and Lyon (LYS) are also within reach. All have mass transit options to and from Chamonix (and/or Courmayeur). ARRIVA is the regional bus operator for locations within the Aosta Valley, including Courmayeur (FLIXBUS and BlaBlaCar Bus operate in these areas as well, and with increasing frequency; click on links above). For local bus service within Chamonix, click here: Chamonix Mont-Blanc official website. For ride share and car pooling click here: BlaBlaCar and here: CHAMONIX.NET
Y Couloir, Argentiere, France (photo: Ben Tibbetts)
