Fall Hiking Gear List

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Raven

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Hey All -

October 1 for me is usually a transition in backpacks. Most of the summer I'm using a rather small hydration pack that allows me to fit the essentials and little else.

Now, I go back to a full pack unless I'm running. As most of us have been shocked at some point by the weather this time of year in northern New England or NY on high peaks, I thought I would share my gear list and remind others what I just remembered - it gets cold up there this time of year!

This is my "Fall in the Whites" pack for when I am headed out on a long one or above treeline - I'll add more hard core winter weather gear come mid- December.

Fall Day Hiking Backpack (the following weighs 20 pounds total with 3 L water but no food)

Osprey Aether 70L (just returned repaired from Osprey - great company!)
Fleece softshell jacket
Winter hat
200w fleece gloves
Fleece liner gloves
Midweight Bergelene tights
Winter parka
2 Headlamps
Paracord
carabiner
Multi-tool (knife, plyers, etc)
Whistle
Compass w/ neck string
Map (varies)
Spare headlamp batteries (3xAAA)
Emergency bivy sack
Pack rain cover

Compression sack w/
700w down jacket
Long sleeve poly tee
Rain Pants
Extra thick socks
Extra hat (fleece)
Extra gloves (200w fleece)

First Aid Kit w/
Roll of gauze
A few bandages/butterflies
Ibuprofin (12)
Ointment
Duct tape (3 feet )
Triangular Bandage
Needle and thread
Lighter
Matches (missing)

Water Bladder (3L)
Camera and batteries
 
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I *almost* think you are going too warm. What about nice days? :D

A key chain light is lighter, cheaper, and smaller, as a backup light. I just clip it to my headlamp strap. Costs $.50 and weighs 1/4 ounce. And you can probably get a headlamp that only uses 2 batteries.

Obviously, where you go and actual conditions make a big difference in what you bring (or does it?). Instead of putting everything in the pack immediately, I prefer to determine what to bring for any given day/hike. Having a checklist helps determine what to bring, or not...
 
One of my winter checklist items is to make sure my headlamp has lithium batteries and not just alkaline. I'll bring a lightweight down sleeping bag and sleep mat, rather than both a parka and a down jacket. I figure if I get stuck out in a storm the combination rescue bivy and sleeping bag will keep me warmer and its unlikely I'll be sitting around my emergency camp trying to stay warm, I'll be either trying to walk out or hunkering down.
 
I generally have an orange vest in the trunk and if there any chance of hunting in the area I usually wear it until well past the trailhead and up in the spruce. I occasionally plan hikes in Maine on Sundays to avoid the entire issue.
 
I *almost* think you are going too warm. What about nice days? :D

I usually start off wearing a long sleeved shirt, but carry a short sleeved shirt. That way, I can wear either or both.

I also usually carry long bottoms, lightweight in summer but midweight in spring and fall.

I also carry a simple wind shell and light sweater instead of a softshell.
 
I too am doing my first hike tomorrow with the fall/winter switch over. I'm not in the kind of trail shape as many here so I like to go ahead and get 95% of the Winter gear into the pack to get used to the sharp increase in weight from the lean summer packs so I have some sort of decent conditioning level when full Winter conditions are here.
 
I *almost* think you are going too warm. What about nice days? :D

A key chain light is lighter, cheaper, and smaller, as a backup light. I just clip it to my headlamp strap. Costs $.50 and weighs 1/4 ounce. And you can probably get a headlamp that only uses 2 batteries.

Obviously, where you go and actual conditions make a big difference in what you bring (or does it?). Instead of putting everything in the pack immediately, I prefer to determine what to bring for any given day/hike. Having a checklist helps determine what to bring, or not...

Good points Tom.

I carry less than most in summer and more than most the rest of the year. I generally don't get too concerned with pack weight anymore. I carry what I have found I like and trust over the years after lots of trial and error. If I am under 25 pounds I am good. I get cranky beyond that though.

The second headlamp has a few purposes. I have given a few away to potentially late hikers at this point so carry it as donation material. Also, on various night hikes, I actually occasionally need the second one. The key lights are great though, agreed, when the primary purpose is as backup.

As to your point about weather and good days, this pack is for longer days and above tree line, not for a 3 miler around the Randolph waterfalls, but to clarify the excess...I pack what I need to spend the night comfortably in fall in northern NH if injured...with overnight temps well below freezing sometimes, those nice days finish cold. That's a pack for a solo hiker.

I do normally have a light rain jacket instead of the parka in fall, but that's in there now, and yes, that may be overkill, but I don't have a good medium rain coat.

I'll add a pad before long....and on special days, a stove, mug, and some tea or coffee.

Orange Vest!!! Yes PB. I will add that one too...must pull out of the closet.

And to agree with JFB's point, I will often hike in shorts with that pack in fall. It's mostly gear I never pull out this time of year.
 
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This time of year, like the spring is tough to pack for. Rather then over or under packing, I resort to a large duffle, that I haul to the mountains when I hike. In the duffle is everything I could possibly need for this time of year. Given the possible senarios, when I arrive at my trailhead, I assess weather and ground conditions for that day, then attack my duffle and pack. If the forecast calls for sunny calm conditions, a lot of the winter gear stays behind and maybe the shorts go back in. I used to just transistion to a heavy standard load, but found myself sitting up high with useless heavy gear weighing me down, on a sunny warm day.
 
So yesterday (Saturday), I hiked up to Star Lake at about 5000 feet in the col between Adams and Madison. It was a gorgeous day yesterday with lots of sun and some clouds.

At around 4500' there was ice on the krumholz and from a report of a hiker descending, the Adams summit cone had ice covered rocks tricky to navigate. Daytime wind chills above 5000 feet were predicted to be 3F according to NWS and Mt. Washington never got out of the 20's. It was windy, but I hung out in the col for 20 minutes with a hat, gloves, and heavy fleece soft shell.

Perfect hiking weather really but definitely a chill in the air yesterday.

Good point Sierra. I do something like that in the winter months.

My car becomes my duffle sometimes when I have to choose among traction and types of heavier outer layers, goggles, etc.

Good discussion. It's a good time to think about the change in seasons.
 
Yesterday (Saturday) I was on Waumbek. Lovely day down low, but there was rime ice melting off the trees starting just below the Starr King summit, and a chill wind. I was glad I had gloves and a warm hat. Fall is here!

The new(ish) viewpoint past the Waumbek summit is lovely. I watched a Spruce Grouse in the woods on Starr King for a while, it was all puffed up and in no hurry to fly away. A great day to be out.
 
Good points Tom.

The second headlamp has a few purposes. I have given a few away to potentially late hikers at this point so carry it as donation material. Also, on various night hikes, I actually occasionally need the second one. The key lights are great though, agreed, when the primary purpose is as backup.

+1 for a second headlamp... I had the battery cable pulled out of one coming down from Flume in the winter...those pine branches get caught in whatever they can. Fortunately only the strain relief needed fixing, but I just used my backup until I got back to the car.

Then last week the last incandescent bulb on my old,old black diamond Helion lamp burnt out (the spare was already used).
 
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