Mount Washington Attire
So I know for the future and everyone else has an idea.
Here’s what I wore on the trip:
- Synthetic longjohns
- Gore-Tex – XCR pants/bibs
- Gore-Tex gaiters
- Wool socks w/ silk sock liners
- Scarpa Inverno plastic double boot mountaineering boots
- 1/4 zip Coolmax sleeveless base layer
- 1/4 zip longsleeve synthetic base layer
- Windstopper fleece vest
- Longsleeve soft shell.
- Gore-Tex – XCR hard shell hooded jacket
- Hooded down coat
- Leather palmed snowboard gloves
- Windstopper hat
- Windstopper balaclava
- Neoprene face mask balaclava
- Goggles
I also brought, but did not wear:
- 100 weight 1/4 zip fleece shirt
- Down mittens
- 2 pairs of inner/glove liners
- Sunglasses
- Backup goggles
- Earband
When we started at the base it couldn’t have been more than 10° F. Shortly after starting up the trail we stopped to de-layer. I stripped down to the following:
- Synthetic longjohns
- Gore-Tex – XCR pants/bibs w/ side zips down to my knees
- Gore-Tex gaiters
- Wool socks w/ silk sock liners
- Scarpa Inverno plastic double boot mountaineering boots
- 1/4 zip Coolmax sleeveless base layer
- 1/4 zip longsleeve synthetic base layer
- Leather palmed snowboard gloves
At many points I’d take off my gloves and hike bare handed.
When we got to the ranger station at Hermit Lake, I put my vest back on, zipped up my side leg vents, and wore my gloves. Would probably have been smart to use my earband at this point.
Shortly before we stopped to put our crampons on, I put on my soft shell jacket and hat.
When we topped out of the Right Gully, I put on my hard shell jacket, windstopper balaclava, and goggles. At some point I put a glove liner on my right hand with the intention of putting the left one on too, but discovered I didn’t need either of them.
At each of the various stops, I’d put my down coat on for warmth, but take it off when we got moving again.
When we stopped at Split Rock to turn around, I swapped my windstopper balaclava for my neoprene face mask balaclava, put on my down mittens (not necessary and extremely difficult to use an ice axe with), and kept my down coat on for some of the decent (again, not necessary). I could have gone to my backup goggles, but put my originals back on which froze (?). At Split Rock the temperature was around -3° F with steady winds around 35mph.
Considering how loose my balaclava fit, I should have done directly to the neoprene face mask when we topped out of the Right Gully. I could breath better with it anyway.
Next time I don’t need to carry the extra fleece or 2 pairs of glove liners. The mittens are good as backup, but only for emergencies.
– b