Gear Discussion

On this page I give a comprehensive explanation for my Gear Lists. For more general gear information and for gear lists from other trips, visit the Tips & Advice section.

I look at gear as simply a means -- to stay alive, stay comfortable, and stay moving. In my mind, gear is no different than food, maps, or game trails: gear simply helps me to achieve my goal, in this case to return to Kotzebue after an epic loop around Alaska and Yukon. I carry as little gear as I can -- there's no sense in burdening my body and mind with things I don't really "need."

The Gear Lists are designed specifically for the conditions that I will encounter during the AYE. I determined the nature of these conditions by examining historical weather data, interviewing individuals with local knowledge, and researching the experiences of others that have been subsequently shared (via blogs, documentary videos, forum posts, etc.). And then based on my projected itinerary, I determined which conditions I would experience where. I also determined how much daylight I will have, as this affects my need for artificial lighting and the amount of time I spend in camp.

Descriptions of the Conditions

I expect to encounter four distinct groups of conditions (which coincide with the seasons) during AYE:

Winter: Kotzebue to Cantwell, AK -- 1,100 miles
Mid-March through late-April

While the worst of the Arctic's winter conditions will have passed by the time I arrive in Kotzebue, the conditions will still be very challenging. The average low is about -10 F and the average high is about 10 F. Thankfully the conditions become less extreme as I ski southward, get inland away from the Bering and Chuckchi Seas, and move into April: when I reach McGrath about 4.5 weeks into the trip, average temperatures are 10 F and 35 F. The warming trend will be somewhat neutralized when I climb into the higher elevations of the Alaska Range in mid-April, by which time I will have about 18 hours of daylight.

I will ski most of the 1,100 miles between Kotzebue and Cantwell. Along the western coastline the snow will be dry, sugary, windblown, and thin. The snow will begin to melt as I approach the Alaska Range, but I will be following the hard-packed Iditarod Trail, and repeated freezing/thawing will hopefully result in some icy (i.e. "fast") conditions at night and in the morning. I approach the Alaska Range from the northwest, in its rainshadow, and some sections could be completely windswept; I might be walking. The snowpack in the Alaska Range could be very challenging, especially at lower elevations where it will be melting quickly and rotting out, leading to extensive and arduous post-holing.

Spring: Cantwell to Cordova, AK -- 700 miles
Late-April through May

Spring happens quickly in Alaska: the snow melts out fast due to the 20+ hours of daylight and the relatively warm temperatures (average temps between 30 and 50). I will continue to hit pockets of snow at higher elevations and on north-facing slopes, but probably not enough to justify the weight and hassle of skis, especially since these 700 miles are mostly in mid-elevations that should have melted out already. The now-open rivers provide an opportunity for a different type of backcountry travel: packrafting.

Summer: Cordova to Fort McPherson, NWT -- 1,950 miles
June through mid-August

During the summer I'll see the warmest temperatures and the longest days: averages will be in the 40's and 60's, and I will continue to have more daylight (20-22 hours) than I can possibly use. Some heavy rainstorms will inevitably nail me, but my bigger concern will be maintaining my sanity during the bug hatches, namely the mosquitoes and black flies. DEET, full-coverage clothing, and smart route selection should help my cause, but I nevertheless expect to rejoice when Fall's cooler temperatures arrive.

Fall: Fort McPherson to Kotzebue -- 950 miles
Mid-August through early-October

The bugs will fade, but Fall brings other challenges. Rainfall increases and the average temperature declines, resulting in more common cold-and-wet conditions. The days also become incrementally shorter, to the point where I have 17 hours of daylight by early-September and only 13 hours of daylight by early-October. Finally, if I do not finish early enough, I will have to deal with the Fall freeze-up, when ice is too thin to support my weight but thick enough to bring an end to river travel in my packraft.

Explanations for Gear Decisions

Vapor Barrier Liners (VBL's). A VBL is made out of a non-breathable fabric (e.g. silicone-impregnated nylon) that does not allow moisture to pass through it. In cold conditions, VBL's are critical to preserving the long-term warmth of insulated garments, which are adversely affected by moisture, namely perspiration that cannot move through outer layers and evaporate because it reaches the dew point beforehand, and hence transforms from water vapor into water droplets, wetting the insulation. I wrote a lengthy article about VBL's for Backpacking Light Magazine in early-2009.

Skis. Given the amount of snow I will encounter, I need some type of floatation. Snowshoes are versatile but very slow, and bicycles are fast on packed trails but useless otherwise -- so skis are the right choice here. Which skis to choose, however, is a different matter. After a lot of research I went with a lightweight "ski mountaineering" setup that occasionally will be "too much" and occasionally "too little," but normally "just right." The 205 cm-length and 67-57-62 sidecut will offer better glide and comparable float versus a pair of shorter-but-fatter skis; the waxable base is pickier but ultimately faster and more versatile; the full-length metal edges add weight but will be very helpful on wind-sculpted sastrugi, windswept river ice, and steep headwalls. I chose 3-pin telemark bindings because the Crispi Mountain boots fit me better than any NNN-BC boot. And I went with carbon fiber poles because swing weight is hugely important; they are well worth the added cost.

Shelters. My winter shelter, an eVent alpine bivy, is admittedly minimalist. But I think it's the only ultralight shelter that's appropriate for the task -- I don't think it's possible to successfully or confidently stake down a non-freestanding shelter (e.g. the MLD SoloMid that I'll be using later) in the Arctic's loose snow and high winds. In contrast, the bivy is very low-profile, requires no stakes, and can be used inside a snow cave or quickly protected with a snow wall. The SoloMid will be my choice once I can regularly camp on snow-free ground -- its pyramid design offers excellent storm protection for very little weight. And when the bugs hatch, I will use the Innernet.

Navigation. I will carry a GPS for at least the first 300 miles (and perhaps for the first 800 miles, depending on how useful I find it) because it will make navigating along the coastline, which is generally flat and monotonous, and prone to whiteouts. Once I have more bearings, I am sufficiently comfortable with my map & compass skills to send the GPS back. The best way to avoid being lost is to always track your progress.

Communications

Packraft. Like my skis, my packraft enables me to travel through the wilderness with much greater efficiency. I can float effortlessly down fast-flowing rivers; I can paddle across large saltwater bays; I can ferry across dangerous rivers; and I can rest my feet and conserve calories for another time. My packraft for the AYE is a skinnier version of the popular Alpacka Yukon Yak. The builders narrowed the hull, eliminated the backrest (and cut 2" off the boat's length), and used their lightest fabrics. It is not as whitewater-worthy as their standard designs, but I shouldn't be pushing my whitewater skills on this expedition anyway.

Synthetic insulations versus down. I prefer using goose down when I can: it is warmer for its weight (i.e. more thermally efficient), it compresses more, and it has a longer lifespan. But down is more susceptible to moisture than synthetic insulations, so when I expect to frequently encounter wet/humid/damp/overcast conditions and to have limited opportunities to dry everything out, I tend to favor synthetic insulations despite their shortcomings. During the AYE I will begin to encounter such conditions starting in May, which explains why I transition towards synthetic insulations at that point.

Bear Protection. I will encounter a lot of bears on this trip, no doubt. And they do demand attention and respect, though probably not the fear that many people have of them. I will carry bear deterrent starting in April, when the first bears emerge from hibernation. My preferred deterrent is pepper spray but the canisters are very difficult to ship, so I may have to settle for marine flares if pepper spray is not locally available. I should be able to pick up pepper spray when I reach the Parks Highway in late-April. More important than carrying bear spray, however, is taking preemptive actions to avoid bad bear encounters: I make noise when my visibility is limited by trees or brush, especially if I'm following a bear trail; I never camp where I cook or close to bear trails; I do not cook foods with strong odors; and I keep my food in odor-proof Aloksak bags. If I take preemptive actions like these, I think I can greatly reduce the likelihood that I will discharge a pepper spray canister.

First Aid & Emergency. The contents of my first aid & emergency kit is based on what I have needed during past trips, with extra consideration to the remoteness and inaccessibility of this particular route. Based on past experience I think it is "unlikely" that I will injure myself seriously and I therefore don't think it's worth the additional weight to treat such injuries. If something serious does happen, one of three things may happen: (1) ideally, I will "self rescue" by leaving my intended route for a safe zone; (2) less preferably, I can call for a direct rescue via a sat phone or SPOT; or finally, (3) my support crew (which has all of my route information) will call in the emergency because I'm overdue. The more likely application for my First Aid & Emergency kit is inconsequential cuts and bruises, blisters on my fingers, and perhaps an overuse injury (e.g. shin splints) that I can nurse back to health with special care and ibuprofen.