The outdoor settings we visit require you to have all items on the first day of your trip. Forgotten items will be purchased with your pocket money. Do not pack more than what is on the list. Your duffel serves as a storage locker. On your trip we will help you fit everything in your soft-sided duffel and backpack.
____Backpack: Bring an internal frame “overnight type” backpack: size: approximately 3,500-6,000 cu. in. Depending on your size, the capacity should be appropriate for a five day backpack trip. Any wilderness equipment store (REI, Dick’s Sporting Goods, EMS, etc.) will be able to help you select and fit your pack.
____Duffel: You are allowed one duffel. While engaged in activities, excess clothing is left in your duffel locked in the van. We suggest a tough, flexible soft-sided bag approximately 34”x16”x16” or smaller. No wheels or suitcases please, they become a loading hazard on the vans!
____Sleeping Bag: A medium weight, mummy style, nylon bag with synthetic filling (Polar Guard 3D, Qualofil, Lite Loft, etc.) made for camping and backpacking and rated to 0-5°F. A stuff sack is required. Your sleeping bag NEEDS to be small and compactible and able to fit into the bottom of your backpack.
____Daypack: Bring one large “school type” daypack. To be used during the day to carry personal items.
TRAVEL GEAR
____“Therm-A-Rest” air or foam ground pad for sleeping
____2 backpacking type water bottles, and/or a 1-2 liter Camelback type hydration system
____Backpack rain cover to keep your pack dry
CLOTHING
You need a one week supply of clothing, too much it gets in the way. We will wash laundry once a week. This trip spends most of the time in the back-country. Choose as many synthetic articles of clothing as possible; they are warmer than cotton, easier to dry and great for layering. Synthetics such as polypropylene, fleece, pile, and wool are best.
Inner layer
____One week supply of underwear
____1 pair medium weight long underwear, top and bottom
____1 pair heavy weight long underwear, top and bottom
Middle layer
____2 pairs of lightweight shorts
____1 polar fleece jacket; the fuzzy synthetic stuff
____1 pair polar fleece pants
____3 short sleeve shirts-synthetic or wool material
____2 long sleeve shirt, mid to heavy weight, synthetic fabric is best.
____1 pair of jeans or khakis
____1 pair of synthetic hiking pants (zip-off shorts are nice)
____1 swimsuit
Outer layer
____1 synthetic heavy or puffy jacket
____Medium weight rain proof jacket. Breathable (Gortex or similar material) is best
____Rain proof pants. Gortex material is best
____Bug Net Head Set: Netting to protect you from insects
____Full length gaiters are HIGHLY recommended to keep snow/water/ mud out of your boots
HEAD & HANDS
____Fleece or wool hat
____Baseball style cap or rain hat
____1 pair of synthetic gloves or mittens
____Outer Gortex or other waterproof ski-like gloves(necessary for ice climbing).
FOOTWEAR
____2 pairs of synthetic sock liners
____5 pairs of hiking socks; a wool, synthetic blend is preferred
____Water sandals that secure around your ankles (Tevas,Chaco)
____Sneakers/running shoes
____Hiking boots made for backpacking; above ankle high, full leather, heavy weight & flexible: Merrell, Vasque, Asolo, Technica. A generous, comfortable fit is critical. Break in before trip.
TOILETRIES
____SPF 30+ sun screen, chapstick with sun screen
____Bug spray, preferably with DEET
____Personal toiletries, meds, prescriptions, bandanna, etc.
____Mole skin or second skin for blisters; buy at pharmacy
____One medium towel
____Laundry bag and small camping pillow
____2 packages of Wet Naps; cleaning towelettes
MISCELLANEOUS
____Headlamp/ lightweight flashlight & batteries
____Camera (Phone & camera must be separate devices!), batteries/charger
____Mess kit: fork, spoon, knife, plate, bowl, mug & mesh bag
____Pair of trekking poles (optional)
____“Crazy Creek” camp chair
____Bring a spare pair or glasses or contact lenses, including a protective case. Yes, wearing contacts is okay!
____Sunglasses; high quality with side coverage. Also bring a secure strap (Chums or Croakies).
____Journal, stationary and stamps
____Eye mask for sleeping (optional)
Important Information Regarding Your Trip---PLEASE READ THIS!
Weather: Weather in Alaska can be volatile and may change in just a couple of minutes. Temperatures will vary between 25°F-75°F.
Spending Money: Bring approximately $75 per week. This is for personal expenses and gifts. If you run out of money, you have spent too much. Unless there is an emergency, Bold Earth will not advance money.
Identification: ID is required when checking in for your flights and to cash travelers checks. Bring along a picture ID, library card, school ID or state ID card. If you bring a passport it will be held for you by the trip leader. A Travel Permission Slip is MANDATORY(available online 3 weeks before your trip).
Health Notice: Giardia, a water borne illness is common. We treat all natural water sources but it still sometimes gets through. If after the summer you have diarrhea, contact your doctor.
Helmets: Helmets are provided and required for rafting and ice climbing.
Laundry: You wash your own clothes once a week along the way. We provide the suds, coins and know-how. Many participants have identical jeans, socks, hiking boots, etc. A good practice is to put your name on items which are not unique to you.
Trip Journal: Bring along a notebook to record the challenges and successes of your adventure.
Forest Service (“USFS”) and National Park Service (“NPS”): Bold Earth is required to notify all participants that, to the extent a court determines USFS and NPS restrictions on waivers of liability apply to Bold Earth as a matter of law, Bold Earth’s liability for negligence may not be waived while you are traveling on those affected lands.
Reading List: The people, places and activities you will encounter on your trip are diverse and incredible. These are a few books offering background information. We suggest you consider reading these books before, during or after your adventure. Also, you might like to read Outside Magazine, Backpacker Magazine, Climbing Magazine, Rock & Ice or Trilogy Magazine, available everywhere. For additional adventurous reading, check out Extreme Classics: The 100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time.
Into the Wild, by John Krakauer. After graduating from Emory University in Atlanta in 1992, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska, where he went to live in the wilderness. His diary, letters and two notes found at a remote campsite tell of his desperate effort to survive.
Alaska: A Novel, by James A. Michener. Using his characteristic writing style of starting at the very beginning (in this case, with native people living on the coastland we now know of as Eastern Russia) and then developing the story generation after generation through his rich and interesting characters, Michener tells the complete story of Alaska. The reader learns how Alaska was first settled, what animals first roamed its lands, what the native Inuit people were like in their unique culture and how they survived in the harsh environment, how the Americans bought the land from Russia, how the gold rush happened and what it was like for gold prospectors in the unforgiving winderness.
Minus 148 Degrees: The First Winter Ascent of Mount McKinley, by Art Davidson. Coming down from the first winter ascent of Mount McKinley, three climbers get caught in winds of 130 miles an hour - and hence a windchill of minus 148°F and that melodramatic title. They dig an ice cave to survive, their hands freeze up, the wind just won't quit. A minor classic in the will-they-make-it? category.
LEARNING • SERVICE • LEADERSHIP
