Tickets and More Gear

Well its a done deal, after a bit of a stuff up. Purchased a one way ticket to NZ flying out of Melb on the 11th of July (Not June as i intially booked...). Getting into CHCH at 3 in the arvo. Spent some time deliberating over baggage. Will be making full use of Virgin Blues sporting equipment only weighs 5kg. Giving me 15kg for my pack. I figure i can jam two sets of skis, ice axes, crampons, rope, bivy, tarp and tent into my ski bag, hopefully meaning my skis will weigh 20kg, but only count for 5kg! Yay! So i figured it was time to start making a detailed list...so here it is (got to love a list)

Clothing 1 x Down Jacket (MD Aurora Sweater) 1 x Shell Jacket (OR Mentor) 1 x Shell Pants (MD Alpette Bibs) 2 x Beanies (1 x Warm 1 x Thin balaclava for under helment) 1 x 100 Weight Polar Fleece Jacket (MD's) 2 x Long sleeve Thermals (1 x Ice Breaker, 1 x Poly Pro) 1 x Short Sleeve Thermal 2 x Thermal Bottoms 1 x 100 Weight Polar Fleece Pants 4 x Socks 2 x Liner Socks 1 x Mitts (OR Cornice Mitts) 1 x Leather Riggers Gloves Sno sealed 1 x Liner Gloves 1 x Light Polar Fleec Gloves Climbing 2 x BD Venom Axes (1 x Adze 50cm, 1 x Hammer 57cm) 1 x SMC Crampons (12 pt) 1 x Harness (Petzl Adjama) 9 x Carbiners (4 x Screw Lock, 5 x Wire Gate) 7 x Slings (3 x 120cm, 2 x 180cm, 2 x 240cm) 2 x Prussiks (1 x Long, 1 x Short) 1 x Belay Device (Petzl Reverso) 2 x Screamers (Mammut) 3 x Snow Anchors Pitons?? Cams?? Rope?? Camping 1 x Macpac Olympus Tent 1 x Paddy Pallin Bivvy 1 x 3/4 Thermarest 1 x CCF 60cm 1 x Groundsheet 1 x MSR Wishperlite 1 x Stove Pad 1 x Pot with Frypan lid (2L?) 1 x Down Booties Skiing 2 x Skis (G3 Baron 183cm, Movement Freeheel 176cm) 2 x Bindings (Voile CRB 1 x 3pin, 1 Standard) 2 x Boots (1 x Garmont Energy, 1 x Garmont Synergy) 2 x Poles (1 x Black Diamond Expedition, 1 x Free) 1 x Skins (G3) 1 x Snow Shovel (Voile Tele pro) 1 x Beacon (Mammut Barryvox) 1 x Probe (G3 Pro 240cm) 1 x Ski Goggles Packs 1 x WE Lost Word (105L) 1 x Cactus Partol Pack (40L) Other 1 x Hydration Bladder 1 x Nalgene 1 x Camera 1 x Sunnies 1 x Zinc and Sunscreen Tooth Brush/Toothpaste Repair Kit Rope 4mm Cord x 15m Duct Tape Needle and Thread Seam Grip Zip Ties Knife Hmm More to come, i will be publishing a list of cost of gear etc. and where i sourced it from in the future when i get everything together. This is more for my benefit so i can work though what i have to do/make between now and the 11th!

I think the words "dumping its ass off" are the correct way to describe the snow conditions at the moment in NZ. Smiles all round :)

Gear...freakin.

Right so turns out getting gear is not A) Cheap or B) Cheap. Have been working on a number of items. Need to get my mountaineering kit sorted, and sleeping arrangements. Sleeping

• Currently i am using a -10C bag (MD Standarhart) and reckon i will be right with a bivy bag and a warm liner. Will take a WE overhang tarp (6x4 aka massive) for living under while hitch hiking about the place. Teamed up with an old school 3/4 thermarest and a short bit of CC foam and i reckon i will be onto a winner for alpine bivys and roadside luxury ;)
• Bivy Bag - Just bought 2nd hand Paddy Pallin goretex bivy bag for $75 AUD (RRP $550) ping ping ping!

Mountaineering Gear - Is expensive!

Well as a rank ameture mountaineer this i one hell of a steep learning curve. Have worked out some of my basic kit, still researching everything i can. Will give a final gear list and weight before i fly out!

• Ice axes - Either Black Diamond Raven Pro or Venom, or a similar axe by Petzl, Camp, Grivel etc. One adze, One Hammer.
• Crampons - Hard to decide whether steel or alloy is the go. Leaning towards a steel setup such as BD Sabretooth as the are dirct cheap on MEC 2nd hand gear swap ($35 CAD...PING). Aluminium considering BD Neve Pro. Nice and light.
• Draws, biners etc - Just got 8 DMM Truclip Straight Gate and 8 DMM Truclip Bent Gate biners and One BD Twist loc for $75 AUD 2nd hand barely used (PING). Will get some slings and draws to make up prob 7 sets of Draws.
• Slings - Backcountry.com i suspect....
• Belays device - Black Diamond Guide.
• Harness - My climbing harness Petzl Adjama.
• Prussiks and tape - Just out of whatever i can get cheap at MD's
• Protection - Still thinking about this. Ice screws, snow stakes, some cams (that i can afford) and nuts....all expensive stuff would be better to team up with someone else for this season...
• Rope - Rope is expensive....

Anyways, will update at a later date...