I've always been a sucker for overpacking... and this time isn't any
different. As Eliana, the guide who stayed behind with me in Mendoza,
observed, I seem to have brought double the amount of stuff. Then again,
better safe than sorry. I didn't want to have to spend a day in Mendoza
rounding up gear.
Top 5 Overpacking Examples:
5) Bringing 10 lbs of yummy goodies... Most notably raspberry Clif Shots, Honey Stinger Energy Packets, and--my favorite--NZ's famous Bumper Bars. They're just so good! But when you have to lug all this stuff up 23,000 ft you give all those snacks a second thought...
4) 4 pairs of long underwear bottoms. My legs usually stay pretty warm. And turns out you're only supposed to bring one pair of long underwear bottoms. Oooops.
3) A humongous first aid kit. I blame my mother for this one... Her instance that I stay "safe" and "healthy" might have been my undoing on this mountain if I had really lugged all of the pills, bandages, medicines, and other assorted medical tools she had wanted me to carry with me.
2) A solar charger and a solar charging Steri-Pen (to purify water). Two comments on this one: 1) It seemed like a good idea when I was back in the US... and 2) Turns out Iodine does a perfectly good job (and is about 5lbs lighter...).
1) Bringing 5 pairs of sunglasses... yeah... the high alpine sun might be a killer, but 5 pairs of sunglasses is definitely overkill. :P
So now that I have all of my mountain gear packed into one of my duffel bags (with my extra gear and street clothes stuffed into the other), I'm ready to head off to Penitentes to meet up with my group tomorrow morning. I'm going to get my climbing permit from the National Park office there and then we'll begin our three day hike to Base Camp.
Awesome!!! So glad it all appears to be coming together. :)
Cason
Top 5 Overpacking Examples:
5) Bringing 10 lbs of yummy goodies... Most notably raspberry Clif Shots, Honey Stinger Energy Packets, and--my favorite--NZ's famous Bumper Bars. They're just so good! But when you have to lug all this stuff up 23,000 ft you give all those snacks a second thought...
4) 4 pairs of long underwear bottoms. My legs usually stay pretty warm. And turns out you're only supposed to bring one pair of long underwear bottoms. Oooops.
3) A humongous first aid kit. I blame my mother for this one... Her instance that I stay "safe" and "healthy" might have been my undoing on this mountain if I had really lugged all of the pills, bandages, medicines, and other assorted medical tools she had wanted me to carry with me.
2) A solar charger and a solar charging Steri-Pen (to purify water). Two comments on this one: 1) It seemed like a good idea when I was back in the US... and 2) Turns out Iodine does a perfectly good job (and is about 5lbs lighter...).
1) Bringing 5 pairs of sunglasses... yeah... the high alpine sun might be a killer, but 5 pairs of sunglasses is definitely overkill. :P
So now that I have all of my mountain gear packed into one of my duffel bags (with my extra gear and street clothes stuffed into the other), I'm ready to head off to Penitentes to meet up with my group tomorrow morning. I'm going to get my climbing permit from the National Park office there and then we'll begin our three day hike to Base Camp.
Awesome!!! So glad it all appears to be coming together. :)
Cason
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