What To Bring

What you need when you come to the mountains depends on the nature of the trip. Please use our equipment list as a general guideline when packing for a backcountry excursion.

You don’t need to own specialized mountain equipment to head into the backcountry with Sawtooth Mountain Guides. We can either provide or rent all the gear necessary for a comfortable trip, including backpacks, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, water bottles, fleece, raingear, and climbing equipment such as ropes, harnesses, shoes, ice axes and crampons. Of course, it’s always best to have your own gear. Stores in the area we recommend include The Benchmark and Idaho Mountain Touring in Boise, and Backwoods Mountain Sports and Elehphant's Perch in Ketchum. Tell them you’re shopping for a Sawtooth Mountain Guides trip and they’ll take care of the rest.

In the mountains, the layering system is the model by which to dress. The layering system consists of a base layer, such as long underwear, an insulating layer, such as wool or fleece, and an outer layer, such as a Gore-tex jacket. We suggest that people dress for the current conditions and then add or subtract layers when changes in the weather occur.

In the layering system, cotton garments, such as t-shirts or shorts, are great for warm days when precipitation is not expected. When cotton gets wet, however, it loses all its insulating properties and actually draws heat from the body. By contrast, fleece and wool maintain their ability to insulate even when wet. Everybody wears shorts and t-shirts, but make sure the fleece and raingear is in your pack.

Mountain weather is varied and fickle, period. For this reason, those participating in any mountain outing, even if the forecast is for sun, should carry rain and/or wind gear and a fleece or wool jacket. A small wool hat is also a good idea.

Hydration is the key to staying healthy and strong in the mountains. Bring at least one liter of water in a container that won’t leak. Other important items include sunglasses, a tube of sunscreen, a baseball cap or visor, and extra food such as an energy bar. These items don’t weigh much, fit into a small backpack or fannypack, and almost always come in handy.

We look forward to seeing you in the mountains!