Mountain of gear

Paul Fish of Spokane has sold millions of dollars worth of specialized outdoor equipment in the 25 years since the former backpack builder retired his industrial sewing machine and founded Mountain Gear, Inc.

Perhaps nobody in Spokane has more insight and access into a gear junkie’s dreams.

That’s why the inquiring minds of common consumers want to know what Fish packed on his own back to survive – and enjoy – an attempted traverse of Alaska’s Mount Fairweather.

Named in 1778 by Capt. James Cook, perhaps in a lapse of sick humor, Fairweather is remote, dangerous, smothered by 200 feet of snowfall a year, and generally shrouded in clouds. No rangers are on hand for rescues, as they are at Mount McKinley. Except for ski planes that can access the mountain in its brief windows of navigable weather, the few climbers who attempt the peak are pretty much on their own when it comes to getting out of a pickle.

Fish trained and prepared for a year before launching on the trip on April 21. “Virtually every decision on gear was based on weight and performance,” he said.

High-tech gear enabled the climbers to package all of their cold-weather clothing, shelter, climbing tools and glacier-travel gear, not including skis and boots, into packs weighing about 40 pounds before adding food.

“Not that many years ago, you couldn’t have come close to that weight,” Fish said.

Here are his equipment choices and observations based on weeks of drudgery, including six days tent-bound in a storm on an Alaska glacier.

1. Backpack – All teammates favored no-frills, internal-frame expedition models big in volume (7,000 cubic inches), yet light in weight, with comfy suspension systems. Jeff Johnson upgraded to the Osprey Crescent and Kopczynski to a Gregory Denali Pro.

Fish had it all figured out 25 years ago when he built his voluminous pack, which weighs 5.25 pounds, nearly 2 pounds lighter than the new models. (See “Inside the pack”)

2. Snowshoes – Slower than skis, but much lighter, more versatile, maybe safer, certainly cheaper.

3. Ice axes – CAMP Corsa Nanotech provided all the glacial security at just 9 ounces. Fish also carried a Black Diamond Vyper, the all-terrain vehicle of technical ice tools.

4. Crampons – CAMP Vector’s light, strong stainless steel points stay sharp; built to handle vertical ice as well as solid edging platform.

5. Aluminum shovel – Most-used tool of the trip, for clearing campsites, building snow-block kitchens, and keeping the tent from being smothered by snowfall. (Plastic shovels are useless on packed snow.)

6. Pants – Hard-shell ArcTeryx Alpha LT Gore-Tex, weighing only 17 ounces complete with full watertight side zips, instep patches and built-in gaiter. For everyday wear, he chose ArcTeryx Gamma AR pants with stretchy, woven weather-resistant (not waterproof) fabric for comfort, mobility and layering.

Backup: “For the really cold, bad days I had (Gore-Tex) overalls with a crotch zip for the smallest possible opening when nature called.”

7. Boots – La Sportiva Spantick double boot, compatible with step-in crampons, combines the latest lightest materials, integral gaiter collar, fast one-handed lacing system at just 5 pounds a pair (about 40 percent less than plastic boots).

“I can drive in these boots,” Fish said. “The inner boots are like toasty slippers. I even slept in them a few times. I’ll never go back to down booties.”

Inside the boots: CoolMax slick and thin inner sock and SmartWool (soft Merino) oversock.

8. Climbing harness – Black Diamond Alpine Bod, simple and minimal, featuring quick-release leg loop buckles for easy on-off without removing crampons. “The only harness to have,” Fish said.

9. Alpine ski touring gear – Top-of-the line short, light Dynafit skis and alpine touring bindings with warm boots comfy enough to wear all the time if needed ($2,000 package).

Turns out, the group traveled exclusively on snowshoes, but the Leki Makalu titanium ski poles were well used and “worth every penny,” Fish said.

10. Jackets – Outdoor Research Chaos Jacket with Primaloft insulation, hood and weather-resistant Gore Windstopper shell. “It’s a lot of jacket for 24 ounces,” he said.

He also had a Gore-Tex shell for the wettest weather, North Face Flight Series soft-shell for insulation and Mountain Hardware longies with anti-microbial treatment and silk-like finish. In the worst weather, he donned OR’s Saturn Suit one-piece sleeveless Polartec Power Stretch base layer with crotch zip.

Backup life-saver: ArcTeryx Dually Belay Parka, hydrophobic synthetic insulation, no sewn-through seams, highly compressible.

“The idea was that if my down sleeping bag was a bad choice (for wet conditions), I could fall back on synthetics.”

11. Glacier glasses – Julbo Dolgan glasses have good lenses, full UVA, UVB and UBC protection, good fit and plastic side shield.

“I was the only one who also brought ski goggles, and during some really nasty moments, I was the only person who could see.”

12. Electronics – Climbers are high-tech creatures nowadays. The waterproof Garmin 60 CSx GPS unit pictured in Fish’s hand features accurate elevation data, compass, large color display, excellent maps and it maintained a signal no matter how close he was to steep canyon walls.

Fish said it was particularly useful in helping the team retrace reasonably reliable courses through glaciers even in bad weather, improving the speed of travel and thus the safety.

“It was so easy to use, even the older climbers in the group figured it out,” he said.

Other electronics include:

“Satellite phone: Fish chose a Globalstar primarily because it was compatible with group’s solar charger.

“Solar charger: as noted above, choose one that’s compatible to other electronics. (Note that PowerEx 2700mAh ultra high-capacity AA batteries hold a charge longer than most.)

“iPod: considered essential for mental survival in stormbound tents with partner who hasn’t bathed in weeks, Fish confirms.

“Digital camera: Keep it close to body to keep batteries warm.

“Headlamp: LED.