IMG Mt. Khuiten Mongolia Expedition Gear List

This equipment list is meant to help you compile your personal gear for a high-altitude climbing trip. Most items are required. Please consider each item carefully and be sure you understand the function of each piece of equipment before you substitute or delete items from your duffle. Keep in mind that this list has been carefully compiled by the IMG Guide Team. Don't cut corners on the quality of your gear.

Travel Items:
[  ]	Duffel Bags: You will bring 2 duffle bags on this trip. One duffle will accompany you on the trek and climb. Duffels are carried by porters and camels and should be sturdy and waterproof with name written on bag (in case tag is lost.) Bags with wheels are nice for the airport, but the porters and camels don't like to carry them, so don't bring wheeled bags. Your second duffle bag will stay in Ulaanbaatar where you can store some travel clothes. Tip: Bring 5 large plastic garbage bags to pack gear inside duffels to protect gear from rain.
[  ]	Daypack for travel: A daypack or bag with a shoulder strap is excellent for travel, so you will have your hands free while doing the duffle shuffle, passport control and customs at the airport. It needs to be big enough to hold everything you'll need for an overnight stop.
[  ]	Locks: You'll want padlocks in Mongolia, but for flying out of the USA, it might be better to use plastic zip ties which can be cut by TSA staff if necessary (bring extra zip ties.)
[  ]	Travel Wallet: Important for carrying your important documents including passport, extra photos, duffel inventory list, and money. We suggest that you use a travel wallet that you can hang around your neck and place inside your shirt, or around your waist tucked under your shirt or trousers.
[  ]	Passport-valid for at least 6 months after the trip ends with sufficient extra pages for visa stamps and in same name as airline ticket (or with endorsement-for people who changed name w/ marriage.) Get your Mongolia visa on arrival in Ulaanbaatar at the airport.
[  ]	Additional passport photos — at least two: one for Mongolia visa, plus an extra.
Trekking Gear:
[  ]	Trekking Poles: Poles come in handy for balance and easing impact to your knees. Get collapsible poles that can attach to your backpack.
[  ]	Backpacks: The "day pack" is great for a travel carry-on but will not be large enough for the climb. Climbers need a larger pack (70 L). For the international flights put your backpack into the duffle bags.
[  ]	Pack Cover: Waterproof rain cover for your pack.
[  ]	Sleeping Bag: Rated to at least 0° Fahrenheit. Synthetic or Down.
[  ]	Sleeping pad or Thermarest.
Climbing Gear:
[  ]	Harness: We prefer a harness with a minimum of padding that can be adjusted to fit over bulky clothing. It's also nice to have a harness with leg loops that open so you don't have to step into it.
[  ]	Ice Axe: We like a general-purpose axe in the 60-70 cm range (similar to Mt. Rainier.) A wrist leash is useful for wearing while crossing snow bridges or on steep slopes where losing an axe would be a big problem. A spike with a point is preferable to a tubular shape (which can glance off the ice.)
[  ]	Crampons: The number one rule with crampons is that they need to stay on your boots no matter what. Make sure your boots are compatible with your crampons. Avoid "cookie cutter" crampons with a vertical side rail. They tend to ball up in soft snow. Mono points, heel hooks, and various technical ice paraphernalia may be great for an icicle but are unnecessary for mountaineering.
[  ]	Helmet, Ascender and Hardware: Two locking carabiners, one mechanical ascender with slings, rappel device (figure 8 or similar) 3 extra shoulder slings with carabiners. Bring 30 feet of 8mm accessory cord (we will show you a good way to do this.)
Camp Accessories:
[  ]	Cup/Bowl/Spoon
[  ]	Headlamp with extra batteries
[  ]	Water bottles (Nalgene 1Liter bottle X2)
[  ]	Pee bottle
[  ]	Water Treatment: Steripen or chemical water treatment
Personal Accessories:
[  ]	Eyewear: Glacier glasses for snow, sunglasses for town. For contact lens wearers, ski goggles with light color lenses might be useful in windy conditions that cause blowing dust.
[  ]	Goggles
[  ]	Vision correction: If required, bring extra prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses and lens solution.
[  ]	Skin Care: Maximum SPF sunscreen and lip balm.
[  ]	Basic First Aid and Personal Items: Hand sanitizer (Purell.), moleskin, tape, aspirin (many climbers take an 81mg aspirin every day to prevent stroke,) ibuprofen / acetaminophen, Imodium and Pepto Bismol for diarrhea, Band-Aids, antacid, insect repellant, ear plugs, and several rolls of toilet paper, small towel, soap/shampoo, a few disposable dust masks, hand cream.
[  ]	Prescription Medications: Antibiotic for respiratory and GI problems (azithromycin "Z-Pak") Diamox (acetazolamide) for acclimatization (125mg tabs recommended, enough for a week) A few Sleeping pills for the first few days of jet lag Malaria Chemoprophylaxis, (not needed for Mongolia unless your travel plans also include other areas of concern, in which case we suggest Malarone) Asthma medication, if any history (for example an Advair inhaler — many people find this VERY useful for "Khumbu Cough" bronchitis/irritation which can ruin your expedition and prevent you from climbing.) Nifedipine (for pulmonary edema, the 30mg time release x 2 tablets) Dexamethasone (for cerebral edema, 4mg x 10 tablets).
[  ]	Cold medicine (Sudafed, etc,) Chloroseptic or Tessalon Perles throat lozenges.
[  ]	Personal Snack Food: Lunches are included but you might like to bring a modest amount of personal snacks, also some drink mixes if you like these (add drink mix to your water bottle after giving iodine tablets 30 minutes of contact time.)
[  ]	High Camp Food: 3 freeze dried meals of your choice for the nights spent at High Camp.
[  ]	Chemical hand warmers (6)
[  ]	Wristwatch: With alarm and light for reading in the dark. We like the Suunto Watches
[  ]	Camera with extra batteries
[  ]	External battery pack for charging your devices (Smartphone, camera, iPad, etc)
[  ]	Pocket knife
Footwear:
[  ]	Double Plastic Mountaineering Boots or equivalent for the climb.
[  ]	Lightweight Shoes: Running/tennis shoes and sandals for camp, around town, etc.
[  ]	Hiking Boots: Medium-weight hiking boots, waterproofed and broken-in.
[  ]	Gaiters: To keep snow, mud, and scree out of your hiking boots.
[  ]	Socks: At least 3 complete changes of socks, in a combination that you have used and know works for you. Boots must be enough for the sock combination; tight boots will make your feet cold.
Clothing:
[  ]	Base Layer: 2 pair synthetic long johns: one midweight set and one expedition weight set.
[  ]	Mid Layers: One additional warm layer (wool sweater, another fleece jacket, shelled vest, etc, that can be worn in conjunction to the other layers.)
[  ]	Shell Jacket: Waterproof/breathable jacket with hood.
[  ]	Shell Pants: Waterproof/breathable pants (full side zips are best.)
[  ]	Climbing/Trekking Pants: Look for construction that provides freedom of movement and/or stretch materials. Fabric should be a breathable synthetic that preferably holds up to abrasion and dries quickly. You can wear them over longjohns if it is cold.
[  ]	Warm Parka: Down or synthetic. REQUIRED This should be big enough to go over other garments.
[  ]	Trekking Clothes: Light hiking pants and / or hiking shorts for warm weather down low- NOT cotton. Shirts for hiking on nice days (t-shirts OK, quick-drying synthetic fabric far better.)
[  ]	Casual Clothes: For travel/meals in dining rooms. You'll want a shirt or two with a collar to wear on flights and for restaurants. A sweatshirt or light jacket might be nice in the evening.
Clothing Accessories:
[  ]	Gloves: Light gloves for hiking and warm ski gloves. Bring mittens too if your hands tend to get cold.
[  ]	Hats: Warm wool or heavy fleece hat, sun hat and bandana.
[  ]	A "Buff" or light balaclava to breathe through in the cold dry air. Good for preventing coughs.