AIARE Avalanche Courses
EMS Climbing School Provides: All technical equipment for all seasons including rock climbing shoes, plastic double boots, harness, helmet, crampons, and ice axes. Ski gear can be rented from the retail store. Please inquire when booking your reservation.
You Provide: Required equipment
Clothing is as important a piece of equipment as your boots and ice axe. Hypothermia is the leading cause of death in the White Mountains and Adirondacks. Being properly dressed is essential to enjoying your outdoor adventures.
Layering is an important part of winter. If your sweat isn't wicked away from your body for quicker evaporation, your body core temperature rises, producing more sweat. Sweat is what causes chills, chafing, and excess use of energy. When your body is not wasting energy producing heat to warm you up or producing sweat to cool you down, you will have more energy to hike and climb. This means more energy and endurance to go further, faster, and more comfortably in all types of weather.
Remember, you have to carry all your clothing with you, so packing efficiently is important. If you can't wear it all at once, don't bring it.
If you have questions about how many or which items to bring, please call 1-800-310-4504. We expect that you will be dressed and ready to go upon arrival to your lesson.
* indicates rental item is available from the climbing school or retail store.
Please call 800-310-4504 to discuss rental needs before your arrival date.
If you are unsure of any clothing or gear terminology check our Glossary
Base Layers
(Light to mid-weight synthetics, tight fitting and close to skin, tops and bottoms)
For women’s long underwear go here. For men’s click here.
Over-base Layer
(Light-weight fleece or heavy-weight EMS® Techwick®. Power-Stretch and micro-fleece are ideal materials for this layer.) For men’s click here. Women’s here.
Shirt
Pants
Insulation Layer
(200 to 300 weight fleece, heavy weight soft shell or Prima-Loft sweater)
Jacket. For men’s click here. Women’s here.
Wind and Rain Layer
(Waterproof/breathable pants and jacket)
Jacket with full waterproof/breathable hood (full side zip pants are helpful)
For women’s jackets click here. Men’s can be found here.
Over-It-All
A.K.A. "Puffy" (Hooded, Down or Prima-Loft Jacket) For men’s insulated jackets click here. Women’s are here.
Gloves
(2 pr.) (1 pr. ski/ice climbing gloves and 1pr. of Mittens. Waterproof/breathable is ideal)
Women’s gloves are here. Men’s gloves are here.
Fleece Hat
(One that will fit under a helmet) Men’s hats here. Women’s are here.
*Backpack
(2500-4000 cubic inches) Some options here.
(Can be rented from Retail Store)
Wool/Synthetic Socks
(Smart Wool Trekking Sock or EMS expedition weight. Some people like wicking liners too)
Some options here
*Gaiters
(should fit around entire calf and be able to fit over a plastic ice climbing boot including your pant layers.)
Some options here
Balaclava
(Fleece or wool is preferable, leave the neoprene for the face mask)
Some options here
Neoprene Face Mask
Some options here
Ski Goggles
Some options here
Headlamp
(LED is preferable) Some options here
Lunch
(peanut butter and jelly, left-over pizza, etc. )
Snacks
(trail mix and energy bars)
Water
(wide-mouth bottle, 2+ liters a minimum)
Sunwear
(Sunglasses and Sun-block)
Misc. Required gear
*Avalanche Transceiver, Probe and Shovel
* Alpine Touring or Telemark Skis, Skins, Boots and Poles
-Ski helmet (Required for skiers, not hikers)
-Field Notebook and pencil: "Rite in the Rain 311" or similar (Required for Level II, helpful for Level I)
-Snow Study Kit: Crystal screen (black metal preferred) Loupe, folding Metric Ruler, clinometer, Celcius thermometer. (Required for Level II only, helpful for Level I)
-Level II only: Snow, Weather and Avalanche: Observational Guidelines for Avalanche Programs in the United States (SWAG) .
-Level II only: The Avalanche Handbook , 3rd edition
Optional Items
Camera (point and shoot rather than SLR)
Light-weight thermos (1 liter max, with a hot drink in it)
Water Bottle Insulator (old "clean" socks work well)
Hand/Foot Warmers
Trekking Poles
Money for Souvenirs! (Climbing School t-shirts, travel mugs, ceramic mugs and water bottles available)
Helpful Hints
If you are doing a multi day program remember all this gear needs to dry overnight. If it will not dry over night please bring extra for the following day(s).
If there is anything on this list that you need to pick up, don't forget your 20% EMS Climbing School discount!
Some of the above is available at EMS.com or check avtraining.org
A good resource for pre-course study is http://avtraining.org/studymaterialintro.htm