Article

The Best High Sierra Climbing Rack and Gear List


by RJ Spurrier
Friday January 13, 2012 12:43pm
Below is our choice for Ultimate High Sierra Climbing Rack. We list top choice first followed sometimes by the Best Buy (BB) choice> For example, the La Sportiva TC Pro is our top Yosemite shoe choice but costs $170. The Mad Rock Flash is our Best Buy winner at only $75 and will get the job done.

This rack has almost everything you may need for a typical High Sierra multi-pitch trad climb. Depending on the climb you are going to do and your experience you can pick and choose what you need from this Ultimate High Sierra Climbing Rack

Eric Volz leading the first crux on pitch 4. Wide climbing at 13,000 f...
Eric Volz leading the first crux on pitch 4. Wide climbing at 13,000 feet. Really glad he was leading. I got my wide climbing fun later.
Credit: Chris McNamara

Climbing Gear
Nuts:Wild Country Superlight Rocks
Cams:
 1-2 sets Metolius Master Cams (#00-4) or Metolius Ultralight TCU if you want to go ultra light.
 1-2 sets Black Diamond Camalot C4s (#0.5-4)
Ropes: 1 60m x 9.2mm Mammut Revelation or 50m if traveling super light
Alpine Quickdraws: 16-20 CAMP Nano 23 carabiners with 8-10 Mammut Contact Dyneema slings
Locking Carabiners: 3 Petzl Attache 3D
Harness: Camp Air Harness
Belay Device: Petzl Reverso 3
Climbing Shoes: La Sportiva TC Pro or Mad Rock Flash (BB)
Helmet: Petzl Meteor III helmet or Petzl Elios (BB)
Metolius Adjustable Gear Sling or no gear sling
Nut Tool: Wild Country Pro Key

Non Climbing Gear
Approach Shoes: La Sportiva Exum Pro
Headlamp: Petzl Tikka XP 2
Rain Jacket: Marmot PreCip
Poles: Black Diamond Trail Compact (optional)
Climbing Pack: Black Diamond Bullet or REI Flash 18 (BB)

Backpacking Camping Gear
Tent: Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2
Down Sleeping Bag: Feathered Friends Hummingbird 20 or REI Halo 25 (BB)
Sleeping Pad: Therm-A-Rest ProLite Plus or Therm-A-Rest Z Lite (BB)
Stove: Soto OD-1R or Jetboil Flash

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RJ Spurrier 		About the Author
Not too long ago, Randy was living his lifelong dream of spending every day engaged in childish and irresponsible behavior. Then he met Chris Mac and a few other evil people who put him back to work—at least for the time being. Randy may be the worlds heaviest coffee drinker. He starts the morning with a triple cappuccino quickly followed by two cups from his press pot. For lunch, a cappuccino and another press pot. In the afternoon, a dopio machiato and for dinner another press pot. This may not be healthy. Randy considers himself a kindred spirit to poseur climbers and wannabes everywhere, people like him who seek out climbs with great views, heroic photo opportunities, easy climbing, great pro and a one-move crux. Randy is the co-owner of SuperTopo, reports on new gear, is developer of the database, and head web guru of the SuperTopo web site.

Comments
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Wack

climber
Dazevue
  Apr 7, 2011 - 08:42pm PT
No pink Tricam?
marv

Mountain climber
Bay Area
  Apr 7, 2011 - 09:28pm PT
I found this dispiritingly materialistic. Too much focus on gear, when the focus should be on getting outdoors, being with friends.

Here's my "High Sierra rack":

a dozen nuts -- ANY manufacturer
a handful of hexes -- ANY manufacturer
doubles of PINK and RED tri-cam
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