Backpack suggestions for winter backpacking / ski touring

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NutAgain!

Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 29, 2016 - 09:25am PT
Hi gang, seems like all the packs marketed for skiing top out at about 45L capacity.

What do other folks do for 3-5 day all-weather ski touring? I know I can survive with close to nothing, but I'm looking for something that is a reasonable compromise of comfort and simplicity to hold all the crap and just cinch down the pack to have the volume efficiently managed. I don't need to optimize for ski performance (which would dictate smaller volume and cutting out anything non-essential), but I should be able to get down icy passes without dying.

An example of what I would want to carry as the fullest load:
 rope & alpine rack, rock shoes
 crampons & two light ice axes
 shovel, probe
 tent and bulky winter sleeping bag & bulky ground pad (or two)
 way to easily attach skis in A-frame where they remain stable (no swinging around)
 a few bulky mid layers, gloves, hats, etc.
 real food (i.e. not just bars or a loaf of bread and hunk of cheese) & basic cooking gear


What do other folks do? I've figured out it's nicer to have a bigger pack cinched down rather than a smaller pack with stuff bulging out of the collar at the top or other things hanging outside with improvised straps.


skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
Sep 29, 2016 - 10:06am PT
This is an "I like this thread already" bump. I will add three items tho.

1) I bump up the fat content of what I bring as food in cold conditions.

2) I am really picky about the stuff sacks I use to keep my extra clothes in. I don't want anything getting wet (even from my wet clothing). Also, I have a separate set of dry camp clothing. I probably bring too much extra clothing, but I find I sweat tons even in winter so my strategy has been to change into dry stuff as soon as I stop moving around. Which brings me to my next point...

3) 45L packs are really tight for me except for 3 day trips. I have an down exped pad that works great (in my 50's and like to be warm) but man is it bulky. Most of my warm stuff is bulky which is a problem because I'm not a small guy.

I've never used one, but you might want to consider a pulk to get to a "base camp". Then go out and do what you want!

Batrock

Trad climber
Burbank
Sep 29, 2016 - 10:33am PT
Scott needs, no, Scott must get a new ski touring pack. I went ski touring with Scott last winter and no man should have to ski with Trader Joe's bags hanging off his pack and a fanny pack around his waist. Hell I almost started a Go Fund Me page for Scott when I returned home. Please help Scott pick a pack that will fit EVERYTHING he needs inside the pack and not outside.

Scott, lets climb soon.
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
Sep 29, 2016 - 10:42am PT
I'll drop it after this, but the pulk thing has interested me for a number of years. Here is an example in video. The two rods connecting the skier to the pulk are relatively stiff to keep the pulk from rear ending the guy. The whole point is that you can carry a sh#t load of stuff with them, on relatively low angle terrain. I think the low angle point is key.

[Click to View YouTube Video]

This would definitely be a great setup for ski touring the Mt. Lassen area.


Edit; As far as packs are concerned, you may want to check out McHale Alpine packs. Not cheap, but well made custom packs.
NutAgain!

Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 29, 2016 - 10:57am PT
I once did a 5-day snowshoe backpacking trip with 2 other guys, in the middle of a storm, and we had a big sled like that because we all had giant synthetic sleeping bags and probably too much other stuff. First guy broke trail (sinking up to knees/thighs with big snowshoes), second guy stepped in the alternate spots to smooth out the channel, and third guy dragged the sled. We rotated jobs periodically.

I was good friends with those guys, but literally didn't talk to them for a year after that trip! We all got on each other's nerves pretty badly, and we had very different expectations (aggro peak-bagging vs tent chillin') that made for unnecessary frustrations.

That experience turned me off to the idea of sled dragging unless it's absolutely necessary to get gear to a base camp. But I shouldn't need that for 3-5 day Sierra trips and I don't have enough time to do longer stuff.

Batrock, you had me snort laughing and in tears remembering the stuff hanging off of me :)
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
Sep 29, 2016 - 11:03am PT
The idea I had in mind was small pulks, maybe one for each person. For the big sled, you need dogs, lol. But I kept going to areas steep enough that I did NOT want to be dragging a pulk around. So I never did test it out. Maybe this Spring I'll try. Gotta fix the body first.

Ok, no moe sleds ;)


Sounds like an epic trip to me tho...
The Lisa

Trad climber
Da Bronx, NY
Sep 29, 2016 - 11:58am PT
Stuff hanging off the sides interferes with skiing, not fun.

I have only done basecamp tours where I use a 60L pack for low angle approach to set up camp, then use a smaller ski pack for touring. A sled would work just as well for this and you can drag lots of luxuries that way :)
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
Sep 29, 2016 - 12:04pm PT
so your saying it could be good OW training
kunlun_shan

Mountain climber
SF, CA
Sep 29, 2016 - 01:28pm PT
Scott, I typically ski with a 45 li BD Avalung (weighs 4.5 lbs), which is good for up to 3 day carrying capacity for touring. For longer tours I've been using a Gregory Makalu Pro pack, which expands beyond 60 li., carries well, and weighs 5.5 lbs empty. Skiing with a loaded big pack, is not a lot of fun, btw.

Recently I acquired a Cold Cold World Chaos pack, 66li. + capacity, and weighs 3 lb. 12 oz. I haven't tried it in winter yet, but I think this will be my go to pack now for longer tours - it certainly will hold more than I can reasonably carry. The only thing I wish the Chaos had is an outside pocket for a shovel. Will probably end up sewing a flap to hold a shovel in place. Extremely well designed pack, made in the US, and very reasonably priced.
Spider Savage

Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
Sep 29, 2016 - 01:29pm PT
I did very well last winter in my light 35 degree bag with good thermal clothing and a light REI bivi sack. (all inside a 4 season tent in a storm)

The lightweight layering worked very well. I went to bed soaked and by morning my clothes and the inside of the fiber-fill summer bag was dry. Of course the outside and the bivy sack were wet. It was only one night but the light gear could have been air dried in a couple of hours.

I have been working on this sleep layering for years and I am getting rid of my zero degree sleeping bags.

I also use an insulated thick backpacking airmatress which works great on snow.

guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
Sep 29, 2016 - 01:42pm PT
Scott.... I can just see you with Trader Joe bags...

One of the best pieces of gear I ever bought was a McHale Pack.... go and talk to him, heck maybe he is still lurking on ST .... His packs are not cheap but they will out last 4 Northface ones. I still use mine 20 years later. It can hold 100 lbs, and can strip all the way down to a fanny pack that clips on to a harness.... he will make just what you need.

http://www.mchalepacks.com/index.htm

now pray for snow.
Adventurer

Mountain climber
Virginia
Sep 29, 2016 - 01:55pm PT
Take a look at the Cold Cold World Chaos pack.

http://coldcoldworldpacks.com/chaos.htm
crankster

Trad climber
No. Tahoe
Sep 29, 2016 - 02:57pm PT
Assuming you're not going solo and can spread your gear list around, I'd look at this pack...

http://www.ospreypacks.com/us/en/product/variant-52-VARIANT52.html

I've done several High Sierra spring traverses with a non-bulky, lightweight tent and 2 lb.,15-degree bag (pricey).
ruppell

climber
Sep 29, 2016 - 05:38pm PT
Nice choice Crankster

The Osprey Variant is a bad ass pack. It's contours to the body better than any other pack I've ever owned. I'm using a Mutant now which I like a little better but it's more of an alpine rock pack than a ski tour pack.
High Fructose Corn Spirit

Gym climber
Sep 29, 2016 - 05:59pm PT
No mention yet of a two-person winter season tent.

Any recommendations?
crankster

Trad climber
No. Tahoe
Sep 29, 2016 - 06:12pm PT
I have this and its bombproof. I didn't pay $700. A bit overkill for spring ski touring but great if you're going to be subject to high winds.

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/ev-2-OU9652.html?cgid=equipment-tents&dwvar_OU9652_variationColor=842#start=21
Edge

Trad climber
Betwixt and Between Nederland & Boulder, CO
Sep 29, 2016 - 06:24pm PT
For years I had used a 50L Wild Things alpine pack that I had bought directly from the owner/ seamstress/wife of the Wild Man of North Conway himself, John Bouchard. He was running an errand when I stopped into a yard sale at their original factory at their home on West Side Road. The pack looked new despite John using it on a recent expedition to South America, and Titoune asked $25 for it which I paid on the spot. When John pulled in a few minutes later, he was a bit pissed at her price.

I found that pack to be quite adequate for years of winter trips, including 3 separate week long trips into Katahdin in Northern Maine. We would carry food, camping gear, full ice and alpine gear for the week with smart packing. Katahdin logistics dictated that we pull them on homemade sleds the first day, 12 miles, then carry them the final three miles on day two, pulling an empty sled.

That pack died a quit death a while ago, and I used an old 90 +15 Lowe Expedition pack for the last couple years, but that was ungodly heavy and overkill.

Based on the Taco gear reviews, I just bought the Black Diamond Mission 50, and so far it is a worthy replacement for my old Wild Things with several improvements. It's more comfy and has better features for how I will use it now. One small downside is that it does not have a removable insulated pad as a support, but that's a feature that I rarely used over the years.

http://www.usoutdoor.com/black-diamond/black-diamond-mission-50-pack/?gclid=CNLJ6MqB3s4CFQU0aQodN_QPvw

High Fructose Corn Spirit

Gym climber
Sep 29, 2016 - 06:42pm PT
Thanks, Crankster. Like everything about them but the color. I really value the earth tones when I'm camping in the great wide open.

I just don't like sticking out like a neon light. But apparently that's just me. Go figure.
Hoots

climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Sep 29, 2016 - 08:02pm PT
I have been drinking the Cilogear Kool-Aid for a while now, but the lack of shoulder padding in the higher volume packs has been leaving me wanting more, and with other companies making light packs that have more features than just a simple top loading pack, I did a lot of looking.
I bought a Mountain Hardwear South Col 70L and it has been a pretty strong contender. Did approximately 25 days of overnight ski touring this spring with it, and I like it. Waterproof construction, dedicated avy gear pocket, crampon pouch, weighs in at 3.5 lbs.
Let the snow fly!
Spiny Norman

Social climber
Boring, Oregon
Sep 30, 2016 - 12:13am PT
THE most important thing is a good fit, specifically the right torso length and a good, no-BS shoulder strap design.

Cold Cold World Chernobyl or Chaos. If you want a shovel pocket or other minor additions or subtractions ask Randy and he'll probably fix you up. No pack on the market is more solid for the weight and the suspension system, though simple, works extremely well (though less so in hot weather).

Randy's prices make McHale's (admittedly top-quality) stuff look like less than ideal value, and a side by side comparison with the Cilo stuff shows just how godawful Cilo's design and execution is.

Another great alternative is Tuttle Outdoor Equipment. Like CCW it's absolutely top quality stuff made by a US-based climber who knows what actually works in the field, for extremely reasonable prices.

Everything good said above about CCW can also be said of TOE. Same for McHale, but at a huge price premium. All three will do customizations for specific needs.

Value: CCW = TOE > McHale >> Cilogear
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