Reccommend Items for Kinnaur/Spiti please for 2 months

Lucid

Hey guys im leaving for sangla/kinnaur/Spiti valleys next month.

And im going to carry a sleeping bag, carry mat and other clothing i would require for 2 months in this terrain, can you guys help me out with other stuff that i might need.

Swiss knife i have, im stuck with how many pairs of socks i should carry and underwear weird stuff..ofcourse i will get my clothes cleaned while i travel.
Im not quite sure how right now... so guys what do you think.. what all should i carry /medicines/sunscreen.. ?

I will do the pin-bhabha pass trek also.

Larsuld

I think it depends first and foremost on how much you are planning to carry around on your own back! Which depends on the quality of your backpack and your stamina, leg musclepower and back. And some people like to force themselves forward like pack mules, while others have a slight difficulty relating to that sort of "Ironman" trekking.

I think you can find a list of "what to bring" in the trekking forum. rules of Mountain trekking and precautions Some nice plastic water bottles that don't break is nice. A flashlight for going to the 'toilet' at night is a must. AND don't forget sun glasses, sun lotion and lip balm! Because you can get BURNED when up high!

My thoughts on clothing in particular: I prefer to minimize weight, but that means a high washing frequency. So I like stuff that is easy to wash. Most sports clothes which is "sweat transporting" to some extent is very easy to wash. For instance, if you wear running shorts when the weather allows it you might be fine with just two pair of underwear in your pack! But do bring enough clothes that you would be comfortable in a snowstorm, just in case. And nights will be too cold for shorts! Long underpants are a must. In general, to bring down weight, it is better to go for many layers of clothes to stay warm than just, say one very heavy tibetan woolen sweater. For socks I usually wear two pairs when walking in boots - a light, thin one on the inside and a slightly thicker on the outside. Three pair of light socks (easy to wash) and 5-6 pairs of outer socks (including a pair of woolen ones), should do it.

Well of course it's all a matter of personal preference. Even if you are not going to be trekking with your backpack you still need to carry it around a bit. So fill it up and take a few small hikes, then rationalize.

Best wishes
Lars

Lucid

Thanks Lars for the interest.

I have 65 litres rucksack and its with adjustable shoulder strap and adjustable metal back, No one wants to carry weight on their back but when the situation like this comes out we have no alternative, 2 months looking at those mountains and traverisng them will be worth the pain, im a slim built guy decent stamina apparently done few treks also.

So the layers of clothing will help the cause i understand, and yes a very good point sports jerseys will be helpfull as well.

anything else you or anyone else thinks i am missing.

Larsuld

Does your backpack have a good waist belt? That is very essential for carrying a heavy pack unless your back is truly made of iron (and very few people's backs are!) - that way you can shift some of the weight directly to the legs so your back isn't strained excessively. I would suggest you take some hikes with your backpack fully loaded before you go - even if it is just in uncomfortably hot Delhi. Just head off to Lodi Gardens :-)

Some things to consider: There are 'economies of scale' in trekking: if you are one person going alone you will need to carry stove, fuel, tent, etc, all by yourself. As soon as you are two or more, you will be able to share some of these fixed costs/weights. For instance, if you hire a horseman he probably has or can arrange some basic cooking gear so you wouldn't need to bring those extra 2-3 kg from Delhi then.

Years ago I trekked by my self from Darcha to Padum with around 30 kg in my backpack, and it was a lousy backpack too. Let's just say I'm not doing it again!

Best wishes
Lars

Lucid

Well Lars it does have a good waist belt, ideal for trekking i hope, will give a a test before venturing out for sure.

I am alone right now, but hoping to find people attempting bhabha pass from mudh therefore my issues will be group issues..

lets see what happens will keep you informed.

Lucid

So 2 days to go i finally packed everything that i will carry and the weight of my backpack comes to 17 KGs, now i have kept my trekking boots in it so once i wear them..the weight will come down to 15.5 kgs, since im going to use most of my woolens in spiti valley this will bring my backpack weight even furthur.. i have packed accordingly for 2 months

So am i going fine with this ? im 5'11 and 65kgs