When planning the clothing for the trip I faced a common dilemma. I wanted to keep my pack as light weight as possible, which meant I had to keep my clothing to a minimum. On the other hand, I expected wild weather, and needed to bring along clothing to match most whatever nature could through at us. These two goals are mostly mutually exclusive, which meant that I had to bring clothing that would pull double-duty (both lightweight and weather versatile).

The clothing I selected falls into the category of being both light weight and weather versatile, in addition to being of very high quality. You can't go wrong selecting any of them.

Arc'Teryx Gamma MX Soft Shell Jacket

My main outer layer for the mountaineering portion of the trip was the Gamma MX soft shell jacket from Arc'Teryx. I like this for climbing because it is stretchable, not too warm, relatively breathable, and blocks most moisture and wind. It is great for high activity outings in cool to cold weather. The only thing I wore underneath it was an Outdoor Research Secant zip-t base layer. For additional ventilation, when needed, I unzipped the main zipper or opened the pockets, which also act as vents. When stopping for a rest when climbing, I often put my Marmot Liquid Steel jacket for extra protection and warmth.

Feathered Friends Helios Down Jacket

Predicted low temps for the trip were to be in the low 30's, perhaps cooler. While active, this is not much of a problem, but if you are resting, or at camp and not being active, these temps can easily catch up with you. To deal with this, I brought along my Helios down jacket from Feathered Friends. At only 15 ounces, it meet my requirement for light weight, and it stuffed down to about the size of a grapefruit, not taking up too much space in my pack. When inactive, the jacket, along with a single base layer underneath, kept me plenty warm on the trip. The Helios jacket is great when you need extra warmth, and want to travel light.

Ibex Guide Lite Soft Shell Pants

Because of my need for lightweight and versatility, I only brought along one pair of pants for this trip, the Ibex Guide Lite soft shell pants. Worn by themselves, they provided great protection for the backpacking part of the trip, and when warn with a base layer underneath, they also worked well for the mountaineering part of the trip. The fabric used in these pants stops most wind and moisture, but at the same times allows your legs to breath, which is important  for vigorous activity. By the end of the trip, they were very dirty, but they held up very well and I found that I didn't need any other pants (other than a Gore-Tex shell when it rained) for the trip.

Marmot Liquid Steel Jacket

One item you will always want to bring along on virtually any backpacking or mountaineering adventure is a Gore-Tex shell. It protects you from virtually all precipitation, and adds a certain amount of extra warmth when needed. The Liquid Steel jacket is great because it is very lightweight, and has large pit zips to allow plenty of ventilation when needed, making it very versatile. I found myself wearing this jacket under two different circumstances. First, when it was raining, sleeting, or snowing, for wetness protection. Second, I also wore it sometimes to protect me from fierce, cold winds when resting while climbing Mount Baker.

Marmot Liquid Steel Pants

I also brought along my matching Marmot Liquid Steel pants for leg protection, although I didn't need to wear them as much as I did the jacket. I only wore them when the precipitation was really bad, and when I felt that my Ibex soft shell pants might be overwhelmed. I like these pants because of the full-length zipper on each leg, and because they are very tough and well-designed.

Mountain Hardwear Extend Base Layer

Base layers are always a part of my travel clothing, and one of my favorites is the Extend Base Layer from Mountain Hardwear. I didn't need to wear them all the time, only as needed. For example, while backpacking up to base camp, it was too warm for them. While on the mountain, I wore the tights under my Ibex soft shell pants, while I wore a different base layer top (more on this later). But I did wear both when sleeping each night in my sleeping bag and tent. The Extend base layers use a mid-weight to light-weight fabric that is very soft, comfortable, warm, breathable, and relatively odor-free.

Smartwool Mountaineer Socks

While I have always been a big fan of Smartwool socks, I had never tried their Mountaineer socks before this trip.  Essentially, these socks differ from some of the other Smartwool socks by having additional cushioning, which helps provide greater comfort when wearing plastic mountaineering boots, and also provides greater warmth. I wore these socks with a thin liner sock inside my mountaineering boots, and I experienced no problems with my feet. They were always warm and comfortable.

Outdoor Research Crocodile Gaiters

Gaiters are a necessity when mountaineering, and my favorites are the tried and true Crocodile Gaiters from Outdoor Research. These tough gaiters easily attach to your mountaineering boots (or backpacking boots) and legs to prevent snow or other precipitation from getting into your boots. I wore them while mountaineering, and while returning from base camp to our vehicle during a downpour. They kept me very dry.

Outdoor Research Hat for All Seasons

Believe it or not, a hat can also be very versatile, such as the Hat for All Seasons from Outdoor Research. This hat includes a Gore-Tex outer shell, and an optional fleece inner lining. It also has ear flaps that can be used, or folded away when not needed. In other words, I was able to adjust the hat to a wide variety of climatic conditions, from cool to cold. I wore the hat all the time during the trip, using or not using the fleece liner as needed. In addition, the bill protected me from the sun (when it was shining), and there is also an optional chin strap, which I found I didn't need, even during high winds.

Outdoor Research PS50 Balaclava

I don't like a cold face, especially if there are high winds whipping at my skin. For face protection (and head protection) I really like the PS50 Balaclava from Outdoor Research. This very lightweight and stretchy balaclava can be worn by itself, with the Hat for All Seasons, and even under a climbing helmet. Unlike many balaclavas, this one can be easily adjusted under your chin, over your chin, around your neck only, over or under your ears, and so on. It is very flexible and adds desired warmth. While it was perfect for this trip, the FS50 is not designed for really cold weather, but any temp to around 10-20 degrees or warmer, it will be adequate.

Outdoor Research PS150 UnderGloves

To protect my hands, I brought along some Gore-Tex shell gloves and the PS150 UnderGloves from Outdoor Research. The shell gloves I used are not longer available, so I will focus here on the UnderGloves (liner) gloves. I like the option of shell and liner gloves as they offer a lot of versatility, which is important for adventures like this one. The PS150 liners are very soft, warm, and aren't too bulky. Not only can they be worn with shell gloves, they can also be worn by themselves. This way, I have the choice of wearing the shell gloves all by themselves, the liner gloves all by themselves, or both the shell and liner gloves together.

Outdoor Research Secant Zip-T

During the day, my base layer of choice for this trip was the Secant Zip-T from Outdoor Research. It is a little heavier than the Extend zip-t I brought along from Mountain Hardware, and served as my only shirt. I like this top because of its comfort, ability to wick moisture, and its long zipper that offers great ventilation when needed. I decided to wear the Extend zip-t at night and let the Secant zip-t dry at night, helping to ensure I had dry, warm clothing during the entire trip. When it was warmer, the Secant by itself was great, and when it got cooler, then I added my Arc'Teryx soft shell.

As you can see, each of these clothing choices is very versatile, and lightweight. This allowed me to minimize the amount of clothing I brought, along with providing all the protection I needed for a wide variety of weather.

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