The mountaineering portion of our trip was "beginner" level, and didn't require a lot of special equipment. On the other hand, mountaineering gear is still bulky to carry, especially when you are hiking up to the base camp and you aren't using any of it. But when you are mountaineering, it is a little easier because you are actually using most of the gear and you can leave your tent, sleeping bag, and much other gear at the base camp.

All of the gear described are tried and true gear that has been around for some time, and all are highly recommended. If you have never done any mountaineering before, and you want to give it a try, this list is a great place to start.

Black Diamond Raven Pro Ice Axe

One of the most essential pieces of gear you need for any mountaineering adventure is an ice axe. It can be used for balancing, cutting steps, safety needs, and much more. Keeping with my lightweight theme, I selected the Raven Pro Ice Axe from Black Diamond because it is one of the lightest weight ice axes available (about 14 ounces). It is also very strong, durable, easy to use, and performs well. When purchasing an ice axe, it is important to get one that is sized right for you. For example, when holding the head in your hand, the tip of the ice axe should be several inches above the ground, otherwise it is too long or to short. If you can't find the perfect size, slightly too short is better than too long.

Black Diamond Slider Ice Axe Leash

An important accessory for any ice axe is a leash. In my case, I use the Slider Ice Axe Leash from Black Diamond. Essentially, a leash helps prevent you from loosing your ice axe, something that you don't want to do when mountaineering. One end of the leash goes around your arm, and the other around the ice axe.

Black Diamond Bod Harness

Another very important piece of climbing gear is a harness so that you can be roped in for safety, among other things.  For this trip, I choose the Bod Harness from Black Diamond. I like this harness because it is very adjustable and relatively comfortable. Each leg is adjustable and the waist is padded, for extra comfort. It also has plenty of gear loops for all your climbing hardware. The harness easily fit over my mountaineering clothing, and worked well.

Petzl Ecrin Roc Helmet

Although I ended up not needing to wear a helmet during this adventure, I brought one along just in case. One of my favorites is the Ecrin Roc Helmet from Petzl. It is strong, lightweight, very adjustable, and has plenty of ventilation, if needed. I have a large head, and found that I can wear it with a fleece balaclava and/or fleece skull cap for warmth, barely.

Lowa Civetta Mountaineering Boots

While there are a lot of great mountaineering boots for most people to choose from, I am not that lucky. I have very wide feet, and nobody makes plastic mountaineering boots for people with wide feet. This greatly limits which boots I can wear, and even then, I have to have them widened for me. Fortunately, the Lowa Civettas are a good mountaineering boot. They are warm, dry, and relatively comfortable for plastic boots. If you have wide feet like mine, you will need to purchase the boots from a dealer who has the knowledge and ability to properly heat them up and then mold the plastic so that they are wider for you feet. This may take several tries to get right, but it is a very important process if you want a good fit.

Grivel G-12 Crampons

Beside the right boots, you need a quality pair of crampons for mountaineering, such as the classic G-12 Crampons from Grivel. Although complicated looking, this crampon is easy to put on over plastic mountaineering boots. Essentially, you slip your toe in, clamp the crampon around the heel of the boot, and lace the straps. This are a very tough crampon that helps ensure that your every step is a safe one.