What To Pack For An AST 1 or Intro To Backcountry Field Day

Hey, it’s Jonathan from Mountain Skills Academy and Adventures, with a quick tech talk on what to pack for your AST 1 or Intro to Backcountry field day.

This list is a little different from a standard backcountry packing list because you’re going to be with a guide. Let’s start by talking about what you don’t need to pack.

A few things you don’t need for this guided field day are a first aid kit, navigation devices, a secondary means of communication such as a radio or satellite phone, a repair kit, a guide tarp and a rescue sled. Your guide will carry those things for the group. If you’re heading out independently or with your own group, they’re definitely things you should have between you, but for today, we’re keeping your pack light.

The first thing you need is a backpack. We recommend at least a 30-litre pack to hold everything you’ll need. One of the main things we want to avoid is having equipment strapped to the outside, particularly avalanche safety gear. Having your avalanche safety gear strapped to the outside of your pack is an absolute no-no in the backcountry. A 30-litre pack gives you enough room to keep things inside without having equipment hanging off the outside.

A backpack designed for skiing isn’t essential, but it’s a great addition to your backcountry kit. These packs are designed to sit comfortably while you’re skiing and usually have useful features, such as straps for carrying your skis when bootpacking, a helmet carrier for when you’re skinning, and a soft pocket for your goggles and sunglasses. Most importantly, they have a dedicated compartment that keeps your avalanche safety equipment separate from everything else.

Now, let’s talk about what goes in the pack, starting with safety equipment.

A helmet is an absolute requirement. Twenty-five per cent of avalanche fatalities are due to trauma, and a helmet helps protect the most important organ in your body.

You’ll also need a beacon, shovel and probe. Look for a probe between 240 and 300 centimetres long and an avalanche shovel with a metal blade. Avoid plastic blades. Modern avalanche shovels have metal blades, and that’s what you want.

Your avalanche transceiver should be a modern model with three antennas and at least 50 per cent battery remaining. If you’ve never worn or used a transceiver before, that’s no problem—that’s part of what you’re here to learn. Leave it in your bag for now, and your guide will explain how to use it, where to wear it and how to carry it during the morning.

You’ll also need your climbing skins. Whether you’re using skis or a splitboard, make sure your skins are in your pack, especially if you’re heading out for the second day of AST 1 Plus.

In my experience, skins are one of the most commonly forgotten items. You take them out to dry after the first field day, put them somewhere out of sight and then walk out the door the next morning without them. Make a point of checking that they’re back in your pack before you leave.

Next, let’s look at some personal items.

Bring goggles for skiing, but pack a pair of sunglasses as well. There are two reasons for this. First, you generate a lot of heat while skinning uphill. If you keep your goggles on, you can end up sweating into them, which makes them fog when it’s time to ski. Switching to sunglasses at the bottom of the run allows more airflow, keeps you cooler and helps prevent your goggles from fogging.

Second, if you take a faceplant and fill your goggles with snow, you can put them away and switch to sunglasses instead of spending the day scraping snow out and trying to stop them from fogging.

Bring a pair of lightweight gloves for skinning as well as your warmer ski gloves. If you wear thick ski gloves on the uphill, your hands can sweat and soak the gloves, leaving you with cold hands for the rest of the day. Switching between lighter gloves for skinning and warmer gloves for the descent helps keep your hands comfortable. The lighter pair can also double as liners if you need extra warmth.

Pack a toque or a hat, depending on the weather. On a cold day, a toque is useful when you take your helmet off to skin uphill or when you stop for a break. On a bright, sunny day, a cap helps keep the sun off your head and out of your eyes.

Speaking of sun, sunscreen is a must. I like a product that works for both my lips and face, but you can use a cream, spray or whatever works for you. Just don’t forget it. Snow reflects sunlight, and you can still get sunburnt on an overcast day.

For food, bring a lunch that’s easy to eat a little at a time. During your AST 1 or Intro to Backcountry field day, there won’t usually be a formal sit-down lunch where everything stops for half an hour.

The day tends to flow between instruction and activities. While the instructor is talking, you can have a few bites to eat. When you’re working on an activity, the instructor gets a chance to eat. Your food is generally eaten in small amounts throughout the day, so choose something you can easily snack on without needing to sit down for a full meal.

Bring a water bottle, perhaps with electrolytes, or a warm drink if it’s an especially cold day.

Now for a couple of personal favourites.

I take a spare pair of gloves from the previous season, put them in a large zip-top bag and leave them at the bottom of my backpack for the winter. Wet, cold hands can make for a miserable day, and a dry pair of gloves can make a huge difference.

During AST 1 or Intro to Backcountry, you may spend part of the day digging in the snow and practising companion rescue. Your gloves can get wet or sweaty, so it’s useful to have a dry pair available. The same applies when you’re out skiing, adjusting equipment or dealing with a problem in the snow. Put an older pair in a sealed bag and let them live at the bottom of your pack for the season.

I also like to pack an extra warm layer. This is just an older puffy jacket that I can tuck into my bag. If someone gets injured and needs to stay warm, someone hasn’t dressed appropriately or I get cold myself, it’s good to have a little extra insulation available.

You can also be someone’s hero if they get cold and you have an extra jacket to lend them. This additional layer isn’t a requirement for the packing list I’m demonstrating; it’s a personal extra I like to carry.

Without going too far into building a repair kit, I also like to have a multi-tool with me. It can come in handy for tightening a binding screw, fixing a boot screw or cutting up the salami I’ve brought for lunch.

A couple of ski straps are useful too. They can help with minor problems involving boot buckles, backpack straps and all sorts of other things. They’re inexpensive and have a huge number of uses.

These extras aren’t required, but they’re a good way to start thinking ahead and building the kit you’ll eventually use for your own backcountry trips.

Last but not least, don’t forget your pass.