This is my gear list for the Sierra section of my 2014 Pacific Crest Trail Hike. The weather was usually in the 30's at night, but sometimes dipped into the 20's. I entered the Sierra in late May, and encountered snow and hail. Because I get cold easily, I use more insulation and I also carry a hammock. This list includes microspikes and a bear canister, which fits vertically in the pack and was required in this part of the Sierra.

serioushiker
Category Gear Selection Weight (oz) Details
Packing Gossamer Gear Mariposa 24
Trash Compactor Bag 1 Pack liner
Zpacks Cuben Fiber Dry Bag 1 For quilt
Sleeping DIY Top Quilt 19 Used to 20 degrees
Warbonnet 3-season Yeti 11
Gossamer Gear Torso Pad 6 Insulation under legs
Gossamer Gear 1/8 Thinlight Pad 2 Cut down section for extra torso insulation
Shelter Hammock Gear Standard Cuben Fiber Tarp with Doors 10 Including Lash-It ridgeline with Dutch Flyz hardware, Z-line guylines, and DIY snakeskins
Dream Hammock, Darien UL 10
Titanium shephard hook stakes (2), MSR groundhog stakes (4) 2.2
Tree straps (10 foot) and whoopies (8 feet) 6 Hammock suspension for large trees and widely-spaced hang sites
Gossamer Gear Polycryo Ground Sheet 1.6 Use under tarp and for going to ground
Packed Clothing Melanzana Fleece Hoodie 9
REI Capilene Long Underwear Bottoms 5.8
Montbell Down Jacket 12 Also use this while sleeping as a hood for my quilt
Goosefeet Down Booties 3.5
Surplus store wool gloves 1.3 Including latex gloves over them
Second pair of Injinji Hiking Socks 1.5
Chrome Dome Umbrella 8 For sun, rain, hail, and snow protection
Zpacks Cuben Fiber-eVent Rain Jacket 5
Zpacks Challenger Rain Pants 4
Hydration Platypus 3 L Hosier 3.5
Platypus 1 L Bottle 1 For drink mixes
Aquamira 1.6 Chlorine Dioxide water treatment
Small Essentials Sea to Summit Alpha Light Long Spoon .5 stoveless "cooking"
Petzl Zipka Plus 2 2.5 Headlamp
Iphone 5S 5 Including Lifeproof fre waterproof case
Cords and plugs 3 Plug with 2 usb ports, 2 cables for USB to iphone/ itorch
itorch 5200mah 4.4 Battery for re-charging iphone
SPOT II Satellite Messanger 4
First Aid & Emergency Kit 2.7 Pills, ointments, compass, fire starter, repair kits.
Foot Care Bag 2 Sports tape, moisturizer, anti-friction cream.
Toilet Bag 1.7 TP, wet ones, tiny soap, pee rag, plastic bags to pack out TP
Oakley Sunglasses 1.8 Wrap around style
Swiss Army Knife .8 Classic SD
Sea to Summit Headnet .8
Butterfly Wallet 1 ID, cash, credit card, emergency contact info card
BV500 Bear Canister 41 Food storage in bear country, required in parts of the Sierra
Kahtoola Microspikes 13 Traction on ice and snow
Weight Summaries ounces pounds
Base weight (not including items worn and consumables) 180.2 11.3
Total base weight including Bear canister and microspikes (not including items worn and consumables) 234.2 14.6

This lightweight backpacking gear list was contributed by former Gossamer Gear Trail Ambassador Joan West.

January 30, 2015 — Brian Fryer