AK prep continues–I leave for my AMGA ski-mountaineering course and aspirant exam this coming Wednesday. Crunch time! Add to this I’m finishing the final revisions on my book (due out this fall) and I am beyond crushed.
But not to worry, I’m still obsessing over gear and picking up a few items to augment my stash–to wit, the Backcountry Access “Arsenal” shovel. I wanted a more compact rig, especially something without the usual “neck,” or the tube on the blade into which the handle generally inserts. BCA makes neckless shovels now and I managed to snag a great version at a pretty generous price–thanks guys!
At first glance the Arsenal seemed a little heavy (1 lb. 13 oz./819g; weighed at home), but stay tuned–on day tours, teaching avy courses, or any time I’ll be digging pits, I’m willing to lug the extra tonnage. The extendable handle makes digging way mellower and the snow saw is adequate for CT’s and ECT’s. While the shovel blade isn’t flat across the base (which helps with great craftsmanship in the pit), it’ll work and it’s tough as nails (I’ll explain how I know this in a sec).
The blade disappears into the base of an avy-tools pocket, which was the whole point of snagging a new shovel. This leaves significant space for an extra layer, sandwiches, the latest issue of Elevation Outdoors, you name it. Mission accomplished.
Now, before you get bummed out about the weight, consider: you can deploy the saw without sacrificing shovel function. You can also leave the saw at home. Further, you can ditch the saw and the extended shovel section, leaving you with a featherweight, ultra-compact shovel (17 oz./489g). You can bet your skivvies that’s the version I’ll be carrying on long days on my course.
Whatever configuration you choose, this thing is bomber. I went out to practice the bivy-shelter drill (build a three-person bivy with a tarp, three pairs of skis, and three pairs of poles in less than 30 minutes) a couple days ago and had to search for enough snow…which I found in a soon-to-be-boggy meadow below Caribou. I started digging and guess what? Two inches below the surface was a one-inch layer of water ice. Not a melt-freeze crust, but a layer of water ice…and just another few inches below that…another one.
Needless to say I didn’t make the shelter in 30 mins (it took me 43 mins–ouch!). My buddy ended up breaking his snow saw and bending his shovel…but both my saw and shovel blade were unscathed. I was impressed because I was wailing that thing into the crust by the end, putting together swear words like the vulgarian I am.
Generally ski-mountaineering courses have at least a couple nights in the backcountry, bivying as light as we can go. I’ll probably day-tour with my Pieps 35L “Plecotus” pack (full review upcoming–I like the thing!), but for overnights I may have to bump to something roomier and that’s where my beloved Deuter Guide 45+ comes in.
I’ve written a lot about Deuter packs over the past couple years, including my alpine fave, the Pace. My wife and I have been testing their peerless kid carriers (full review to follow) and my latest coup was snagging the Guide 45+ for exactly trips like AK and extended hut binges. The Guide series (they make a 35+ and I even found a 25+ in Europe a few years back) relies on simple, rugged versatility. The packs carry two tools (with low-pro, modern slots), skis A-frame (and you can easily rig diagonal if that’s your thing), a helmet (with an add-on carrier and pre-sewn loops on the front), and offer lashing points for sleeping pads, etc. Materials are 420 and 500d–and after at least 25 days in Eldo, skiing, and a couple ice climbing, the pack looks like the day I took from the gents over at Deuter.
At $179 it’s a full-service pack, capable of carrying 50 pounds without drama, all the gear if your partner claims sciatica, and it will last you for years. There’s nothing frilly about it either; it’s clean, minimalist, and gets the job done without high-ticket materials, superfluous gadgetry, or annoying bling. I love the thing. I’d take a 35+ any day, for shorter trips, etc. They’re great packs.
In AK, I’ll have to carry at least an elephant’s foot (sleeping bag), a down puffy, and some ultralight shelter, so the separate compartment in the bottom (which has a zip-out divider on the inside if you want to pack it that way, which I almost always do) might come in handy. There isn’t a dedicated avy-tools pocket, so keeping moisture and what not separate from sleeping stuff seems like a good call. We’ll see.
My only gripe thus far is the top pocket. It’s floating–which I love–but it has a zippered opening over the top-center of it. It simply won’t accept a full-sized guidebook (like the Steve Levin Eldo book). Change that to a standard back-side opening and you’re flirting with a near-perfect pack.
The only other potential downside is weight–they call it 4 lbs., 4 oz. Hefty…but keep in mind, you’re getting an enormous and versatile pack for well under $200. Pretty tough to beat the price-performance ratio.
The frame relies on Deuter’s tried-and-true “Alpine Back System,” with sewn-in padding, a removable bivy mat, and two aluminum, curved stays (which are hollow, if memory serves). It rides more like a backpacking pack than a climb/ski pack–something I appreciate when lugging two ropes and a full rack down from Redgarden or back from Hidden Falls! Comfy, it spares the shoulders and handles big loads.
Anyway–more on the Guide 45 later in the summer, after I’ve lugged some hardware up to the Diamond or something proud. I still haven’t done a Diamond route, so here’s my reason…
Tomorrow, more prep and practice with rescue drills and hopefully my manuscript back from the editor: final approval and then it’s DONE. Yes!
