Getting ready
A few years back I decided to follow Michael Easter’s advice, in his book, “The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self,“
It introduces the idea of Misogi Challenges – doing something each year so challenging the effects of it reverberates throughout the remainder of the year.
Last year it wasn’t a physical challenge and also not one I created for for myself. But I got through it in large part thanks to all the previous challenges I made myself face. The year before it was climbing Cathedral Peak in the Drakensberg and before that smaller challenges.
This year, I don’t know what got into me. Perhaps it was realising Michaela and I might not get the opportunity to travel together again soon. Or it was just that I finally have the best team around me to do this trip with. Sean Disney from Adventure Dynamics International and Stephanie Brown from my local hiking group Kusudi La joined forces to make this trek possible. But my goodness, I had no idea about gear!
We learned that basically all our gear from previous trips of 15 years ago is sort of no longer “valid”. Current technology makes the old hiking boots feel as if they were made out of lead and the rain jacket’s permeability count has more than quadrupled! So off we went to get new backpacks and a whole bunch of stuff we need to survive.
Here’s the list in case you’re wondering.
Cold Weather Gear
❑ 1 Waterproof, windproof jacket
❑ 1 Waterproof, windproof over pants
❑ 1 300 Series polar fleece jacket
❑ 1 100 Series polar fleece pants or good tracksuit pants – you will receive an ADI
one
❑ 1 Thermal long sleeve top
❑ 1 Thermal underwear long-johns
❑ 2 Pairs of thick socks – 70% wool
❑ 1 Pair good hiking boots with ankle support and waterproofing
❑ 1 Pair windproof warm waterproof gloves
❑ 1 Balaclava/beanie/wool hat
❑ 1 Buff – ADI supplies you with one.
❑ 1 Pair sunglasses with good UV protection
❑ 1 Pair mud/snow gaiters
Mountain equipment
❑ 2 Walking trekking poles
❑ 1 Sleeping bag rated to –8 degrees (at least) for indoor hut sleeping.
❑ 1 80 – 100 litre duffel bag for porters
❑ 1 Day pack 35 litres
❑ 1 Kit bag to leave at hotel in Marrakech
❑ 1 Head torch (Petzl)
❑ Head torch batteries
❑ 2 1 litre water bottles – Camelbacks can freeze on summit day.
Suggested General clothing (at your discretion)
❑ 1 Tekkies/sneakers for around the huts
❑ 1 Strops/sandals/flip-flops
❑ 7 Underwear
❑ 4 T-shirts
❑ 2 Trousers/Tracksuit
❑ 1 Shorts
Adventure Dynamics ©❑ 1 Hat/cap (wide brim)
❑ Earplugs for sleeping in the huts
❑ Handwarmers
Medication
❑ Suntan lotion (Factor 20 plus)
❑ Toiletry Kit
❑ Towel
❑ Lip balm
❑ Wet wipes
❑ Toilet paper
❑ Personal medication (first aid kit)
❑ Headache tablets
❑ Diamox (5 per person)
❑ Imodium (stomach tablets)
❑ Valoid tablets (nausea tablets) /Kantrexl stomach antibiotic
❑ Water purification tablets or drops
❑ Antihistamine for insect bites and sinus problems
Other
❑ Passport
❑ Visa, spending and guide tip money
❑ Snacks, energy sweets, and chocolate
❑ Energy powder to flavour bottled drinking water (eg Cytomax)
Optional
❑ Compression stuff bag
❑ Book/magazine
❑ Playing cards
❑ Altimeter
❑ Camera
❑ Camera batteries and memory cards
❑ Pillow
❑ Down jacket
❑ Leatherman tool
❑ Battery bank to charge cell phone and other devices – 10000 – 20000 mah.
As for fitness levels. Moses has nothing to worry about but let’s hope our walks and runs up these stairs come in handy!
Warmly,
Lisa
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