Cloudsplitter provides all necessary technical equipment including harnesses, helmets, ropes, belay devices, carabiners, protection, anchors, cordage, day packs and footwear. Participants who intend to climb more should consider investing in their own personal gear including shoes, harness, helmet, carabiner, belay device and a small backpack.
Appropriate technical footwear is strongly advised and may be mandatory for winter programs. Cloudsplitter provides simple demo footwear in standard sizes. A more comprehensive selection of specialized footwear can be rented, demo'd or purchased nearby at the Mountaineer whose staff are skilled masters at proper bootfitting for climbers, hikers, skiers and trail runners.

Participants should bring their own food and fluids for the day. Fresh trail lunches and beverages are available at several establishments in Keene & Keene Valley and trail snacks can also be purchased at the Mountaineer.

Meals, tents and cook gear are provided on overnight programs and on mountain expedition days.

For summer rock programs, participants should consider:

• approach/trail shoes or lightweight hiking shoes & socks
• lightweight pants or shorts (pants offer more protection)
• lightweight t-shirt
• lightweight windbreaker/ windshirt/ rain or softshell jacket
• bathing suit, sandals & a towel (for a quick swim if it’s hot)
• 1-3 liters of water (depending on conditions and objective)
• lunch/ trail snacks (a mix of carbs, fat & protein)

In fall and spring, we recommend also including:

• soft or hard shell jacket and pants
• sythentic insulating layers
• fleece or wool gloves
• fleece or wool hat

In the winter, we reccomend including:

• soft or hard shell, jacket and pants
• fleece or wool underwear & layers- tops & bottoms
• a thick, insulated belay jacket with hood
• several pairs of thin and thick, synthetic and insulated gloves
• synthetic or wool hat
• comfortable fitting lightweight/silkweight balaclava
• insulated water bottle covers or thermos
• sandwiches and hearty trail food (including fat & protein)

Personal Gear
While Cloudsplitter has demo gear available for participant’s use, experienced climbers are encouraged to invest in their own personal equipment as they develop their skills and should consider acquiring a set of personal gear that includes:

• a harness with adjustable leg loops
• snug fitting (not painful) climbing shoes (and/or technical approach shoes)
• a lightweight & comfortable helmet
• a slot belay device (e.g. ATC)
• several large locking carabiners
• several non-locking carabiners
• several shoulder length sewn nylon, spectra or dyneema slings
• a chalk bag on a waistbelt
• a small pack to put it all in that you can climb wearing
• several water bottles and/or hydration system

Winter climbers should also consider their own personal gear:

• insulated mountaineering or ice climbing boots with a rigid sole, fit with a lightweight liner and/or insulating sock
• twelve-point crampons fit to your boots
• a set of (leashed or leashless) ice tools and/or mountain axe
  
• water bottle insulators or thermos instead of hydration system

Backcountry skiers, alpine climbers and mountaineers should consider their own:

• synthetic, insulated belay pants
• a 45-55L pack
• a synthetic sleeping bag
• 1-2 insulated pads (use 2 in winter)
• headlamp

For backcountry travel in winter, participants will also need:

• durable, hinged mountaineering snowshoes OR
• Alpine Touring (AT) or Telemark skis including boots, bindings, adjustable poles and climbing skins (trimmed to fit)

...both are available for rent and sale by the knowledgeable staff at the Mountaineer. Investing in your own personal equipment, suited and dialed to your specific needs, is encouraged.