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Personal gear, including a water bottle, appropriate footwear, rain gear, sleeping
bag and pad, is the
responsibility of each participant (see sample lists below). A full list will be provided
upon reservation to help make your
stay in the wilderness as comfortable as possible in any kind of
NH weather.
Sample Pack Lists
Jump to:
One-Day
Winter, One-Day Hike, One-Day Bike,
One-Day Canoe/Kayak
More info:
Backpacks,
Bivy Kit,
First Aid Kit,
Bug Season
One-Day
Hike in Mid-Summer
This is a suggested list. Your gear will be inspected before the trip
departs.
More items
needed for overnights and day hikes in spring, fall, and
winter |
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To wear...
-
Hiking boots, well broken-in
- 1 pair of synthetic socks
- Top: Synthetic t-shirt
or long-sleeve shirt--quick-drying
- Bottom: Shorts or pants--quick-drying, no
cotton, polyester okay
To
bring...
- Day Pack for each person—lined with plastic
bag; large enough to hold the following
- Extra socks and t-shirt to bring if what you’re
wearing gets wet
- Fleece jacket for an insulating warmer layer
- Rain jacket & pants (no ponchos) for
windproof/waterproof layer
- Favorite snacks
- Water bottle(s) or hydration system that holds
2 quarts/liters
- Sunscreen lotion, lip balm/chapstick
- Insect repellent
- Bandanna
- Pack towel
- Toilet paper/tissues
- Personal First Aid Kit in a sealable plastic
bag
- Prescriptions in
original containers, more than enough for the day
- Eye glasses & strap
- Contact lenses and related items
- Allergy medications, inhaler(s), epi-pens
(2-3 on multi-day trips)
and anti-histamine
- Diabetic supplies, more than enough for
the day
-
Emergency Kit--in a sealable plastic bag
-
Warm winter hat (wool or synthetic fleece)
-
Warm socks
(wool or synthetic
fleece)
-
Whistle
-
Metal
cup
-
Waterproof matches
-
Parachute cord
-
Pocket
knife
-
2
contractor-size garbage bags
-
Compass
(flat, map-reading kind) Maps provided
-
Flagging
tape
To leave in car...
- Keep a full set of
dry clothes in your car, including top, bottom,
underwear, socks, dry shoes, and towel. |
One-Day
Bicycle Ride in Mid-Summer
This is
a suggested list. Your gear will be inspected before the trip departs.
More items needed for overnights in spring and fall. |
|
To wear...
- Regular sneakers with low tops
- Safety glasses
- Top: Quick-drying t-shirt or long-sleeve shirt
- Bottom: Cushioned shorts (if you have them) or lycra or
other
shorts mid-thigh length to prevent chaffing
- Bicycle
or weight-lifting gloves to prevent blisters on hands
To bring...
- Water
bottle or hydration pack
- Little
pack to carry along, with these items:
- Fleece shirt/jacket
-
Favorite snacks
- Water bottle(s) or hydration system that holds
2 quarts/liters
- Sunscreen lotion, lip balm/chapstick
- Insect repellent
- Bandanna or
pack towel
- Toilet paper/tissues
- Personal First Aid Kit in a sealable plastic
bag
- Prescriptions in
original containers, more than enough for the day
- Eye glasses & strap
- Contact lenses and related items
- Allergy medications, inhaler(s), epi-pens
(2-3 on multi-day trips)
and anti-histamine
- Diabetic supplies, more than enough for
the day
-
Emergency Kit--in a sealable plastic bag
-
Warm winter hat (wool or synthetic fleece)
-
Warm socks
(wool or synthetic
fleece)
-
Whistle
-
Metal
cup
-
Waterproof matches
-
Parachute cord
-
Pocket
knife
-
2
contractor-size garbage bags
-
Compass
(flat, map-reading kind) Maps provided
-
Flagging
tape
To leave in car...
-
Keep a full set of dry clothes in your car, including top, bottom,
underwear, socks, dry shoes, and towel. |
One-Day
Paddle in Mid-Summer
(canoeing/kayaking)
This is a suggested list. Your gear will be inspected before the trip
departs.
More items
needed for overnights and day paddling in spring and fall. |
To
wear...
- Footwear that doesn't come off easily in mud: water shoes,
neoprene booties, full-strap sandals, or water-proof rubber boots, with
fleece, neoprene, or other synthetic socks
- Top: Light-colored synthetic t-shirt, or long-sleeve shirt
- Bottom: Shorts or pants--quick-drying,
no cotton, polyester okay
- Visor or hat for protection from sun
- Sunglasses
To
bring...
- 1
or 2
dry bags or packs for each person—lined with plastic bag
-
Fleece jacket and pants for an insulating warmer layer
- Rain jacket &
pants (no ponchos) for windproof/waterproof layer
-
Favorite snacks
-
Water bottle(s) or hydration system that holds one
quart/liter
-
Sunscreen lotion, lip balm/chapstick
- Insect repellant
- Bandanna
- Toilet paper/tissues
- Bring a full set of
dry clothes in your dry bag or pack, including
top, bottom, underwear, socks, dry shoes, warm winter hat,
and towel.
-
Personal First Aid Kit--in sealable plastic bag
- Prescriptions in
original containers, more than enough for the day
- Eye glasses & strap
- Contact lenses and related items
- Allergy medications, inhaler(s), epi-pens
(2-3 on multi-day trips)
and anti-histamine
- Diabetic supplies, more than enough for
the day
-
Emergency Kit--in a sealable plastic bag
-
Warm winter hat (wool or synthetic fleece)
-
Warm
socks
(wool or synthetic
fleece)
-
Whistle
-
Metal cup
-
Waterproof matches
-
Parachute cord
-
Pocket knife
-
2
contractor-size garbage bags
-
Compass
(flat, map-reading kind) Maps provided
-
Flagging tape
To leave in car...
- Keep another full set of dry
clothes, shoes, & towel in your car.
|
One-Day
Winter Hike, Snowshoe, or Ski
This is
a suggested list. Your gear will be inspected before the trip departs.
In Spring, add insect repellent and/or protective clothing. |
To
wear...
- Insulated
hiking boots, well broken-in
- 1 pair of synthetic socks (like fleece or
thick trekking socks that fit in your boots)
- Tops: Thermal
long-sleeve shirt
(synthetic quick-drying like polypropelene)
Fleece
or wool shirt or zipper jacket
(for insulation)
Wear one and bring the other jacket:
Weatherproof shell jacket
(wind/waterproof, with
zipper vents)
Insulated parka
(ski jacket)
- Bottoms: Synthetic thermal underwear
(quick-drying like
polypropelene)
Fleece pants
(or other synthetic
pants--no cotton/jeans)
Weatherproof shell bottoms(insulated
or not-depends on pants)
To bring...
- Day Pack for each person—lined with plastic
bag; large enough to hold the following
- Extra socks and shirt to bring if what
you’re wearing gets wet
- Favorite snacks
- Water--2 quarts/liters of warm water (in
wide-mouth bottle, i.e. Nalgene)
- Sunscreen lotion, lip balm/chapstick
- Bandanna
- Toilet paper/tissues
-
Personal First Aid Kit in a sealable plastic bag
- Prescriptions
in original containers, more than enough for the day
- Eye glasses & strap
- Contact lenses and related items
- Allergy medications, inhaler(s),
epi-pens (2-3 on multi-day trips)
and anti-histamine
- Diabetic supplies, more than enough
for the day
-
Emergency Kit--in a sealable plastic bag
-
Warm winter hat (wool or synthetic fleece)
-
Warm
socks
(wool or synthetic
fleece)
-
Whistle
-
Metal cup
-
Waterproof matches
-
Parachute cord
-
Pocket knife
-
2
contractor-size garbage bags
-
Compass
(flat, map-reading kind) Maps provided
-
Flagging tape
To leave in car...
- Keep a full set of dry clothes in your car, including top, bottom,
underwear, socks, dry shoes, and towel.
|
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See the photos below to understand what kind of pack to bring for hiking,
snowshoeing, back country skiing and paddling. A few rentals are available if you
are new to these sports or are traveling by plane to New Hampshire. |
|
School Book Bag |
Day Pack |
Backpack |
Dry Bag
with
backpack straps |
 |
 |
 |
|
2-Hour Trip, any sport
lined with plastic bag |
1/2 Day and
Full Day Trip, any sport in Summer, Spring, Fall,
lined with plastic bag |
Full Day Trip in Winter, and Hiking/Snowshoeing/Skiing Expeditions
To pack it--line it
with a contractor-size plastic bag, then sleeping pad (line it around the
edge—this should stiffen the pack and hold it up), then stuff the
sleeping bag into the bottom, and clothes and other gear on top. Heaviest
weight should be behind the shoulder blades. Full pack should weigh 1/4 to
1/3 of your weight. |
Canoe Expeditions
and smaller for day trips
To pack it--line it
with a contractor-size plastic bag, then sleeping pad (line it around the
edge—this should stiffen the dry bag and hold it up), then stuff the
sleeping bag into the bottom, and clothes and other gear on top.
Also,
one or two smaller dry bags are useful for handy items such as rain gear,
warm hat, visor, fleece jacket, gloves, camera, and lunch/snacks.
For
day trips, use
medium and small dry bags for canoeing and kayaking. |
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Each
participant on a full day or multi-day ESCAPE will need a Bivy Kit in the
case of an emergency in New Hampshire's rugged terrain, in the region of the
world that's known for its unpredictable “World’s Worst
Weather.” These items
can be put together yourself and should be brought on any outdoor adventure,
even for a trek that you plan on being only a couple of hours.
If you are flying in to New Hampshire and bringing your own bivy kit, please
place it with checked luggage at the airport and do not take it as carry-on. For your convenience
we provide bivy
kits to rent or buy. See
prices and photos for more
information, and list below.
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Bivy Kit - Suggested
Items for a Personal Survival Kit
- In
small stuff sack lined with plastic bag to keep contents dry,
or a
gallon-size sealable plastic bag:
- Two contractor-size plastic bags
- Plastic Whistle
- Reflector
-
Flagging/Surveyor’s tape
- Water
purification tablets (optional)
- Metal cup
- Waterproof
matches
- Plumber’s candle
or fire-starter sticks
- Compass (the clear, flat, map-reading
kind—maps will be provided)
- Emergency light
(light stick, mini-flashlight with batteries)
- Pocketknife
- Parachute cord
- Box of flavored
gelatin with sugar
- Duct Tape
(many uses, especially preventing blisters)
- Pencil and paper
- Extra synthetic socks
-
Extra winter hat
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Your guide is
trained in outdoor leadership and wilderness emergency medicine. Much time
and effort is put into preventing problems, including minute-by-minute
decision-making during your ESCAPE. If something does come up, there may be
a change in the itinerary, and every effort will be made to make the
remaining experience a positive one.
Each person is
responsible for their own personal basic first aid kit, which may include
the following:
|
Personal Basic First Aid Kit
(in stuff sack or sealable plastic bag)
-
Prescriptions in original containers
- Eye
glasses & strap
-
Contact
lenses and related items
- Allergy
medications, inhaler(s), epi-pens (2-3 on multi-day trips), anti-histamine
- Diabetic
supplies
-
Bandages, various sizes
- 2 4"X4" sterile pads
- Non-adhesive tape
- 2 cravats/triangular bandages
-
Maxi-pad for excessive bleeding
-
Mole skin for blister care (or use duct tape from bivy kit)
Other personal items
-
Sunscreen lotion, lip balm/chapstick
-
Insect repellant in season (June-August)
-
Toilet paper/tissues in plastic bag
-
A wide-mouthed water bottle or hydration pack, insulated in winter
-
Bandana |
|
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First of all, depending on the activity,
elevation, location, and for most of the year, we will not encounter many
insects on outdoor adventures. During summer we are most likely to see--if
anything--mosquitoes, little black flies, and ticks. There are concerns that
mosquitoes may carry West Nile Virus (among other things) and that deer
ticks (the tiny kind) do carry Lime disease. Black flies are simply
annoying and cause itching the next day. There are reportedly black widow
and brown recluse spiders, but I’ve never seen them (nor the timber
rattlesnake).
 During the bug season, about
April to October, I recommend covering skin areas with clothing as a first
line of defense--at least while in camp (avoid blue). We are usually not
bothered by mosquitoes and black flies while hiking at cooler higher elevations, moving on bicycles, on the water in canoes
and kayaks, or when it's windy.
When it’s too hot for wearing
a layer of bug clothing, insect repellent is an alternative (and should
probably be worn at all times to keep ticks off). There are
several products available and I’m not endorsing or approving any particular one. Some
ingredients have been researched, tested, and “approved by the government”
and others are wives' tales such as eating garlic or bananas. I've heard
that soldiers
use a mixture of half SkinSoSoft (Avon) and half rubbing alcohol. Avon
also offers various products that combine SSS repellent and SPF for sun
protection.
For longer protection, there are now three ingredients
approved by the government to ward off mosquitoes and ticks:
DEET
(in Off! Deep Woods),
and a couple natural NON-DEET ingredients--picaridin (in Cutter
Advanced Insect Repellent Pump Spray with Picaridin),
and the oil of lemon eucalyptus (in Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Lotion
Insect Repellent / Fite Bite Plant-Based Insect Repellent).
Studies also show that Bite Blocker for Kids (containing soybean oil) is
also effective for a shorter period of time.
Some mothers attach a sheet of fabric softener to a child's hat to ward off bugs.
Whatever
works. |
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Wilderness
Guide & Outdoor Educator