GEAR, EQUIPMENT and CLOTHING LIST * REQUIRED ITEMS: Please bring everything on the following list. As you read through this list you will see “NO COTTON” listed frequently. This is referring to the fact that wet cotton, be it from rain or sweat, holds moisture and loses the ability to insulate your body and keep you warm, which can quickly lead to hypothermic conditions in cold conditions. As opposed to wool or synthetic material, when wet these materials wick moisture away and dry much quicker allowing them to keep you warmer. THE GOLDEN RULE: NO COTTON! NO COTTON! NO COTTON! I won’t mention it again Work Clothes: Everyone wears a uniform while working. On day 1, you will receive some shirts, a hardhat, gloves, and safety glasses (your own pair of prescription glasses or sunglasses will work just fine). We work outside rain, shine, and otherwise. Boots: Boots should be all leather (policy, no exceptions) , minimal stitching, of medium weight and stiffness, Gore-tex/waterproof, have a high-traction sole (i.e. Vibram), firm toes and COVER THE ANKLES. Wear hiking socks or socks of equal thickness while trying on your boots. It is very important to break in your boots BEFORE you arrive. Don’t give yourself blisters! Rain Gear: Waterproof jacket and pants. Must be substantial enough to last the duration of your season. NO PLASTIC RAIN GEAR! Layering for warmth: Layering is the name of the game. The weather/temperature changes drastically over the course of both a 24 hour cycle and a season. You will often not need all your layers mid summer but spring and fall in Colorado are often really cold! Sometimes 30 degree differences between night and day. Base layers (torso and legs) are typically thinner synthetic or wool shirts that help control moisture. Mid Layers (torso are typically wool, fleece, and light weight down feather sweaters or jackets. This is where most of your heat comes from. 1 required, 2-3 mid layers suggested depending on how light they are. For example 1 thin fleece pull over, 1 wool sweater, and a light weight down puffy jacket. Outer Layers (optional if you have multiple mid layers but still a good idea) often referred to as soft or hardshell jackets are typically synthetic, offer some wind/water resistance. Tough Layer (advised) if you are worried about damaging your fancy outdoor gear. Some kind of outer layer that is either tough for cheap to work in that will protect your more expensive layers. All layers should fit underneath your rain jacket. Socks: Several pairs of wool blend or synthetic socks. Don’t double layer socks. It cuts off circulation and actually makes you colder. (thinner sock liners optional.) A minimum of 1 pair of socks every 2 days required. You don’t want trench foot. Underwear: Some people might wear a pair for 2 to 3 days in a row but do what you need to, to keep yourself clean. Pants: One or two pairs of sturdy, work pants. Carhartts, Dickies, Red Ant Pants, etc work very well. Jeans are fine. NO shorts, ripped pants, or leggings can be worn as “work pants”. Warm Hat: Crucial! Wool or synthetic. Camping Equipment: SCC provides all communal group and kitchen equipment: tarps and P-cord, stoves, pots/ pans,silverware, water filters, etc. You are responsible for bringing all of your own personal camping equipment, listed below. SCC does have a small cache of gear available for rent, but do not rely on this. Tent: High quality 3-season, 1 or 2 person tent recommended. An optional “footprint”, available for most tents however sold separately, is an additional piece of tent fabric laid beneath your tent as another layer of protection from ground moisture and wear and tear. A tarp from a hardware store is a cheap but bulky alternative. Show me an Ozark Trail, Coleman or other Walmart brand tent that is water proof and in one piece by the end of a season of trail crew and I’ll eat my boot…and don’t forget your tent stakes. Backpack: Large capacity, at least 70 liters or 4,300 cubic inches, and comfortable. We recommend investing in a high quality, internal-frame backpack. If possible, we recommend a rain cover for your pack but trash bags will work fine if you are unable to attain one. In outdoor gear stores attendants will often show you how to adjust your straps and will put weight in your pack to fit it properly. Sleeping Bag: R ated to 10 degrees or below (0 Degree bags advised for long term back country crews). Either down-feather or synthetic fill with a stuff sack. Down-feather is lighter and compacts smaller than synthetic, but when wet, down feather loses most of its heat value. Synthetic is cheaper, a little heavier and more bulky but retains more heat value when wet. Either way, keep your bag dry! You can also find sleeping bag liners which can be added to increase a sleeping bag’s warmth rating by 10-15 degrees. Sleeping Pad: Thin, closed-cell foam pad (i.e. ‘Z’ rest) or inflatable Therma-rest type pad (bring repair kit if using inflatable!). Do NOT bring a big, thick bed foam pad, electric blower mattresses from Wal-mart, or yoga mats. Sleeping pads are your insulation from the cold ground. Capacity for 4 liters (1 liter = 32 oz) of water: Nalgene-type bottles are great. Recycled Gatorade or juice bottles are a cheap alternative, however not as durable. Camelbak or MSR dromedary bags are also an option. Small Flashlight or Headlamp: headlamp recommended, it gets dark early especially during the fall so you will want something to move around after dusk. High alpine backcountry crews sometimes hike to work early in the dark to avoid lightning later in the day so a headlamp is especially recommended. Daypack (strongly recommended): To carry personal items (food, water, sunscreen, etc) every day to worksite if you prefer not to haul your big camping backpack to worksite. Traditional school backpacks are OK, but a daypack with a hip belt and more padding is recommended. They will see a lot of wear and tear so keep durability in mind. Lunch Tupperware: We highly recommend a 16oz straight wall jar by Nalgene or something with a top that screws on and will not spill in your backpack. Some Way to Wake Yourself Up: Crew members are responsible for being awake and ready by breakfast each morning. A watch or travel alarm clock will do the trick. We don’t let crew members charge anything in the vehicles. RECOMMENDED ITEMS: Please do not overpack. You will be carrying EVERYTHING on your back, sometimes including a sizable amount of group gear and food. We suggest bringing the following items, and NOTHING more: Camp/Town Clothing: Want to slip into something more fashionable for Salida or the the fire ring, go for it but limiting your extra clothing to one or two shirts and a pair of pants is advised. Winter Gloves: When you are not working you will want something other than your work gloves to keep your hands warm. There are lots of sleeker options out there than your snow gloves. Gaiters: Will keep the bottom of your pants dry/clean when hiking through mud and snow. Camp Shoes and/or Creek Shoes: Shoes that can be worn around camp, lightweight and comfortable, shoes that dry/drain easy for crossing creeks can be helpful too (no creek crossing shoes without an ankle strap/support). NOTE: You must wear shoes around camp. In the kitchen your shoes must be closed toe shoes (no holes). Shorts and/or Swim Suit: Splash. Visor or baseball cap: or feel the burn. Sunglasses: It’s always sunny in… Extra Work Gloves: Each member will be provided with one or two pairs of work gloves to start. If/when these fall apart you will be required to replace them. Camp Towel: A regular towel is fine but bulky and does not dry quickly so can get mildewy. Check out micro fiber towels. They are ultra absorbent and pack small. Personal Items: Keep it small and simple – no electrical appliances or make-up necessary. SCC will provide well- stocked first aid kits (two per crew), but if you take Ibuprofen or something similar on a daily basis bring your own. You will be camping/working in active bear country! Bring scent free items, avoid flavor/ smelly scented items unless completely necessary (there are often scent free alternatives.) as they attract bears into camps and worksites. Absolutely no food or scented items in your tent at night! In the backcountry, crews will do a bear hang every night for those items, and in the front country, crews will use a large metal bear box. Basic Toiletries: Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, biodegradable shampoo and soap, etc (must be environmentally friendly and unscented). Females: Please bring plenty of feminine care products and a way to dispose (please pack out), change in activity may cause irregular menstrual cycles. MEDICATIONS: BRING ALL MEDICINES THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY PRESCRIBED and make sure that you have enough to last for your time here at SCC. Due to the intense nature of this program please make sure that you are prepared to follow your physician’s current recommendations. This is not a time to experiment with reducing/changing personal prescriptions. Please speak with your crew leaders or staff if you have questions. A Power Bank: If you plan to bring an iPod (not during group or work activities) or something similar, I cannot stress enough that we do not allow any devices to be charged on the crew vehicles or power bank. Personal Camp Stove and Pot: We provide group cooking gear for on project but if you plan to camp on your weekends and want hot food have a pocket rock or MSR whisper light ready at hand to feed yourself. Camp Chair: They are comfy. Bandanas : They have a million and one uses! Sunscreen & Insect Repellent: No aerosol cans. Lip Balm: With sunscreen. Small Pocketknife : Less than 3 inches in length, optional. Nylon Cord: For clothesline, tying down tents, etc. optional. A few Plastic Bags: For organizing, waterproofing and personal trash, optional. Gear Tape and Patches: Gortex patches for rain gear/tent. Otherwise any ‘gear tape’ works well for stuff like your backpack if you get a small tear. Other fun stuff: musical instrument, sketchbook, journal, books, cards, small game, camera, fishing gear & license, sewing kit, songs, stories . . . MONEY for days off: All crews will have days off and will need spending money for food and other items on their weekends. Please DO NOT Bring the Following Items: • Knives with blades over 3” long, Guns, or Fireworks • Drugs or Alcohol • Clothing with inappropriate or offensive graphics. As you pull this list together, it’s a good idea to lay everything out in front of you. Can it all fit in your backpack? Keep in mind, you will also be carrying shared group gear, food, and tools in addition to the above list so make sure you have a plan for it all! Also, walk around with your loaded pack, how does it feel? Can you see yourself hiking with it 2-3 miles into the backcountry? Keep in mind, staff and your crew leaders will go through this list with you on orientation day as well and can answer any questions you may have. If you are having trouble purchasing some of these items you may inquire with the Program Coordinator to see if we have items available for temporary loan. *NOTE* There will be limited storage space available on our property for members to store items. In addition, the storage space is not insulated to heat and cold so we do not recommend storing heat/cold sensitive items in there. SCC will not be responsible for lost/stolen/damaged items in the communal storage space. There will be plenty of space available to store bicycles. Resources for obtaining gear Thrift stores: A great place to start, especially for work pants, creek crossing shoes, daypacks, water bottles, etc. if you are on a budget. You most likely won’t find something that will last as long as Carharts or other time-tested brands but you can get less technical/specific items for cheap that you don’t have to worry about having wear and tear on.