I work as a climbing guide in Yosemite National Park. My typical day involves either guiding private clients of varying experience up incredible multi-pitch routes, or teaching classes on the ground to beginners. What’s in my pack varies on the type of day, but here’s my favorite gear to bring on a typical day guiding clients up a classic Yosemite multi-pitch.
Petzl Gri Gri 2
The number one rule in guiding is: SAVE YOUR ELBOWS! No one wants to get elbow tendonitis, but guides especially don’t want to sacrifice their off-work climbing performance because they strained their elbows belaying 6 hours a day 5 days a week. Using an ATC in guide mode is a popular way to belay from the top, but it typically requires more force to pull the rope through the device due to the friction caused by the brake carabiner (and other factors like the brand of device you are using, the size of the carabiner, the rope diameter, etc.). The grigi feeds ropes with diameters between 8.9mm and 11mm like a dream, with smooth mechanical action that makes pulling the rope through feel buttery soft, and saves our precious shoulders and elbows for our hard redpoints on our weekends. If you want to see some science behind different belay devices and rope combinations and their ease of use, check out this article by climber Blake Herrington.
“But I like using an ATC because then I don’t have to bring an extra device to rappel!”
If you have to use an ATC, go with the Black Diamond ATC guide. It causes less friction than that of the Petzl Reverso, which makes feeding the rope slightly easier. This fascinating fact I learned from an interview with former YMS guide, Mikey Schafer on The Nugget Climbing Podcast. Super interesting interview and worth a listen!
A classic big wall anchor mess, featuring the GriGri 2 and the Patagonia Ascentionist backpack
Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoody II
Me enjoying the breezy Men’s Patagonia sun hoody on a summer day in Tuolumne
Although this item isn’t necessarily “in my bag,” rather “always on my body,” I feel like it’s worth a mention. As guides, we work all day every day at elevations of 4,000 ft + in the relentless California sun. Sun protection is pretty imperative, and I’ve experimented with a few sun hoodies now to have found my favorite in Patagonia’s lightweight Tropic Comfort Hoody. Initially they only made this hoody in the style that I liked for men, so I bought one in a size small which I love. But they have a women’s version now thankfully in the Women’s Capilene Cool Daily Hoody for a slightly more fitted look. The material is super light and soft, and I like the slightly loose fit so I don’t feel the weight of the material on my body as much which is crucial on 90+ degree days. I used to wear the Black Diamond Alpenglow sun hoody but the material was too tight and stretchy and I found myself constantly taking it off because it clung to my skin too much. But having a sun hoody at all is a crucial part of any guide’s uniform.
HydraPak Collapsible Water Bottle
On hot days during the summer, I’ll drink at least 4 liters of water over the course of the day. The HydraPak collapsible 2L water bottle is my go-to for my main water-carrying vessel. It is made out of a soft, durable yet collapsible material, so that when it’s empty it will take up less space in my pack. I hate having bulky water bottles that fit into backpacks inefficiently, so I’m a huge fan of any collapsible water bottle system. I’ll also carry a small Nalgene or the ubiquitous gatorade-with-duct-tape-and-p-cord to clip onto my harness for easy access hydration, and will often fill these small bottles with bonus electrolytes.
Sterling Nano 9.0mm // 60m Rope
My go-to guiding rope is a Sterling 60m, with a nice skinny 9.0 diameter. Remember earlier when I talked about the elbow-saving advantages of the GriGri? Well the skinnier the rope, the less friction it causes running through the device, and the skinny 9.0mm is perfect for the job. I also like the smaller diameter for the weight savings, because although I sometimes have clients help carry gear, often times I find myself carrying one or two ropes plus a rack on the approach or descent, and I want to keep it as light as possible to try to go as easy as I can on my body. I am also 99.9% of the time guiding things I would never have to take a lead fall on (aka very much under my limit), so I’m not worried about the small diameter as much in that regard.
A collection of bright new Sterling Nano’s in front of a guide’s tent in Yosemite
La Sportiva TX2 Approach Shoes
Very often us guides are taking clients out on routes we’ve done a million times, and for anything in the 5.6 and under range I will often wear my approach shoes for the duration of the route. My go-to’s are the La Sportiva TX2’s. They are flexible enough to climb easy terrain in, have the sticky Vibram rubber of their climbing shoes, and are lightweight and breathable for hot days. Did I mention it gets hot in Yosemite??
I used to wear the Evolv Cruzers a lot because I liked the way they looked and they were even less bulky and more lightweight than La Sportiva’s shoes, but they fell apart so quickly time and time again and couldn’t stand up to long descents. While they're a good choice to carry up multi-pitches where you are really trying to shave weight off your harness and don’t have a long descent with gnarly terrain on it, in the end I have to go with the TX2's for their durability.
Miscellaneous
Annie and I eat lunch on the spacious ledge mid-way up The Rostrum - I think this deluxe bagel sandwich had arugula and olive tapenade on it. Classy!
Food
I love packing a good bagel sandwich for multi-pitch routes. They hold their shape and don’t just squished in your pack like a tortilla or regular sandwich bread tend to do, they’re full of delicious and important carbs, and you can make them with whatever you want! My go-to is usually something along the lines of, turkey, mustard, cheese and avocado.
Sunscreen, Chapstick and a First Aid Kit
These are essential! Know what’s in your first aid kit and how to use it.
Tape
Not only for crack gloves, tape is also super useful to fortify broken backpack straps or water bottle cords, and can also be useful for first aid.
Sterling 6.8mm Hollow Block
The hollow block is a pre-sewn prusik made with durable, more abrasion-resistant fibers than your average cordalette prusik. A prusik is an essential piece of gear for a guide, as it is commonly used in self-rescue situations, can be utilized for a 3:1 hauling system to help your struggling clients get past a few hard moves, and also is commonly used as a back-up while rappelling.