Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board First Aid Kit for October?

Hi everyone,

I have summitted before. I am thinking about what to pack for first aid in October. I am Mr. Ultralight and don't want to carry anything I don't have to.

So for example, I'm not taking Burn Gel because there are only two ways to get burned. One by your stove, and the other by a forest fire down below. For the former, the burn can't be that bad, and you would have to really deal with the pain anyway (except for aspirin). For the latter, it's not going to matter much anyway.

But I was thinking that maybe sprained ankles are more likely from slipping on ice, etc.

I realize this subject could be opening the proverbial can-of-worms as far as advice goes, but I'll take my chances.

Any advice on what I should definitely bring that require attention for inclusion in an ultralight first aid kit would be appreciated!

Cheers,

Jeff Long

Jeff -

It would useful to know whether you're doing this as an overnighter or a daytrip, and whether you're solo or with a group.

As for a first aid kit - there's the obvious stuff. At a minimum I carry a painkiller (ibuprofen is better than aspirin), some antibiotic ointment and some bandages for minor stuff, and some larger bandages for a big gash. Mostly I'd focus on an emergency - what would you do if you were incapacitated and needed to survive for several hours or even a few days until help arrived? In October it will be cold, so I would be carrying a down jacket, along with a down bag, pad, an emergency bivy (Adventure Medical makes a good one), a compact stove and small supply of fuel, plus a spare headlamp and spare batteries. Carrying crampons and just as important - knowing how to use them - may be an issue if there's ice/snow on the mountain. A bit of reserve food and water is also important, and a box of Jello added to hot water goes a long way if cold or hypothermia.

Whenever discussions of first aid & emergency gear come up, it often sparks discussions of which is better - light and fast vs. heavier and slower. Eventually we each have to make our own choice here, and when hiking with a knowledgeable group each person can carry his/her share of the emergency group gear, but solo hiking is quite another matter.

Hope this helps -

Kevin

In the interest of a light as possible pack while dayhiking Whitney, I have ditched the first aid kit. If you get a cut or scrape, you'll live. I figure that the worst that can happen to you is a badly sprained ankle or knee. For that possibility, I always carry two Sam splints and rolls of adhesive tape. A hurt joint can be immobilized so you can hobble out. Your hiking poles will double as crutches.

An 0' Boy Scout trick I learned years ago was to put a few bandaids in my wallet. It is amazing how many times they have come in handy, for me and others!

depends on definition of "first aid"

if ultralight, the bandaids and aspirin although light, are not needed. just suck it up.

now for real injuries... all you want to do is to be able to walk out, so carry a sam splint and tape as already suggested. the latter can double as pressure bandage for significant bleeding. for life-threatening injuries, take a cell phone, a partner, or a prayer.

everything else like stove, compass, water, etc is not first aid but survival. (separate subject.)

It comes down to what you feel comfortable not taking up the mountain.

I have no problem leaving a sam splint of two at home but I will not go up the trail without Compeed and moleskin because history tells me I most likely will use the latter before I will use the former.

Everyone has a different comfort level with it comes to personal safety; therefore, my suggestion would be to cut down on the stuff you normally take to one day levels. How many 200 mg. vitamin I tabs do your really need to take?

I see that I failed to tell everyone group size and trip length.

Myself, my 13 year old daughter, and a friend are overnighting, staying at Trail Camp the 8th and 9th, summitting the 9th (hopefully).

So although I am an ultralighter, I do not mind a few grams here or there, so bandaids and ibuprofen go in for sure, and moleskin is required IMHO. I'm also hearing that a splint might be a good choice. I carry many many turns of gaffer's tape (Entertainment Industry uses - much better than duct tape) on my trekking poles, so I could consider adding medical tape there or just use the gaff tape.

I appreciate everyone's well-thought out responses, and will be checking again soon to see if there are more replies!

Thanks!

Jeff Long

I am a light weight guy. I also won't compromise on certain things and safety is at the top of my list. A first aid kit goes in my pack on every trip I do from a day of rock climbing at a local crag to a big expedition. This is the kit I use. There are four sizes labeled LD1, LD2, LD3, LD4. You can read about them all here. You can buy one here. You can call them at (619) 283-2374.

I use the LD4 pictured here. It is 9 oz off the shelf. The #'s 1-3 are lighter than that! I pull a couple things out and put a couple other things in. You can tweak it for different adventures. It's contents include items for wound treatment, bandages, meds, blisters, and a few misc goodies:

1 “Ask the Expert” Free Membership Card
1 Splinter Grabber
2 Safety Pins
2 Nitrile Protective Gloves
2 Antibiotic Ointment
12 Antiseptic Towelettes
2 2” x 3” Non-Adherent Dressing
10 Wound Closure Strips
3 2” x 3” Moleskin
2 Tincture of Benzoin
1 5” x 9” Trauma Pad
1 Cohesive Pressure Wrap
1 1” x 10 Yards Tape
6 3” x 3” Sterile Gauze Pads
1 Elastic Bandage
15 1” x 3” Adhesive Strips
1 Conforming Gauze Bandage
4 Knuckle Bandages
10 Ibuprofen
4 Antihistamine
4 Sting Relief Pads
2 Bitran® Saranex® Waterproof Airtight Inner Bag
1 Water Resistant Outer Nylon Bag
1 Bottle of Potable Aqua

Jeff - As a long-time user of duct tape, I'm intrigued by gaffer tape. Where can I get some, preferably by mail order (some of us go to great lengths to avoid driving to LA!). Thanks.

Kevin

I don't disagree with anything that anyone has posted, as there are many answers and many approaches. A little or a lot....I would tend to say that the less you know, the more you need. It is amazing what you can improvise, if you know how.

It does no good for the initiator of this thread due to time constraints, but the BEST first aid kit is good training. For the casual hiker near the city, a simple Red Cross first aid course is probably adequate. For someone wandering in the real mountains where they may be remote, or isolated by geography, I think training that starts with a Wilderness First Aid course is a minimum.

I recently went through this exact process in outfitting all the boats in my yacht club with first aid kits. I opted for fairly comprehensive kits, as it involves over 200 people, many with no training at all. I visualize people reading the first aid manual supplied in the middle of the treatment.

So, I think it is a good idea to take what will give one comfort that one is prepared, but the less trained one is in first aid, the more one should probably have.

How well does Gaffer tape pull off skin? I know that peeling duct tape is about as much pain as I'd want to experience.

Gaffer's tape can be found in most camera shops which sell pro gear, like Samy's, or at company that sells consumables to the studios.

The product is made to strip cleanly from whatever it is applied to, therefore, the adhesive is not as aggressive as the cheaper duct tapes that are available for sale in the home centers and the like.

I sell industrial tapes and have been carrying gaff tape for years.