What's in Tony's Pack?

High-mountain guide and professional climber Anthony Lamiche describes his life as a "continuous quest for physical and mental well-being in a natural environment, shared with other just as passionate individuals." With an almost primal need for freedom and fresh air, Tony's version of fun can be summed up in 3 words: climb, ski, and eat. Today, this extraordinary athlete shares with us what he packs when skiing steep terrain.

Extreme skiing requires meticulous preparation to avoid ending up in a tricky situation. Preparation means proper packing. Here is how Tony organizes his pack:

"I take… 

1. A pair of skis that are 95mm under foot. "This is a good width that skis well everywhere. If the snow is soft and I can ski fast, I take 114mm-wide ski."
2. A pair of ski boots.
3. Mohair climbing skins. "Since I don't climb fast, I prefer good grip over gliding."
4. Ski crampons. "For hard snow but also in powder that offers little grip (allowing me to climb at a rhythm of 5 less heart beats per minute)."
5. Adjustable carbon poles. "Key for having the right length for whatever I am skiing."
6. An avalanche beacon and spare batteries.
7. An robust avalanche shovel and shaft with a hoe mode. "A very solid shovel that is effective in hard snow; too bad for the extra weight. It also allows you to build an emergency rescue sled."
8. An aluminum 240cm long probe that is solid, stiff, and easy to deploy.
9. A pair of category 4 sunglasses. "I don't like having bloodshot eyes at the end of the day."
10. A pair of goggles. "I also take extra lenses, since when I fall in powder I sometimes need a spare: two lenses (categories 1 and 4), plus a polarized and photochromic lens."
11. A dual-rated helmet for skiing and mountaineering since I clearly do both.
12. Two Petzl SUM'TEC ice axes to be able to set a piton but also for solid placements at a reasonable weight.
13. A Petzl ALTITUDE harness. "This harness slips on without having to pass your feet through and has ice screw slots on the leg loops."
14. Petzl LEOPARD or DARTWIN crampons depending on difficulty. "I have the LEOPARD crampons in my pack every day. However, if I plan to climb steep or long sections of ice, I take more technical crampons like the DARTWIN."
15. LASER SPEED LIGHT ice screws. "Lightweight and efficient. If I go ice climbing, I take their big siblings."
16. A dynamic 60m rope. "For any route where there might be some climbing to reach my objective or in case we turn around near the top."
17. A RAD SYSTEM kit. "This is what I use the most for glacier travel and rappels since it is always available in its pouch (carrying a rope in my pack is restricting)."
18. Three ATTACHE carabiners, a TIBLOC ascender, a MICRO-TRAXION progress-capture pulley. "With this kit, I can use every technique possible to get out of a difficult situation."
19. Three or four FIN'ANNEAU 120cm slings.
20. A CONNECT ADJUST lanyard. "It is always adjusted to the right length."
21. A NITRO 3 quickdraw for sketchy protection.
22. A screwdriver. "I always have minor problems with my gear, and since I try different things, I like to be able to fine tune and make adjustments."
23. Extra rope and slings. "I reinforce every anchor, so I need gear to leave in place."
24. A 35 liter backpack. "This is my everyday pack with all of the little technical features that I need to be at ease."
25. An airbag backpack. "For those days when there is powder to ski on the steeps and snow stability is a more critical issue."
26. Several pairs of gloves.
27. A parka to wear if in a spot where we have to wait for a while.
28. A jacket and pant designed for ski-mountaineering, with pockets where you need them and great freedom of movement.
29. A 50 SPF sunscreen. "I have a big nose that sticks out."
30. A splint in the bottom of my pack to immobilize a fracture or a neck. "I have yet to use it, but it has seen more than a few summits!"
31. A TIKKA XP headlamp. "Just in case, since I don't like to get up early and I often get back down late."
32. A 500 ml flexible water bottle. "I always take this and sometimes a small 500ml thermos as well."
33. A stabilizer and a GOPRO camera to share what we are doing. "I spent 20 years skiing great descents without ever taking video or photos."

+ A PRO radio: the ability to call for help is essential, and even more so when you're a professional. I have often used it to assist other climbers and skiers.

+ A 1-day first aid kit: essential as well if just in case something happens."