Everything you need before your day
New to this? Start with What to Expect, then the gear and layering guides. Rentals, lodging discounts, waivers and the questions everybody asks are all here too. Every guide on this page is free and downloadable, and none of them require you to sign up for anything.
If you are booked onto a program and you only have five minutes, read What to expect on a program day and nothing else. It is the one that stops you worrying.
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What to expect on a program day
Your first day from the parking lot to the parking lot. What time to arrive, what happens when, who you will meet, and what nobody tells you.
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Gear guide
What the equipment does, what to buy, and what to rent first. Written so that you can walk into a shop knowing what you are looking at.
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Layering guide
What to wear for an activity that makes you very hot and then very cold. The single biggest difference between a good day and a miserable one.
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Packing guide
What goes in the pack, day by day and program by program, including avalanche gear and when you actually need it.
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Rentals and sizing
Where to rent near each mountain, what it costs, what to reserve in advance, and how to work out your sizes before you go.
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Lodging and accommodations
Discounted places to stay near our mountains, with the codes. Rates from about $30 a night.
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Northeast touring guide
Where to tour in the Northeast once you are doing this on your own. Zones, seasons, access and etiquette.
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Waivers
One place to read and sign what you need to sign before a program, so it is not something you are skimming on a phone in a parking lot.
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Frequently asked questions
Cost, ability, gear, weather, cancellations, dogs, minors, and what happens if you cannot keep up.