Melissa Arnot has been a mountain guide since 2004, summiting Mount Everest, Mustang Himal and the 50 Peaks Challenge, where she climbed the 50 state high points in just 41 days, 16 hours and 10 minutes. She was also the first American woman to summit and descend Mount Everest without oxygen. She knows what it takes to tackle a big climb, and has her kit set. “After 109 summits of Rainier, my kit for climbing is pretty dialed. I always try to bring exactly what I know I need and nothing extra to help keep the weight reasonable,” Arnot says.
Each year, Arnot leads a group up Mount Rainier as a part of her role in the Juniper Fund. Arnot founded the organization back in 2012 with David Morton to commit to improving the lives of local Nepalese Sherpas and their families, especially after something goes wrong on a climb and that livelihood is no longer an option. The Mount Rainier climb helps fund efforts to support the families whose loved ones have perished at the hand of Mt. Everest.
Here are just a few pieces of gear Arnot reaches for every single time she heads out to hike the glacier-laden trail.
Melissa Arnot’s Gear
Eddie Bauer Evertherm Hooded Jacket
