The Cordillera Blanca Traverse is a backcountry hiking route through one of South America’s highest and most beautiful mountain ranges. Measuring approximately 400 km (249 mi) in length, elevations during the hike ranged between 3,133 m (10,279 ft) and 5,201 m (17,064 ft), and temperatures varied from a high of 20 ºC to a low of -10ºC / 68°F – 14°F).
I hiked the CBT over 16 days in August/September 2014. The original gear list can be found here. What follows is what I would take if I was to do the hike again in 2022. For chuckles, at the bottom of the post, I included a gear list of what I carried during my first trekking trip to the Cordillera Blanca in 1996.
Big Birding on the Cordillera Blanca Traverse in 2014.
| ITEM | WT. (OZ) | SUB (oz) | SUB (kg) | COMMENTS |
| BACKPACK | ||||
| MLD Burn DCF | 16 | Ultralight, frameless, slim profile – I’ve been using different incarnations of the Burn since the mid-2000s / I’ve had the DCF model since 2018. | ||
| Pack Liner (Trash Compactor Bag) | 2 | Cheap & effective | ||
| 18 | 0.51 | |||
| SHELTER | ||||
| Tarptent Aeon Li | 16.8 | Uber-lite, holds up pretty well in stormy conditions when pitched low (108cm)/ Very roomy for something which weighs around a pound. | ||
| Mixture of models (6) – Mostly MSR Groundhogs with a couple of shepherd’s hooks. | 1.7 | |||
| 18.5 | 0.52 | |||
| SLEEPING SYSTEM | ||||
| Pad – Thermarest NeoAir XLite (Regular Wide/Modified) | 12 | Very comfy / Doubles as makeshift framesheet for pack/ (See 20,000 + mile review). | ||
| Quilt – Katabatic Alsek 22 (Long / 900fp) | 22.2 | Conservatively rated 22°F / More than 900 nights using Katabatic quilts since 2011. | ||
| 34.2 | 0.97 | |||
| KITCHEN | ||||
| LokSak 20×12 (Food Bag) | 1.2 | Food storage bag of choice since the mid 2000s. I often hear people complain about the seals breaking quickly, but I’ve always found them to be fairly durable (4 to 6 weeks of daily use) if you don’t overfill them. | ||
| Toaks 700ml Titanium Pot | 3.1 | |||
| Toaks Titanium Siphon Alcohol Stove |
0.7 | |||
| Toaks Titanium Alcohol Stove Pot Stand | 1.2 | |||
| Titanium Long-handled spoon | 0.7 | |||
| SmartWater Bottles 1 LT (2) | 2.6 | |||
| 9.5 | 0.27 | |||
| FIRST AID / HYGIENE | ||||
| Sunscreen (repackaged in tiny bottle) | ||||
| Hand Sanitizer (repackaged in dropper bottle) | ||||
| Aquamira (repackaged in dropper bottles) | Purification method of choice since 2007. | |||
| Toothbrush | ||||
| Toothpaste (mini tube) | ||||
| Dental Floss | Doubles as sewing thread | |||
| Antiseptic Wipes (2) | Clean cuts/wounds | |||
| Gauze | ||||
| Triple Antibiotic Cream (tiny tube) | ||||
| 3M Micropore Medical Tape | Breathable, paper tape / Adheres well. | |||
| Ibuprofen (6) | ||||
| Sewing Needle | ||||
| Tenacious Tape/Duct Tape, Mini Tube Super Glue (repairs) | ||||
| 4 | 0.11 | |||
| CLOTHES | ||||
| Rain Pants – Montbell Versalite | 3.2 | Very light and water-resistant. Fine for on-trail hiking, care needs to be taken when heading off-trail/bushwhacking. | ||
| Thermal Underwear – Montbell Super Merino Middle Weight Tights | 6 | |||
| Rain Jacket – Montbell Peak Dry Shell | 7.5 | Double thumbs up. Rain jacket of choice the past couple of years. I’ve found it to be more durable than the spiel on the Montbell website would indicate. | ||
| Insulation – Insulation – Montane Allez Hoodie | 6.7 | Huge fan of this durable fleece, which I’ve owned for the past couple of years / Good active layer – not too heavy, not too light/ Nice fitting hood. | ||
| Insulation – Montbell 1000 Alpine Down Parka | 9.1 | Great warmth-to-weight ratio. Upgrade over long-time favorite 3-season puffy, the Superior Down Parka. | ||
| Extra Socks – Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew | 2.6 | Kept dry for sleeping/ Doubled as mittens when temps dipped well below freezing. | ||
| Buff (Original Polyester) | 1.4 | Beanie, neck/face protection, condensation wipe, convenience store holdups if low on cash. | ||
| Montbell Chameece Liner gloves | 0.9 | Almost four years of regular use and still going strong / Easily the best liner gloves I’ve used. | ||
| Montbell Dry Tec Over Mittens | 3.2 | |||
| 40.6 | 1.15 | |||
| MISCELLANEOUS | ||||
| Phone – iPhone 11 | 7.1 | |||
| Otter Symmetry case for iPhone 11 (orange) | 1.3 | |||
| Camera – Sony A6400 | 27 | Upgraded to the A6400 with an 18-135mm lens in 2020. Happy with the results so far. | ||
| Stuff sacks – HMG Cuben Fiber (2) | 2.4 | |||
| Headlamp – Nitecore NU25 | 1.8 | Excellent rechargeable headlamp. Most of the time I tend to use the low red setting to preserve night vision. | ||
| Montbell Trail Wallet (orange model) | 0.5 | Love this little wallet. Use it both on trail and off. Orange color makes it harder to lose. | ||
| Swiss Army Classic | 0.7 | For a long time, I really only used the tweezers and scissors, but in recent years I’ve carried more cheese and veggies on shorter hikes, meaning that I now use the knife as much or more than the other two features. | ||
| Compass – Suunto M-3G Global Pro | 1.6 | Adjustable declination and globally balanced needle (more responsive than my old Suunto M-2). | ||
| Small pen | 0.3 | |||
| Deuce of Spades potty trowel | 0.6 | |||
| Map Bag – Quart Size Ziploc | 0.2 | Keeps maps clean, dry & organized. | ||
| Montbell Alpine Carbon Pole Cam Lock | 7.1 | Upgraded after many years of using the Fizans, due to the fact that I’ve had the twist-lock mechanism fail on me a couple of times in extreme conditions / Cam (flip) lock is easier to handle, more secure, and worth the extra ounce and a half. (Note: The 2022 model is lighter, tipping the scales at 6.7 oz). | ||
| 50.7 | 1.44 | |||
| BASE WEIGHT | TOTAL | 11 lb | 5 kg | |
| ITEMS WORN | ||||
| Shorts – Patagonia Baggies 7″ | 6.7 | Hiking shorts of choice since 2014/15. The 7″ are long enough that they can be used on trail but still look respectable around town. See Review. | ||
| Base layer – Patagonia Tropic Comfort 2 Hoody | 6.6 | Light, airy, dries quickly, and good sun protection when combined with the baseball cap. | ||
| Hat – CDT Baseball Cap | 3.2 | |||
| Shoes – La Sportiva Ultra Raptors (size 46.5) | 26.4 | Converted to the Ultra Raptors for extended stretches in rugged terrain a couple of years ago. Double thumbs up. Amazingly durable. 600 miles plus per pair. | ||
| Socks – REI Merino Wool liners | 1.6 | Still my favourite liner socks, though the current models aren’t as durable as the pre-2013 versions. | ||
| Dirty Girl Gaiters | 1.2 | Handy for keeping out dirt and mud. I’ve been using DG’s since 2007. | ||
| GPS Watch – Suunto Ambit3 Peak | 3 | Good battery life and GPS accuracy. | ||
| Sunglasses | 0.8 | Polarized lenses, 100% UV protection, wrap-around. | ||
| 49.6 | 1.41 | |||
| TOTAL WEIGHT | 14 lb | 6.4 kg | ||
Cordillera Blanca 1996 Gear List
On the gear front, much has changed since my first time trekking in the Cordillera Blanca in 1996. Here’s a list of the items I carried during that trip to Peru (Note: This list was put together in 2015 through a combination of old journal entries and faded memories).
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Hey Swami,
Consider trying an alpha fleece hoody plus wind parka a try next time you’re on a maintained trail. I’m finding the combo ideal on the Colorado Trail.
Nice new camera! The pictures have always been superb.
Hey Tim,
Thanks for the kind words. If I was going to try an alpha hoody, that would be the very situation! Keep enjoying the CT.
Cheers,
Swami
I bought a used XLite wide a few years ago and cut it too short and couldn’t get a good seal on my first try so when I sealed it a second time, it, it ended up being 45″ long which was enough to cover my head to my buttocks but if I lie on my side, my knees are on the ground. I am thinking if I try it again with another used wide Xlite I would want my final product to be a couple of inches below the knees. (I am 6′ tall). I am curious what length you cut yours to and how tall you are?
Hi Gerry,
I’m 6’1 (186cm) and I cut the mat to 59 in (150 cm).
Cheers,
Cam
Hey Swami,
What a coincidence – I was reading this gear list as I am in the process of upgrading my kit from a very similar list as your ’96’ one! Almost there…only a few items to go.
I did have one question – on your ‘Items Worn’ list you don’t list any jocks (Underpants for all other countries outside of Oz). They are not listed in your ‘Clothes’ list. Does that mean you endorse going ‘Commando’; is there a whole post dedicated to the ‘Pro’s and Con’s’ of sans undies here on the site I have missed!?
Hey Rowan,
Thanks for the message. Although I’m a long-time fan of the commando option, the Patagonia Baggies I mention in the post do have built-in jocks. All the best with your gear overhaul!
Cheers,
Cam