Ten Essentials
The Mountaineers, Seattle
Back in the early 1930’s when mountain accidents were not that uncommon, The Mountaineers, a Seattle, WA based climbing club, studied the causes and what might have prevented or reduced the severity of accidents and increased the rate of survival.
They devised a list of ten items that should always be carried on outings. These items are directly related to increasing the likelihood of survival in case of accidents, etc. This list became known as the “Ten Essentials”. The list has evolved over time from a list of individual items to a list of functional systems; the updated Ten Essential Systems list is included in Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 7th Edition.
Extra food
Map
Compass
Matches
Fire starter
First-aid supplies
Knife
Headlamp/flashlight
Sunglasses and sunscreen
Ten Essential Systems: The updated system approach
Insulation (extra clothing)
Emergency shelter (tent/plastic tube tent/garbage bag)
Hydration (extra water)
Nutrition (extra food)
Navigation (Map & Compass)
Fire (waterproof matches/lighter/candle)
First-aid supplies
Repair kit and tools (knife)
Illumination (headlamp/flashlight)
Sun protection (sunglasses & sunscreen)
Other useful items
The Mountaineers Books, $26.95 (paperback), $37.95 (hardback).
Jim Yuen
March 2002, Sept 2008
