I will be sending you a list of participants in a week or so.

Now that it's Spring, I hope you are all starting to increase your exercise. As I've told most of you flat-landers on the phone, the terrain at Donner Summit is much steeper than that in the mountains around Atlanta, Philadelphia or Chicago, so you need to get some practice going up and down with some weignt, (e.g. by carrying some gallon milk bottles [either in a backpack or by hand] filled with water up and down stairs). A stair-master at your local gym will help also.

The atmospheric pressure at 7,500 ft is 77% of that a sea level, so it will be harder to breath and you will be carrying a pack weighing 30-35 pounds (maximum of 20-25 pounds of personal gear, plus shared commissary of approximately 5-10 pounds).
We will not be trying to set any speed records, because none of us are spring chickens, but you will need to be able to keep up with the group.

Equipment List:
Attached is a detailed equipment list. It is also online at: https://donsnotes.com/recreation/hcb/equip_list_backpack.html
I've also included a document, "The Four Major Pieces of Equipment", with details about backpacks, sleeping bags, sleeping pads and tents.

They are in web (html) format that you can read with your web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, ...); If you have trouble reading them let me know and I will create a MS word or other format for you.

The April issue of Backpacker Magazine (http://www.backpacker.com) is their annual Gear Guide. Check it out online or at your library to see the latest recommendations.

Equipment Rental:
We recommend that you rent equipment so you have a chance to try it out and see what others have before you buy. There is information on gear rentals at https://donsnotes.com/ctl/outdoor_equipment.html, the prices there are a year old, I'll be updating them next week.
LowerGear.com will ship your equipment to you or the lodge and give you a pre-paid shipping label to return it.

The trip web site is https://donsnotes.com/ctl/introtobackpacking/index.html.
Copies of all the bulletins and links to the equipment list, directions, etc. are there.

Feel free to call if you have any questions.

Don (732) 560-0369