Packing advice for Patagonia's Huemul Circuit in shoulder season
Packing advice for Patagonia's Huemul Circuit in shoulder season
Hi all! Looking for anyone with experience hiking in Patagonia in late shoulder season. I will be headed down at the start of November and plan to do the Huemul Circuit as well as a few other overnights.
I am not overly concerned about my big 3 as I have a solid 20 degree sleep system and a Tarptent Stratopsire 2 that should hold up to the wind, but I AM seeking advice on clothing and footwear! This definitely seems like the trickiest call with the possibility of sustained extreme winds, rain, and cool temps.
I was thinking of the following:
- 3 pairs darn tough wool socks
- 2/3 pairs underwear
- 1 long sleeve sun hoody - open to suggestions, maybe a midweight capilene instead?
- 1 t shirt
- Capilene long underwear
- Pants of some kind? Open to suggestions.
- 1 pair running shorts
- Down jacket
- Rain jacket
- Rain pants
- Lighter weight fleece of some kind
- Buff or fleece Skida hat
- Cheap fleece gloves
- Sunglasses
Anything that you would recommend adding/removing? I am wondering if some form of rain mitts could be prudent. This is a lot of clothing already, so I am wondering if certain things are really necessary, such as both a short-sleeve shirt and a sun hoody.
Edit: Adding formal shakedown info.
Where are you going and when: Patagonia, Argentina, Huemul Circuit and other day hikes. November 2023.
What temp range and weather do you expect: 35-65 Fahrenheit/0C-18C. Very high winds, significant rain.
Goal Baseweight (BPW): Ideally 14LBS. Going to be carrying 4 days of food max.
Budget: $400
Non-negotiable Items: Thermarest Neoair X-Lite, Tarptent Stratopsire 2, Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20F with 850fp down
Solo or with another person?: With one other person
Additional Information: None
Lighterpack Link: Traveling right now, so no way to weigh my gear. Will edit later.
Check out Skurka’s core 13 clothing system. At a minimum consult the capstone post and find conditions that are similar to your expected conditions. I don’t have experience in Patagonia but I do have experience conditions similar to what you’ve listed.
2 pairs of underwear & socks. In persistent precipitation you put the wet ones back on in the morning. It only sucks for a few minutes.
No midweight capilene and no long underwear. I would find both too warm for active use, and they are weight inefficient for static warmth. A midweight capilene top would also fit the same role as a fleece IMO.
Pick your “go suit” and roll with it. Ie pants or shorts and t-shirt or long sleeve. Not both. OR Echo sun hoody is pretty sweet if you’re looking for a recommendation.
I only find a beanie/warm hat necessary if my fleece is lacking a hood.
The rest of the list looks pretty good IMO. If I was expecting to hike for a significant amount of time in wind and no rain I would consider a wind jacket. I don’t find that rain jackets breathe well enough to wear them during high aerobic output.