The Gear I Used While Hiking in the Lower Himalayas

Field magazine

I hiked below the low red ball sun, illuminating the terraces that unfurled down the hillsides like uneven steps for a giant. Vibrant colored prayer flags blowing in the high mountain air flanked the steep dirt trails I followed from valley to mountain tops. For those who love traveling by trail, the Himalayas hold a special place in a hiker’s heart. Offering majestic peaks and spicy foods, this region is home to some of the largest and most magnificent mountains on the planet.

The Himalayas are an expansive range that spans 230,000 miles and crosses six different Asian countries. Though the range is most famous for its massive peaks that reach 26,000 feet in elevation, including Mount Everest, the highest mountain on the planet, the Himalayas is more than just an expert technical alpine zone. The area is also home to ecosystems that range in climate from subtropical to semidesert.

Over the past few years, I’ve spent nearly a month trekking through lower mountains and valleys known as the “Gateway to the Himalayas,” exploring the less iconic (but plenty stunning) terraces and small villages spread along the border of India and Nepal. Recently, I spent a week hiking around 50 miles in the West Bengal region. The experience was not as taxing as thru-hiking portions of the Colorado Trail or Continental Divide Trail, both of which I have done, but it presented some unique challenges—and required some specific gear.

For this most recent trip I was thankful to be hiking with a trusted pal, who shared my tent and gear load, as well as working with cooks and a camp team who handled meal prep. Still, I had to be prepared to cover a decent deal of distance and handle a wide range of weather conditions. I’m also pretty tall, which definitely affected how I packed for this particular trip. Luckily, it’s also something I’ve had to deal with my entire life, so I had plenty of experience to draw from when making my choices.

Read on for a closer look into the specific gear I chose to haul through the Himalayas on my most recent 50 mile hike.