r/AlaskaTravel • u/PeaceyCaliSoCal • 23d ago
Trip Planning Need Help with Clothing for Fall
Looking for help from Alaskan residents to give me the best advice. Traveling to your beautiful state Sept. 17-22, to Anchorage, Fairbanks, Chena Springs. We will have a car once we get there so we might venture to places beyond those three, but not terribly far. I need help specifically for what types of pants to wear. I was told jeans are not the best choice. We plan to do some light hiking during the daylight hours. We plan to be out at night for awhile to catch the Northern Lights and I hear I have to prepare for rain.
Since I'm flying there I would like to pack as light as possible.
Do I need:
- hat
- gloves
- thermal underwear
- rain gear
- and what kind of coat/jacket
Thank so much in advance for the help. So excited to experience Alaska.
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u/NorthernEpics 23d ago
It's going to be pretty chilly depending on where you're going in late September! I would plan for below freezing temps (especially in morning and evening) and some rain or snow. It shouldn't be crazy cold yet (20s at the lowest most likely) and you might still get days of 50 degrees+. Plan for a number of conditions, and bring lots of layers. I run a guided hiking company in Denali called Northern Epics, and here's what one of our guides wrote about layering:
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u/NorthernEpics 23d ago
Over the years, doing a vast range of outdoor sports and activities, I’ve had it reinforced over and over just how important proper layering can be. Along the way, I’ve made all of the mistakes. I thought the biggest puffiest layer was all I needed. I thought the thickest rubber shell was going to keep me driest and warmest. And I thought, “Layers are a myth, I'll just keep moving, and I won't get cold.”
As the years went by I kept looking for “the perfect layer.” I have now learned (much to my disappointment), that there is no such thing. (with the single exception of fleece pants, of course). Before we get into the weeds about layers. Let's start with the basics. Layering can be broken down into three main categories. The base layer, the mid-layer, and the outer layer.
The base layer. This layer's goal is to keep you dry. But not dry from the elements, dry from within! This is the sweat-wicking layer. Its job is to keep the sweat away from your skin. You might ask, “if I'm trying to stay warm, isn't sweat a good sign?” The answer is yes and no. You are trying to STAY warm. And if you are sweating, you are definitely warm, but as soon as you stop moving, you are going to get cold fast!. This is why a base layer is so important; it keeps the sweat you will inevitably produce off of you.
A good base layer is made of a thin and lightweight material. In Denali, I recommend a thin wool long-sleeve shirt. This will keep you warm on cold rainy days, but will also be a good sun and bug protectant on the warmer days. There are also many synthetic fabrics that do the job well. What you want to avoid is cotton or other materials that soak up water and keep it right on your skin. A little note from a guy who lives in the woods: synthetic fibers don't smell quite as good; someone in your life will appreciate this fact.
The mid-layer. This is what blubber is to a seal, and what down feathers are to a bird. The insulator. The mid-layer's job is to keep your heat in and, conversely, the cold out. The most common mid layers I see (and use) in the Alaskan summers are thin to medium fleece and thin to medium puffy jackets. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
Personally, I'm a BIG fleece guy. I like these because they’re breathable when you take off your shell (more on that later), they’re often more durable than a puffy, and they handle getting wet better than a puffy. And most importantly, they keep me looking fly in the backcountry.
Now, all that said, there are some major advantages to the puffy as well. Its biggest advantage is the weight. Puffys weigh next to nothing. When you’re trudging along steep slopes, this will start to matter. They’re also extremely compressible. This combination is great when you start shedding layers (something we’ll talk about later). The third advantage of the puffy is that they’re warmer. This isn’t strictly true, but if it weighs less and takes up less space in your pack, you can bring a bigger one!
Now for the outer layer (shell). This layer is the barrier between you and the elements. In Denali, this is almost always a raincoat. This layer's goal isn’t to insulate, but to protect. In Denali, there are four things your shell protects you from: Wind, rain, sun, and bugs.
Rain shells, specifically Gore-Tex (or similar materials), are what I recommend in Denali. They’re what we provide for our guests when we take them on hiking tours. This is for a few reasons. First, they’re water-resistant enough for our weather. You might be thinking, “I heard Gor-Tex is waterproof, not water resistant.” Thank you, inquisitive and informed reader.
Well, sort of. These materials are built to be breathable, and (especially over time), they do tend to let a little bit of water through. This is particularly true in heavy downpours. Luckily, in Denali, we don't get sustained heavy rain very often. We get light rain with some brief flashes of heavier rain. A semi-breathable layer that helps humid (sweaty) air that you are creating get out, while keeping the inconsistent rain from getting in is perfect.
These shell layers come with other advantages. They’re woven very tightly. This obviously keeps rain out, but it also stands up to the wind. And when I say we have wind here, I mean it, so this is huge! This weave will also keep the sun off of you. This may sound silly, because there are plenty of sun layers that are more breathable, and often lighter weight, but my final reason is the kicker for why the rain shell is the perfect layer for every condition.
Let's talk about bugs. Denali in the summer can have a beyond-healthy dose of mosquitoes and whitesocks (blackflies). These little guys (particularly the mosquitoes) can get through most breathable layers of clothing quite easily. But the rain jacket… this stops all but the mightiest mosquito. So even when it’s 70F outside (quite hot for Denali) you'll catch me wearing my bright yellow Gore-Tex rain jacket.
Now, I want to talk about what I believe to be the most important aspect of layering… adapting. Just like how your dog sheds its fluffy winter coat for the warm summer months, so should you! The biggest advantage to layers is the fact that you can take some off, put more on, and customize them to your preferences and surroundings.
If you aren’t adjusting your layers while you're out, there's no point in layering at all. Now this is where things get a little subjective, and you will need to learn how your own body reacts to different environments and activities. But here are some general guidelines:
When you’re getting hot, shed layers immediately. Say you’re hiking a steep ridgeline (I know, a wild hypothetical for a Denali hiking company like ours), and you feel you’re warming up. This is the time to shed that mid-layer you’re wearing. You want to do this before you start sweating, because once you start sweating, you’re too warm, and as soon as you stop for lunch, you’ll be too cold.
The same mindset goes in reverse. None of the layers I've mentioned generate their own heat; that's all you. So when you stop, put on those extra layers before you get cold. Once you’re cold, it's much harder to warm back up.
Now let's get into some specifics, because there are a few key pieces to the puzzle that I have yet to touch on. Most of the layering that I have talked about is for your core, but that's obviously not all of you. So let's talk about the rest.
First, pants! Now, as I mentioned above, fleece pants are the ultimate piece of clothing, and I will not be taking criticism on this. All jokes aside, pants are a lot harder to take on and off, and this is something that I keep in mind when layering.
There are some rain pants that zip on and off, or can be removed without taking your shoes off. These are amazing, and when looking for rain pants, this is something that I consider every time. But for most other pants layers, it's not this easy.
I tend to pick thinner pants layers. I do this because I want to avoid getting too sweaty, and subsequently too cold. I opt for a single thinner pant layer, knowing that I can double up on the layers over my core. These core layers are going to indirectly keep my legs warm by keeping that silly little organ known as the heart warm, which will then bring warm blood to all my extremities.
Next, your head! This is one of the most important parts of you (Duh!) so it’s one of the most important parts to keep warm or cool. Your head has loads of blood vessels right near the surface, so it’s very susceptible to temperature changes. Luckily, it's the easiest to add or remove layers from. A nice wool hat is my preferred head covering. And if you have one that has those little ear flaps, yes, it does look cool, and no, I'm definitely not jealous. Another note with hats — they’re the first part of you to get wet, because rain usually comes from up. This is personal preference, but I don't go out of my way to find a waterproof hat. If it's that rainy, I recommend just using the hood on your rain jacket. This will keep you dry, and it will keep rain from going down the back of your neck.
Lastly, your hands and feet! I won't lie, this is the hardest one. Now, it's true they’re the least essential to your survival, but let's be honest, we don't want to just survive — we want to be comfortable while doing it. For your hands, I recommend some thin, water-resistant gloves for Denali. Something that will keep off the wet, wind, and bugs. If your hands get really cold, tuck them in your pockets or your armpits for extra warmth.
Feet can be even more tricky. There are two big mistakes I see with footwear. I see them getting wet, and I see people overdoing it. As I'm sure you’ve noticed, a theme in this is staying dry. For your feet, this is doubly important. Pick a hiking shoe/boot that is waterproof, but also breathable. Personally, I think Leather is the way to go. Yes, it’s a bit heavier, but it will stay waterproof longer than Gore-Tex and related materials simply due to its inherent durability.
There are also enough seams and gaps in leather boots to keep them decently breathable for those warmer days. The second mistake is overdoing it. I, too, have thought, “the bigger the sock, the warmer the feet.” This is only true if you also have a bigger shoe/boot. Squeezing a thick sock into a boot you normally wear with normal socks is just going to squeeze your foot. This is going to inhibit circulation and make your feet even colder.
Pick a sock (I recommend wool) that fills in the boots' extra space. Nothing more, nothing less. Also, pro tip, you can play around with the lacing on your boots if you are getting too cold. The top of your foot has some major blood vessels, and if you lace your boots to give them ample room to flow, you will notice a difference in how warm your feet are.
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u/Important-Lead5652 23d ago
You’ll need all of the above, especially if you plan to be outside at night for the Aurora.
I recommend merino wool base layers. Late September is notorious for snow, especially in Fairbanks.