How do you pack a backpack for mountaineering? The principle is always the same: put the heaviest items at the bottom of the bag and against your back. For example, I’m heading to Refuge Tête Rousse before climbing Mont Blanc. I’ll put my crampons in a pocket to protect my gear and place them at the bottom. I also consider what I’ll need first and what I won’t. To hike up to a mountain hut, you rarely need very warm gloves. So we’ll put warm gloves at the back, against our spine, to avoid sharp