How to Layer for Shoulder-Season Storms

The shoulder season punishes optimists. You leave the trailhead at 4°C in sun and reach the ridge in graupel.

The three-layer rule

Base layer. Merino or synthetic, never cotton. A 190 gsm merino crew like the Meridian regulates through the whole swing.

Midlayer. Grid fleece breathes on the climb — the Switchback is our default.

Shell. Save it for wind and precip. A 3-layer shell like the Alpine Shell earns its place in the pack the one hour it is on your back.

The one rule

Start cold. If you are comfortable in the parking lot, you are overdressed for the first climb.