Winter hiking can be stunningly beautiful: The quiet snow-covered forest, frozen streams and waterfalls, animal paw prints in the snow, fewer people - and no mosquitoes!
However, enjoying that beauty requires a few extra precautions. Here are some tips to make your time outdoors in the winter safer:
- Ten Essentials - the 10 hiking essentials always apply, no matter the season, but hiking in the winter requires some additional considerations:
- Location - If the snow is covering the trail, it can make it more challenging to follow. Blowing snow can also obscure the trail. Bad weather may interfere with the reception of smartphones and GPS. Be extra cautious to pick well marked/blazed trails and bring a map/compass.
- Hydration - it is very easy to forget to drink water when it is cold out. Keep your water somewhere easily accessible. Select a water bottle that is still easy to open with your gloves on.
- Warmth - Dress in layers. Your first layer should be a light layer that will wick sweat away from your skin. Being wet can make you much more vulnerable to hypothermia. Hypothermia can occur even at above freezing temperatures
- Daylight - there are fewer daylight hours to work with, so be aware how much time you will need to get back. As the sun goes down and temperatures start to drop, snow that melted during the day can refreeze, making the trip back more slippery. Therefore, allow extra time for the return park of your hike.
- Stability - hiking in snow and ice requires extra support. If you don’t customarily use hiking poles, you might want to consider using them in the winter. Also, micro spikes, crampons or snowshoes may be necessary, depending on conditions.
Additional Resources:
Winter Hiking Tips (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Cold Weather Hiking - American Hiking Society
Winter Hiking Essential Gear List – Appalachian Mountain Club (outdoors.org)
