Winter hiking in the snow can sometimes be a little tricky. It’s definitely harder than hiking during the spring, fall, or summer. Read on to find out some ideas to make winter hiking really enjoyable.
Winter Hiking Clothing: Choose it Wisely
First, make sure that you have good waterproof footwear. Really, the amount of insulation should somewhat match the external temperature and depth of the snow. There is nothing worse than wet feet, cold feet, or wet and cold feet. Baffin, Sorel, and Vivobarefoot make great footwear for winter. Second, wear layers of clothing that are easy to remove, carry, and put back on. Winter hiking in the snow is harder than hiking on dry ground. Wearing layers helps you to keep your body temperature consistent and avoids you getting sweaty. Sweat is not your friend in frigid weather. Finally, wear gloves or mittens, hats, and socks that match your needs. Some people like heavy gloves. I can barely wear gloves because my hands get so hot. Some people have cold feet, and some people have hot feet. I need to wear wool socks to keep my feet warm and wick away sweat when they get too hot. Understanding what works for you makes all of the difference in comfort.
Protect Your Face
Exposed skin takes a beating in cold weather. It takes more of a beating in cold, sunny, and windy weather. Be sure to protect your skin with sunscreen and a very occlusive moisturizer. In addition to these two things, I almost always wear sunglasses to protect my eyeballs and add an extra layer of protection for the delicate skin around my eyes. Finally, wearing a buff helps protect the skin more. You don’t have to wear it all the time you are out, but if it is particularly sunny or windy along a section of the trail, pull it up for added protection.
Winter Hiking Trails
Of course, you can always just go to one of your regular hiking spots and take off. If the snow is not deep, that works. If the snow is relatively deep, you need snowshoes. Check out this post on snowshoes. In areas with a considerable amount of snow, it’s best to find a groomed trail. It’s a lot easier to walk on a groomed trail. Don’t get me wrong, easy is relative. Walking on snow is not easy.