5 Tips For Your Next Winter Hiking Adventure
Leave the sun shirt and shorts at home as it’s time to hit the trail during the cold season! Exploring our National Parks during the winter season allows for a less crowded, and often times more spectacular experience through these picturesque landscapes. Of course, if you’re not properly dressed for the weather, you will most likely end up staying in your hotel room! So here are 5 tips to ensure your winter hiking experience is memorable, enjoyable, and of course comfortable!
Slippery slopes at New River Gorge National Park in the winter
Start at the ground up: Footwear
Hitting the trails in winter means hiking through snow, over ice, and up slippery slopes. This means your daily running shoe or casual fashion shoe won’t cut it! When you plan on a winter hiking trip, make sure to look for hiking boots with aggressive tread and some sort of waterproofing technology, such as Gore-Tex™️. A well fitting, waterproof hiking boot is the ideal footwear to provide a stable platform for the unsteady trail conditions found during the winter season!
The perpetually snow covered Grand Tetons of Grand Teton National Park
2. Build a Layer Cake
Summer hiking typically consists of throwing on a shirt, pants or shorts, and hitting the trail. When its time to hit the trail in the winter, we need to think about far more than just a possible sunburn! To stay comfortable and safe on the trail, a layering system should be used. A good layering system will first and foremost not include cotton! I repeat: No Cotton! A tight fitting merino wool base layer will trap in heat and wick away moisture. Layer this base layer with an insulated mid layer such as a fleece or low-profile puffy jacket that provides warmth without adding bulk. Finally, a waterproof/windproof outer-layer is crucial in keeping the elements out and the warmth in! A 3-part layering system also allows you to shed a layer if things heat up during the day and regulate your temperature as you trek through the trails!
A deep snowpack at Bryce Canyon National Park
3. More is More!
Heading out for a winter hike? Well, get ready for Mother Nature to unleash her fury at anytime! Snow squalls, wind gusts, freezing rain, and much more can occur at almost anytime on the trail during the winter season. The best way to combat this onslaught of elements is to ensure you are prepared with extra gloves, extra socks, and extra hats. Even an extra jacket is great to pack as all waterproof gear has a breakthrough point, and nothing is worse than being soaked on the trail!
A sudden snowstorm at the higher elevations in Yosemite National Park
4. Leave the Hydration Bladder at Home
Nothing is better than having a seemingly endless source of drinkable water right on our back that is available by simply grabbing the straw and taking a sip while exploring a new trail on a hot day! The flipside is when the temperature drops, that amazingly convenient hydration bladder becomes an ice pack on your back! Leave the hydration bladder at home and opt for a double walled insulated water bottle that will keep things cold (or hot) without turning into a solid block of ice!
A snow covered trail at Bryce Canyon National Park
5. Know when to turn back (if you need to)!
Remember why you came to the National Park in the first place: to enjoy the beautiful and breathtaking landscape and wildlife. Don’t set out on a trail during the winter with the exclusive goal to complete the hike or settle for failure! There is no failure when you are out exploring nature! If the weather turns bad, toes get cold, hands get soaked, or you are just done being outside in the chilly weather, there is no shame in turning around and taking pride in what you accomplished!
