Winter Hiking

If you’re going to be hiking or backpacking in mountainous terrain in winter, you should learn about the prevailing weather patterns and forecasting tools that are available for planning hikes and other backcountry tours. The weather in valleys seldom matches the weather …

Whenever you go hiking, it’s important to stay properly hydrated. This is especially important for winter hiking when even mild dehydration can cloud your judgment and reduce your energy level. In winter, water loss occurs through perspiration and respiration. While you can …

Winter backpacking and mountaineering are great sports. But the cost of winter gear is very expensive, upward of $2000 or more. In my experience, it’s best to acquire winter backpacking gear over a period of 2-3 years, so you can spread out …

The North Face Chilkat 400 II is an insulated waterproof/breathable winter hiking boot rated to -40F/-40C. Available for both men and women, these boots come up to mid-calf for maximum heat retention and feature metal lacing hardware for durability, a gaiter ring …

MSR’s Lightning Ascent Snowshoes are lightweight, durable snowshoes that are ideal for winter hiking and backpacking in mountainous terrain. They’re designed with a unique 360-degree traction system that allows you to walk up slopes or laterally across them without losing your grip. …

Pac boots, like the kind you get from Sorel, Kamik, Cabelas, or LL Bean, are not a good option for serious hiking in winter terrain. While Pac boots were the only inexpensive alternative to buying expensive mountaineering boots about FIVE or TEN …

Winter hikers use three different kinds of traction devices in winter: microspikes, mountaineering crampons, and snowshoes. Microspikes and mountaineering crampons are used to provide traction on ice and packed snow while snowshoes are mainly used to provide flotation on top of unconsolidated snow.  …

The biggest mistake that new winter hikers make is overdressing by wearing heavy or medium-weight baselayers that are hard to remove if you start to sweat. You’ll be much better off wearing a very thin crew or quarter-zip shirt and adding additional …

KEEN’s Targhee High Lace Winter Hiking Boots are full-height (not mids) waterproof/breathable insulated boots rated to -25F/-32C. They are amazingly comfortable for a winter boot, with soft leather uppers that require virtually no break-in period to wear. Specs at a Glance Temperature …

The Tubbs Flex VRT is a plastic decked snowshoe with an aggressive crampon setup that’s ideal for snowshoeing in steep and mountainous terrain. It has an easy-to-use Boa binding system that clamps down around your boots and won’t slip in use, along …

There are three kinds of winter hiking boots: insulated winter hiking boots, mountaineering boots, and pac boots. Which kind of winter hiking boot is right for you? Here’s a detailed guide that explains the differences between these so you can pick the …

TSL’s Symbioz Elite Snowshoes are designed for use in mountainous terrain with aggressive crampons and a heel lift for climbing steep and icy slopes. They have a large horizontal front crampon, good for digging into slopes, with 8 stainless-steel cleats (rotated 90 …

The Atlas Helium Trail ($140) is a lightweight and surprisingly inexpensive snowshoe designed for use on rolling hills and easy terrain. It has great traction and an easy-to-adjust webbing-based binding system that is compatible with most winter hiking boots. The Helium Trail …

The size of snowshoe you need depends on your body weight, the weight of your gear, snow type, and whether you snowshoe on broken-out trails or travel cross-country, on fresh powder. But if you are about to buy a new pair of …