Winter Hiking Tips

The weather outside is frightful, but the trails are so delightful... and since we're all geared up to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Winter Hiking Conditions
NJ/Eastern:

• Check/post NJ trail reports in our Forum

• Northeast Snow Forecast

• NJ Snowfall/Snow Depth Maps

• NJ Snow Depth - shaded map

• NJ Snow Spotter (NWS)

• Mid-Atlantic Snow Depth

• Eastern Snow Quality

U.S. Snow Depth Maps:

• U.S Current Snowcover

• U.S Snow Depth

• National Snow Maps

• Recent Snowfall and Snow Depth Maps (NOAA)

• U.S. Snow Quality

• Dress in Layers

• Traction Aids/Winter Gear

• Snowshoe Resources

• Other Winter Hiking Tips

• Winter Hiking in New Jersey

Dress in layers

This is really the key to being outside in cold weather; add and remove pieces as needed. Don't overlook packing a hat and gloves even in shoulder-seasons - they offer an easy way to control temperature.

Depending on the conditions, use these layers:

• Bottom: moisture-wicking breathable shirt or thermal layer

• Mid: insulating layer like a fleece jacket

• Outer: water/wind proof layer

• Hat and gloves

• Good socks; waterproof boots

Various layering items we use (not necessarily all at once!):

• REI OXT long-sleeved wicking tee

• Under Armour long-sleeve and Under Armour Bottoms

• REI fleece jacket

• PacTech packable wind/rain shell

• Columbia Vertex jacket w/zip-out lining

• EMS Brand gloves

• Mountain Hardwear Hat with ear flaps

• Polar Buff headwear

• Smartwool Hiking Socks

Resist the temptation to dress too warmly. When you are shivering at the trailhead, you may think you need heavier stuff than you really do. You may be chilly for the first 15 minutes, but once you get moving you will warm up quickly. And if you will be doing a lot of uphill, you will heat up more than level hiking.

If you heat up too much and start sweating, you can risk hypothermia. With layers, you can remove a piece to cool down and dry out, then put it back on.

• Tip: If you tend to run cold and always find yourself shivering for the first 15 minutes of a hike... try jogging in place for a few seconds at the trailhead, or do a couple of jumping jacks to kick start your body a bit. Yes, you'll look stupid. But you won't be cold.

"Buff" Headwear

Versatile tube of fabric allows hat, scarf, balaclava configurations. A Polar Buff can be changed depending on the temperature. This short video demo explains how a Buff is used.

Under Armour ColdGear

Under Armour ColdGear bottoms are tight fitting enough to layer, turning your regular hiking pants into all-season gear.

Traction Aids/Winter Gear

• YakTrax or Kahtoola MICROspikes can be helpful for traction in the snow. (YakTrax Pro with the strap over the foot is better; we have the original model which slips off sometimes)

• Snowshoes can be used for deeper snowy conditions; Crampons may be better in very icy conditions.

• Gaiters can be worn around your lower leg and over your boot to keep deeper snow out and your pants from getting wet. Ones for snow are water repellant and usually go up above the calf. There are other lower models that are meant more for sandy/desert conditions.

• Trekking Poles add stability in slippery conditions. Even if you don't normally use them, you may want them for hiking in snow or ice. Very helpful with snowshoes.

• Bonus uses for winter gear (in case you need to justify the purchase!): YakTrax: great for dog walking and snow shoveling. Gaiters: For a few deep snowfalls, we've worn our gaiters to shovel out the driveway. Our neighbors were jealous of our snazzy leg gear. (or thought we were crazy...it's a toss up...)

YAKTRAX Pro

Metallic coils add grip on icy or snowy conditions. Slips over any boot or shoe. Also great for shoveling driveways or walking the dog in winter.

Kahtoola MICROspikes

Small metal spikes grip snow and ice. Slips over any boot or shoe. A bit more rugged than YAKTRAX, and meant more for hiking than general purpose use.

Trekking Poles

Helpful going both up and down hills, crossing streams... and can reduce knee pain in general. We prefer Black Diamond, with shocks, and flick lock instead of twist-tighten.

Snowshoe Resources

It's important to get the proper snowshoe for your weight, use, and for women to get a woman-specific model (gals and guys have different gaits). Some excellent resources:

• How to Choose Snowshoes | REI

• Gear School: Snowshoes | Backpacker Magazine

• Interactive Snowshoe Finder | EMS

• Snowshoe Shopping Tips | Hiking Lady

Other winter hiking considerations/tips:

• 

  Daylight hours are limited; know when sunset is. Start early and pack a headlamp in case you get caught out in darkness. A small, lightweight one can be had for around $20 and is easier to hike with than a flashlight. We have a little Petzl Headlamp that barely weighs anything.

• Know and watch for signs of hypothermia.

• Tip: in under 20 degree weather try breathing in through your nose, out through your mouth to warm up the air before it gets into your system. More tips: Stay Comfortable in Cold Weather [Backpacker Mag, Oct 2009]

• Tips for Avoiding Frostbite

• Cold-Weather Dog Gear Tips

Winter Hiking in New Jersey

New Jersey gets varying amounts of snowfall... Northern Jersey usually gets the most and may have deeper snow and more ice than central or southern NJ.

Keep that in mind when choosing where to hike in the winter. Central NJ may have no snow on the ground for weeks, or not have gotten any snowfall... but we've headed north to a park only to find several inches of compacted, icy snow we weren't prepared for.

Now we always chuck our MicroSpikes in our winter get-out-and-go duffel, just in case. If it's snowed a lot and we don't feel like tramping through it, we head to south Jersey where they usually have less or no snow.